Firms, Government, and Law Schools:
Finding Common Ground to Produce Practice Ready Graduates
About the Institute
Every time academic law librarians get together, the discussions inevitably lead to a debate as to what skills are needed for practice, how to help prepare the students for practice, and whether the students are ready for the real world upon graduation. Firm librarians often bemoan the lack of research skills of the summer and new associates. In today’s economy, it is essential that summer and new associates be prepared for their new roles and know how to approach a research problem effectively and efficiently.
The institute provides an opportunity for academic and firm librarians to come together to learn from one another about how legal research training is currently being provided, about the skills that are needed in the work place, and how the new associates are affected by the transition. The synergy of the academic and firm librarians should result in a better understanding of and ideas to improve the current system.
To facilitate this process, the sessions will cover the following topics:
- A panel of academics and firm librarians discussing the academic curricula that prepare the students to practice v. the firms’ expectations
- How a survey of the results of a first year research and writing program will be used to create a certificate program for advanced legal research skills
- A continuation of the 2011 program “Assessing the Effectiveness of Legal Research & Writing Instruction” where we will hear from a local second year associate and a local firm law librarian about their experiences
- A discussion about current law office technology
- What drives the research strategies and choice made by new attorneys? Fear v. lack of information literacy.
Institute Program
A detailed program with speakers and session descriptions can be downloaded here
Quick-Reference Program
8:00 AM - Registration
8:30 - Panel Discussion – Producing Practice Ready Graduates
9:45 – Break
10:00 – Law Schools & Law Firms Coming Together
11:00 – Break
11:15 – Perspectives of a New Attorney
12:00 PM – Lunch [Box lunches provided as part of the Institute registration fee.]
1:15 – KM, CRM, DMS, EDD: What Does It Mean? Why Should I Care?
2:15 – Research Skills Among New Associates: Are Their Choices Driven by Fear or Lack of Knowledge
3:00 – Break
3:15 – Closing Panel
4:00 – Institute Concludes
