Lawyers are an essential part of any legal matter that someone meets in his life. Law is quite difficult, and we cannot grab all its details. So, whenever we face a legal issue, we must take assistance from a professional lawyer who can guide us through it. This world is full of conflicts. Thousands of people come across different conflicts that ultimately have to be settled in a Court of Law each day. A person facing such an issue needs the services of a professional lawyer.
Lawsuits are of various types ranging from simple personal injury to complicated business-related matters. Hence the demand for lawyers is growing day by day. We see the emergence of new law firms almost daily. So there is a big open market for new lawyers.
In fact, the emerging digital market is opening new doors for lawyers to get clients from the Websites and digital apps. And it’s getting cut throat competition. For having further research click here to get more information. But the question is are law schools fetching new lawyers just right for that competition.
A lawyer is a person who is supposed to have got a law education from a trustworthy Law School. Law schools play a vital role in preparing new lawyers. Going forward, some Universities will provide specialized education to prepare specialists in different fields of law.
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What Is A Law School?
A law school is an educational institution that provides basic and specialized law education to the students. The aim is to prepare a person with complete knowledge of prevailing laws. After successfully completing the law degree courses, he can join a law firm or practice independently. Please read this article to learn about a law school’s role in preparing new lawyers.
What Can You Expect From A Law School?
Law school takes 3 years to complete the law education in the UK. Every law school has a specific set of study schedules. They have a wide range of law study programs. But the first year is almost the same at every reputable law school.
However, the second and third years are quite diversified, and every school follows a different pattern to impart education to the upcoming lawyers. This may include some specialized courses related to different fields of law. So, life at a law school, especially after the first year, is not easy. You have to undergo extensive training to compete in the most competitive circumstances.
First Year at a Law School
The first year is more like an introductory phase. You will get basic knowledge about the law and its practical implications in life. It will make a strong foundation for further studies in different fields of law.
After studying different legal opinions, you will be required to analyze and prepare your opinion. This inflicts a sense of understating and building up your opinion on different legal issues. The second phase of it is to make you think like a lawyer. You are allowed to study different cases and give your opinion.
Curriculum for First Year
The basic curriculum is almost similar at every law school that may include
- Civil procedures laws
- Criminal procedures laws
- Constitutional laws
- Laws of Contracts
- Property laws
- Legal drafting and writing
- Introduction to legal methods
Subsequent years at a Law School
After successfully completing the first year, you will get a more intensive education related to different fields of law. The basic courses at this stage may include:
- Administrative Laws
- Commercial laws
- Civil Laws
- Family Laws
- Taxation Laws
Moving forward, the schools also offer additional study programs such as:
- International Laws
- Conflict of Laws
- Jurisprudence
- Environment related laws
- Labor Laws
Are The Law Schools Preparing A Lawyer Right?
Does a law school prepare you perfectly to excel in your practical life as a lawyer? This is the most commonly asked question. Unfortunately, the opinion of passing out law graduates is divided. Mostly the law students believe that the school has not prepared them adequately.
The law schools are quite good at imparting theoretical education to their students. They teach the laws perfectly. They teach how to correlate different sections of the law to reach a concerted opinion.
They also impart sufficient education to their students to understand the relevant laws and their application in real-life cases. This means they give their students perfect education regarding the laws and their practical implications.
But the very important aspect of law education that some schools might lack is how to deal with your clients. Most fresh law graduates are reportedly not sufficiently trained to handle clients. They also lack the expertise to face the Court and plead their case effectively and practically.
Most of the fresh law graduates believe that they were unable to deal with their first client in the following areas:
- They were unable to gain the trust of their clients due to their inability to collect relevant information that their clients expected.
- Lack of communication skills. They were unable to communicate effectively with their clients.
- They were unable to deal with difficult clients.
All the above reservations of new lawyers are generally related to applying their skills in practical life. They have perfectly imparted the theoretical education but they lack in applying it in real life. Most of the problems are related to dealing with clients.
What Is Required From The Law Schools?
Law schools must give practical training to their students on certain crucial aspects.
- A new lawyer needs to learn how to communicate effectively with clients. He should be able to communicate with his clients in simple language instead of complex legal terminology. He should be able to communicate with his clients concisely.
- A new lawyer should have sufficient skills to negotiate with his Counterparts and other people relevant to the case. This is the most neglected aspect of their study at a law school. Law Schools need to consider changing their study programs to accommodate this important factor.
- The new lawyers need to develop skills to analyze their cases. At a Law School, they were taught the laws in piece meals. They need to develop the skill to correlate different laws to build up a strong case for their clients.
What Is Required From Law Students?
You cannot learn if you don’t have the desire to do so. Law students should be self-motivated. They must be eager to learn every aspect of the laws. They should understand that getting a law degree is one thing, but it is quite a different scenario for becoming a successful and competent lawyer.
If you want to become a successful lawyer, you need to go beyond the prescribed syllabus. Explore every possible aspect of laws with the help of your teachers.
Conclusion
If you choose to become a lawyer, it’s a good idea. The law profession is quite a respectable one. It also enables you to earn handsome amounts. But remember, it is not an easy task. Law is quite a complex and vast field.
To become a lawyer, you must complete a three-year degree program at a reputable law school. At law school, you will learn the laws of the land and their practical application in real life.
However, most law schools emphasize theoretical education and often ignore the important aspect of communication skills that a new lawyer must have. You must develop these skills as a law student to become a competent and successful lawyer.