Diversity Benefits of Best Practices

Educating Lawyers:  Preparation for the Profession(Sullivan, et. al. 2007) and Best Pratices for Legal Education:  A Vision and a Road Map (Stuckey, et. al. 2007) both advocate major reforms of legal education.  In a new article, Leading Change in Legal Education – Educating Lawyers and Best Practices: Good News for Diversity, 31 Seattle L. Rev. 775 (2009) (SSRN), Antoinette Sedillo Lopez (New Mexico) argues that the reforms would particularly benefit minority students:

The books both contemplate a move from the current model of large classes taught through modified Socratic dialogue to a sequenced set of course and experiences that build on basic analytical skill and provide opportunities for real life and simulated practice experience.  Assessment would become more outcome-based with genuine opportunities for students to receive constructive feedback on their skill development as it evolves.  * * *  …[W]hile those changes would benefit all future lawyers …, the changes would be particularly welcome for students of color and members of groups which are under-represented in law school.

Id. at 776 (footnotes omitted).

Gary Rosin

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