The State of Trial Advocacy and Legal Education: Three New Studies

The appearance of three recent studies- two of trial judges’ perceptions of trial lawyers’ performance and one of law schools graduates’ perceptions of the utility of legal training- provides an opportunity to reevaluate the state of lawyer competence and the effect of law schools on that competence. With increased pressures in the profession for reformation of law school curricula, including the prescription of particular subjects, separation of the imagined failings of law schools from the genuine deficiencies has become increasingly important.