How can lawyers help law students better prepare for the practice of law?
It’s no secret that law firms don’t think students are “practice ready” when they come out of law school.
According to Sean Harrington, the director of technology and innovation at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, firms long have reported that new attorneys lack proficiency in motion drafting, advanced legal research and transactional due diligence. He said firms also have reported spending at least $20,000 on remedial training for each associate.
“They also are generally not happy with what students are learning,” said Harrington, who cited data showing a majority of firms say law school curricula is disconnected from the actual demands of the practice of law.
Speaking Thursday during an ABA Techshow 2025 session titled “Academic + Practice Partnerships: Why Academics Need to Collaborate with the Legal Profession,” Harrington said there is a lot attorneys can do to help bridge this gap between legal education and legal practice.
Attorneys can start by talking to the law schools they primarily hire from or their own alumni associations, Harrington said. They can pitch ideas for different types of partnerships, including mentorships, guest lectures and capstone collaborations.
While it may seem like a lot of work, Harrington emphasized that law firms “will waste less time and money” in the long run.
“When your new graduates come on, they can actually work,” he added. “They can actually do what you need them to do.”
Attorneys also can help create institutional partnerships or advisory boards.
Follow along with the ABA Journal’s coverage of the ABA Techshow 2025 here.
Harrington is the director of his law school’s Digital Initiative, which aims to provide technological skills to all of its students. He said he now is working to put together a board of advisers that includes private practice attorneys, judges and access-to-justice leaders.
“We are going to meet with them quarterly to say, ‘Here is what we’re teaching; is this useful?’” Harrington stated. “And they can veto it. That’s a very powerful thing to have. [It] is a pulse check.”
“I have not been at a law firm in 10 years, so it’s really important to have constant feedback from outside,” he added.
Harrington provided other tips to attorneys who want to build new partnerships with law schools. He said they should identify a “champion” to help build momentum on campus, define clear goals, set milestones and track outcomes.
“So what do we need to start doing this from the attorney perspective?” Harrington reiterated. “Your interest, your time, possibly some of your money. But hopefully, the return that you get will be substantially greater.”
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
