Practice Management

Teletubbie Alert (orange level): Law schools must now teach you how to be "a person"?

By Dan Hull

Above: Headed for law school? Hopefully not--but run one over if you see one just in case.

Get the net. Our rake head writer told me--at first--to "trash this blog post thoroughly, lovingly and like you mean it". And then said, on second thought, to go easy since the blogger is a "King-Hell Straight-Up Total Betty". So his hypocrisy knows no bounds. But do see the well-written and sincere but perplexing "Will Law Schools Help Build a Healthier Profession?" at the otherwise sane Law People. This was, to be honest, disturbing.

Look, law people, we always thought that becoming a lawyer or a person was an "inside job". We seriously doubt that Law turns people to booze, drugs, nitrous oxide, ether, glue, Twinkies, or mental illness any more or faster than the same people would ingest and suffer in a different or less taxing profession. A lot of that "hay is in the barn" when you get hatched (i.e., at birth). Some call it DNA, genes and family "patterns". Entire books by shrinks, regular physicians and scientists cover it.*

How about this? Law schools will work on recruiting tough people who would make good lawyers and actually like, handle and even "use"--rather than fold under--the "pressure" that is likely to still accompany much great legal work for clients in the future? And then make them into the best lawyers they can make them into in three (3) semesters rather than six (6)? Or is that too insensitive, old school, and cost-efficient?

*Wait. Can law school teach our associates which fork to use, about the correct colognes, and how to decant the good port when visiting the Greenfields in Pointe aux Barques? Now you're talking.

Full post as published by What About Clients? on July 14, 2010 (boomark / email).