Professionalism and Power: Encouraging Students from Orientation Forward to Find Their Sources of Strength

Abstract

As we all know, when students graduate they will hold the awesome responsibility of helping real people, or not. Their actions (or failures to act) may determine whether a client keeps or loses her home or custody of her children. Their work as lawyers will affect whether people are made whole (or as whole as possible) for egregious wrongs. They will ensure with planning and preventive lawyering that companies are in compliance with rules and regulations, and see that individuals and families have sound estate plans. In short, what our students do in law school and when they graduate matters. It matters deeply. We know this, and, as educators, part of our job is to help them see this, take responsibility for their decisions and actions, and own their power.

Keywords: Professional Identity, professionalism, law school, identity,