After passing the Bar Exam and leaving law school, the next step can be a scary prospect. Graduates have to decide whether to start their own practice, join a firm or even work pro bono.
The University at Buffalo Law School is introducing a new program that may help assuage some of these fears and better prepare its graduates for their first day as lawyers.
The new Legal Skills Program will attempt to help UB Law students become more prepared for the start of their careers.
The program focuses on five key areas: legal research and writing, litigation skills, professional development, appellate advocacy skills and non-litigation skills. By putting emphasis on these areas of legal practice, graduates of the program will be better prepared for day one of practicing law.
UB Law School is reinventing the way it is preparing students for their professional career. As well as the five areas of the program, it will implement a shift toward integrating practical legal skills so new graduates will be able to do things such as file a brief, cross-examine a witness or make a special pleading.
On June 1, SUNY Distinguished professor Charles Patrick Ewing was appointed vice dean of Legal Skills to oversee the program. He has since been working on building a smooth transition for the program.
'I am learning about the programs - exactly what they do, who is involved, where the funding comes from and finding members who would direct each program individuality,' Ewing said.
'The program is designed to teach practical lawyer skills, so students are ready to practice law and [do] not need to be mentored as much as they may have in the past,' said Ilene Fleischmann, vice dean for alumni, public relations and communications and executive director of UB Law Alumni Association.
These things existed previously, but with little faculty oversight and control, she explained.
'Dean [Makau Mutua] was concerned, with 40 percent of curriculum not being overseen,' Fleischmann said. 'Some programs were developed naturally, without much help from the faculty. This will greatly improve the programs. It now appears excellent programs could be made better.'
According to the Law School's blog, the focus on legal research and writing will teach first year law students the basics, with more advanced courses as they progress through UB's Law School program.
Seven new professors will be overseeing this area, Fleischmann said.
Litigation skill will teach the students trial techniques and procedures. Professional development will focus on how the students can grow and the opportunities available for them once they start their careers. Appellate advocacy will have moot courts run by George Kannar, a professor in the Law School. The program will also offer writing competitions and courses designed to teach how to write a legal brief.
According to Ewing, this program is the most improved. It combines three separate groups, trial techniques, trial advocacy and trial teams. Non-litigation skills will have courses in negotiation, counseling and other aspects.
Ewing is excited for the future of the program.
'We have the opportunity to change the way students are trained coming out of law school,' he said. 'With the tight job market, law firms and government agencies need students who have skills, and [from] day one can do things, and don't need to be trained. We have the opportunity to make it happen …the goal now is that all students coming out [of UB Law School] have the necessary skills.'
UB Law hopes that all of these changes will positively impact students, helping to better prepare them as they start off their careers. According to Ewing, lawyers will graduate with an advantage due to this program, and will be able to do more things right out of law school than graduates from other legal programs.
'There's no reason to stop here,' Ewing said.
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
