Legal Research

Washington and Lee's law school announced recently that it is completely changing the structure of its third year curriculum by replacing all academic courses with experiential courses.  According to the school's press release, "traditional classroom instruction will be replaced by practice simulations, real-client interactions and the development of law practice skills. All third year students will be required to obtain a Virginia practice certificate and participate in at least one real-client experience during the year."  Students will have a choice of practice areas, and the school plans to include transactional courses focusing on areas like banking and corporate finance.  Most of these recent curricular changes at law schools are being driven in part by the 2007 Carnegie Report, which called for changes in how law students are taught so that students have more practical, "real-life" experiences before they begin practicing law.  And I have to think that students themselves will be pleased with these changes.  My third year of law school definitely felt a bit superfluous, and I would have jumped at the chance to gain some real practice skills before I graduated.  I hope we see more law schools moving in this direction soon!