Legal Research

Readers of Novalawcity may recall a previous post about Paul Lippe's critique of legal education in the United States.  Along those lines, a symposium called "It's More than Grades:  Matching Law School Preparation with Employers' Needs" was conducted at the Florida Bar's Annual Convention.  Former Supreme Court Justice Rauoul Cantero mentioned Lippe's article, pointing out the difference between the hands-on approach of medical school and the more scholarly approach of law school.  Many of the speakers advocated an increased law school emphasis on practical skills.  Gerald Curington, of the governor's office, recalled a cartoon of a lawyer being wheeled into surgery hoping that medical schools taught their students more than how to think like surgeons.

Despite the near-unanimity among symposium speakers that law students need more practical experience, a recent change in the certified legal intern (CLI) program  appears to have caused a dramatic drop in the number of students entering the CLI program. Students wishing to enter the CLI program are now required to undergo full review by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. Read about the symposium in The Florida Bar News.