Legal education is an important niche in the education system, and good qualifications and a high level of education are essential for a career in law. Accredited courses run by top universities provide students with everything they need to become professional lawyers upon graduation.
The changing face of the legal sector over time has also seen legal education change, but how exactly is legal education adapting to ever-changing practice areas and client needs?
The increased focus on tech in legal education
One major change seen across the legal profession in recent years has been the increase in the use of technology within the field. The online law degree at Cleveland State University is a case in point and shows the positive impact of remote learning in legal education, for example. The online nature of this J.D. program not only makes it very convenient but also gives it superb flexibility. A part-time course, it can be completed in just over three years, allowing students to maintain an excellent work/life balance.
New technologies are also being used within legal education curriculums to prepare students for working life. In terms of new legal practice areas, AI in the legal sector has played a key part in many modern courses. Whether it is showing students how to use AI software to track down key documents online or helping with contract review procedures, this is one example of how legal education is evolving to cover important developments in tech.
Another tech-based emerging practice area that legal education is changing to cover is virtual courtrooms. The demand for these digital courtrooms will likely increase as time passes, and lawyers will need to know how to engage with them effectively.
Client service and customer relations
Over the last few decades, there has been a real shift within the legal profession in terms of the service offered to clients. More law firms are now focusing more on the service aspect of their practice to not only attract more clients but also connect more effectively with existing ones.
This was not always something legal education focused on in the past when the nuts and bolts of legal processes rightfully took precedence. While teaching students key legal foundations is still paramount for universities, more are now beginning to incorporate customer service/client relations modules in their programs. This is done to help students meet the demands placed on them by modern clients.
More teaching on client needs could see trainee lawyers learn about the importance of transparent pricing to foster better customer relations or respond to queries as quickly as possible. It may also touch on how would-be lawyers might engage with clients when qualified and how this is changing. For example, remote appointments via video conferencing are in high demand, so lawyers must be prepared to conduct online meetings if required.
Legal education on specialized, emerging subjects
Finding helpful career tips to succeed in any profession is always wise, and anyone looking to become a lawyer should consider this. One thing that can help is having advanced knowledge in specialized practice areas that are becoming popular or might take off in the future. The legal education sector recognizes this and has quickly adapted to cover the latest legal practice areas students need to know about.
While any decent legal course will still naturally cover the essentials any lawyer needs to know for their future career, the modern legal education industry has proactively adapted to changing demands. As a result, you can now see subjects taught that were not part of law courses in the past.
This is very important for the continued relevance of lawyer training as we move forward and for ensuring law graduates have all the knowledge needed to succeed in the modern legal profession. Access to education on the latest specialized subjects in law is also key for students who plan to practice in specific fields after graduating.
Examples of emerging specialized subjects in law
Space law is a good example of an emerging area of law that is increasingly being incorporated into legal education. As programs such as Space X see more human activity in space, this type of law helps to govern what happens there and resolve any disputes. If humans do end up spending more time in space for work, travel, or play in years to come, an understanding of the emerging field of space law could be key for lawyers.
Cybersecurity is another field in which legal education has had to change to adapt to emerging practice areas. Most law courses now touch on this subject, and some will even discuss socialization in it. As businesses and people spend more and more time online, this is a key subject for law students to cover. To this end, education on cybersecurity helps trainee lawyers truly understand how cybersecurity works, which means they can assist clients with legal advice in this field.
Conclusion
As with any industry, the legal sector looks different now from what it did 20 or 30 years ago. The changes it has seen also mean that legal education must evolve to remain relevant. It has done this by constantly reviewing what students are taught so they can meet the demands of modern clients and learn more about the latest practice areas. With things moving so fast in the legal sector, seeing where things head next will be interesting.
