In your opinion, what skills and knowledge should law schools focus on to better prepare students for in-house legal roles?

Question

Answer

Project management, legal design, business management/basic corporate finance fundamentals, and legal operations are all important.

Answer

From the perspective of an in-house attorney, there needs to be a more significant focus on drafting and revising contracts. While every law student takes a "Contracts 101” class, there needs to be more emphasis on writing, drafting, reviewing, editing, and negotiating contracts -- because no matter what area of law you get into, you will have to deal with contracts. Contracts can be anything from a will to an employment offer to a waiver or a non-disclosure agreement. Yes, contract construction and interpretation are crucial, but an emphasis on writing skills is needed to draft contracts as well. Writing skills have been lost since the advent of e-mail and all the different ways of communicating by shorthand (e.g., text, zoom, chat, etc.).

Additionally, the third year of law school should either be eliminated or an internship year. It should be more hands-on, real-world training or preparation before graduating. That third year seems like another year of tuition for the school, but I would cut it all together or change it fundamentally where you’re not in the classroom much but are out practicing or trying to practice. In this scenario, you probably would not even be in the classroom; you're in the workforce. You can pick up so much more that way. I acknowledge that a fundamental understanding of the law - establishing how to spot issues, read cases, and do research - is essential, but that’s where I would encourage students to focus their attention.

In your opinion, what skills and knowledge should law schools focus on to better prepare students for in-house legal roles?

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