The firm as a new actor in legal education: implications and prospects

Andrew Cook, Lancaster University, UK

James Faulconbridge, Lancaster University, UK

Daniel Muzio, Leeds University Business School, UK

The firm as a new actor in legal education: implications and prospects

Acknowledgement: The authors thank the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council for funding through grant RES-000-22-2957 that supported the research reported here.

Outline

1. The sociology of the professions: the role of the university

2. New actors: the firm and education

3. Implications: new priorities; revised sociologies of the

professions

Universities

PractitionersUsers

The State

Professionalization

Actors regulating the production of and by producers.Based on Burrage et al., (1990)

The sociology of the professions: the role of the university

Universities

Practitioners

Users

Employing Organizations

Governance Regimes

Professionalization

New actors: the firm and education

Firm-based education and socialization: exemplary ‘university’ programme

Legal knowledge Practice group technical sessions Legal Ethics & Standards

Behaviours Managing your time

Being financially literate

Communication skills

Client service & relationships

People management

Business development

Practices Constructing global deals Working as an international lawyer

Legal knowledge Practice group technical sessions Legal Ethics & Standards

Behaviours Managing your time

Being financially literate

Communication skills

Client service & relationships

People management

Business development

Practices Constructing global deals Working as an international lawyer

Firm-based education and socialization: exemplary ‘university’ programme

Implications: new priorities; revised sociologies of the professions

In terms fo new priorities, put some quotes:

-From people providing tailored GDL/LPC emphasising importance of practical skill not detailed knowledge

-From trainees talking about not needing to know about the law but being a business person

Conclusions

The need to re-visit the role of universities in sociologies of the professions

The introduction of new actors in education

New questions

Can we associate professional lawyers with expertise related to a crafted

knowledge-base?

What implications for the university law degree?

The implications for regulation: is the neoliberal reform driving change a

good idea?