Dean Blake D. Morant's article, "The Continued Evolution of American Legal Education," has been included in Wake Forest Law Review's new book, Revisiting Langdell: Legal Education Reform & The Lawyer's Craft.
In his new article, Dean Morant responds to the alleged "crisis in legal education" and provides an in-depth analysis of the value that American legal education provides.
The article, which is split into two parts, describes the continual evolution of American legal education. The first part examines the history of legal training in the U.S. and its early beginnings where "reading the law" was a practical exercise. Dean Morant then discusses the modern incarnation that includes classroom instruction, where there is an increase in opportunities for students to exercise practical skills. The discussion on skills dominates the second part of the article, which notes implementation of innovative programs at law schools.
Although critics continue to question the relevance of the present model of legal education, Dean Morant addresses those concerns in his conclusion and emphasizes that American legal education, with its grounding in critical thinking skills and growing emphasis on professionalism, remains relevant and essential in the complex, global marketplace.