The Evolution of Law School Courses and Curriculums

Law school has been a prerequisite for admission to the bar for approximately a century now. The initial assumption was that it was to provide training for someone without prior law study, so it was made a three-year degree, with the first year providing an introduction to the fundamentals of law. Although there have been innumerable changes in the typical program, it retains certain core characteristics. It is still, almost without exception, a three-year program (if done full time). It has a set of core courses that are required for all students. And it demands hard work.

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In the last two or three decades, however, law schools have dramatically changed certain elements of their programs. For one thing, they have established clinical programs aimed to give students hands-on experience in the "practice" of law. This trend provides needed balance to what are otherwise heavily theoretical curricula. For another, schools have followed the trends in legal practice to incorporate a more international focus, allow students to specialize in a particular area, and promote an interdisciplinary perspective.

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Although the top law schools vary in the range of courses, clinics, and specialized programs they offer, they share a common approach to training lawyers. First-year students generally study seven subjects:

• Civil Procedure
• Constitutional Law
• Contracts
• Criminal Law
• Property
• Torts
• Legal Research and Writing

During the second and third years, the course-load in most law programs is entirely elective, with the possible exception of an independent writing project, Professional Responsibility course, or one of the core courses listed above (if it is given in the second year rather than the first). Despite this freedom, most schools expect that their students will select courses that require them to develop their research and writing abilities as well as substantive knowledge of major legal subject areas. During their second and third years, students also have the opportunity to gain academic credit through work done in a variety of clinical programs and internships.

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Part-time programs are similar in most regards, with the obvious differences caused by the fact that students are not spending all of their time in school. As a result, the first year is not so overwhelming and their social lives tend not to revolve around school.

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