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?