Not Everyone Works for Biglaw: A Response to Neil J. Dilloff

10 Pages Posted: 22 Sep 2011 Last revised: 31 Dec 2012

See all articles by Louis N. Schulze

Louis N. Schulze

Florida International University (FIU) - College of Law

Lawrence Friedman

New England Law | Boston

Date Written: September 20, 2011

Abstract

In a law review article entitled "The Changing Cultures and Economics of Large Law Firm Practice and Their Impact on Legal Education," DLA Piper partner Neil J. Dilloff details recent changes in the way that BigLaw does business. He then suggests a number of improvements in legal education ostensibly compelled by the new economic realities of large firm practice.

While many of Attorney Dilloff's suggestions make very good sense, several problems exist. In this short essay, we take the position that law schools should not pattern current reforms solely on the needs of BigLaw. Instead, we suggest that reforming legal education requires law schools to rethink the tradition of merely teaching students to think like lawyers. Rather than upholding the status quo of a generally liberal arts pursuit to the study of law, law school curricula, particularly in upper-division classes, should focus on producing lawyers ready and able to practice in a variety of contexts.

Keywords: legal education, legal practice

Suggested Citation

Schulze, Louis and Friedman, Lawrence, Not Everyone Works for Biglaw: A Response to Neil J. Dilloff (September 20, 2011). Maryland Law Review, Vol. 71, 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1931106

Louis Schulze (Contact Author)

Florida International University (FIU) - College of Law ( email )

11200 SW 8th St.
RDB Hall 1097
Miami, FL 33199
United States
305-348-4963 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://law.fiu.edu/faculty/louis-schulze-jr/

Lawrence Friedman

New England Law | Boston ( email )

154 Stuart Street
Boston, MA 02116
United States
617-451-0010 (Phone)

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
133
Abstract Views
1,634
Rank
387,988
PlumX Metrics