This comprehensive study, conducted with a sample size of 134 law school faculty from 80 North American law schools, provides valuable insights into faculty opinions on various aspects of law school curriculum development.
The survey assessed faculty views on several key areas, including the emphasis on practical legal skills, tuition policies, technology training, experiential learning, course development, and alternative legal education models. A fewof this report's main findings are that:
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Emphasis on Practical Legal Skills: Over 51% of faculty agreed or strongly agreed that law school curricula should emphasize practical legal skills more, with strong support from Assistant/Associate Professors and Adjunct/Clinical Faculty.
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Tuition Reductions for Public Interest Commitment: 63.43% of faculty supported tuition reductions or increased aid for students who commit to public interest legal work post-graduation, with the highest agreement among full Professors.
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Legal Technology Training: 47.02% of faculty agreed that law schools prepare students well for legal technology, with Adjunct/Clinical Faculty being the most positive.
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Two-Year Legal Education Models: 75.37% of faculty were not confident in two-year legal education models, with Professors showing the most resistance.
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Experiential Learning vs. Classroom Time: 29.85% supported reducing classroom time in favor of internships and legal clinics, while 45.52% disagreed.
The survey highlights the diverse opinions among law school faculty and provides a roadmap for future curriculum development. The findings underscore the importance of practical skills, public interest commitment, technology training, and experiential learning in shaping the future of legal education.