Law school shouldn’t be a ‘shopping list of subjects’

The legal industry needs to start looking at what else should be taught at university to prepare graduates for the current market, according to the UTS law school dean.

Lara Bullock • 27 November 2015 • NewLaw

Speaking with Lawyers Weekly, professor Lesley Hitchens (pictured) said universities should be changing along with the industry to adequately prepare their students for the current job market.

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Prof. Hitchens urged the industry to “have a richer discussion about how we should be preparing graduates, so that it doesn't just become another shopping list of subjects”.

“This is a challenge for law schools because on the one hand we are bound by the admitting authorities and the requirements that they have; but we have to think, are there different skills that we may want to introduce or make our students aware of?” Prof. Hitchens said.

“The obvious one is technology. Really helping them to understand better the way in which technology is impacting the profession, but also helping them to be skilled in that area.”

Prof. Hitchens said that this is necessary given how technology is changing the way in which legal services can be delivered.

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“For graduates who want to practice, they're going to have a range of different opportunities, and some of that might be through these different models of working that technology may be enabling.”

The challenge of that is not only helping them become aware of what those different opportunities are but also providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful, she said.

“It's a broad range of skills, it’s not just teaching them how to use IT, but arming them with a broader range of skills about understanding the business environment, being able to analyse data and so forth,” Prof. Hitchens said.

“They have to be more highly skilled in a range of different ways.”

She added that the industry can’t lose sight of the importance of disciplinary knowledge, but that students need to be well-rounded and prepared for the current job market.

“As a university, that academic knowledge is really crucial, but we also want our students to be able to think professionally and practically.”

In a final point, Ms Hitchens said it’s important to remember that a significant proportion of graduates don’t necessarily go into practice.

“They pursue other careers using the skills and the knowledge that their law degree has given them, and it's really important that that's part of the discussion about employment and graduate opportunities.”

bigphill9 Friday, 04 December 2015

â€œIt's a broad range of skills, itâ€™s not just teaching them how to use IT, but arming them with a broader range of skills about understanding the business environment, being able to analyse data and so forth,â€ Prof. Hitchens said. what the good professor should realise is, that if you are under 35 years of age and don't know IT backwards, then you are not going to make it in this IT world! furthermore, the good professor should watch "The Chase - Australia", so many go on that show and tell the world + Andrew O'Keefe; oh I am a law student, in my final year, or oh I am a journalism student, in my final year, AND COULD NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHICH WAR WAS THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN FOUGHT IN!!! an absolute insult!! no, before you even think of a law degree, you must have another university degree, at a distinction level and, at least, five years work experience outside of law. just because you went to the best poodle fakers school & got high marks in your HSC (another rort) does not make you even a good law clerk!!! as for law schools, they should all be closed down, and we should go back to serving three years in practice!!

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Anon123 Thursday, 03 December 2015

Even if that happened, it wouldn't make that much of an impact in terms of graduate numbrers - most of the increase in supply has come from the large Go8 schools increasing intakes, not increased number of smaller schools. Besides, how do you measure quality? ATAR is a rort, everyone knows it. Average starting salaries? (in which case some Go8 law schools would be in the bottom 50% and would be shut down).

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David Turnbull Thursday, 03 December 2015

Homogenisation of any skill weakens the overall impact of learning.

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Cody Fox Wednesday, 02 December 2015

â€œ...so that [law] doesn't just become another shopping list of subjects.â€ With respect professor, you're too late. - Higher education became monetized in the late 80's via Higher Education Contribution Scheme or (HECS). Students became consumers; educators the service providers. - If paying for a service consumers inherently expect the best content or perceive they are getting the best. For example, Foxtel's subscriptions shot up when they secured Game of Thrones. By analogy, a law degree is the best show in town at the moment. Why do you think there're so many law schools?

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Alphabet678 Sunday, 29 November 2015

The first and most important thing that needs to be done is to close down all the sub-par law schools currently in existence, which is like half of all the law schools in Australia.

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