Does Law School Do Enough to Prepare New Associates?

Law school provides a foundation of knowledge and skills legal practitioners can use throughout their careers. However, a practical education on the day-to-day tasks involved with being a lawyer often must occur outside of the classroom. New lawyers learn on the job and direct their own careers by finding mentors, asking questions, and figuring things out on their own.

That is reflected in a recent survey in which 45% of new associates said law school did not adequately prepare them for the work of being a lawyer.

Survey Details

The lack of practical training has been a long-running concern in legal education. And the pandemic may have made the problem worse for recent associates.

• Leopard Solutions and legal recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa conducted the survey.
• Most respondents currently work at Am Law 200 firms.
• The survey tried to understand their experiences with law firm culture, career aspirations, and the effectiveness of their legal education.

According to 546 newly practicing Gen Z junior associates who received their JD degrees between 2021 and 2023, too much of their law school curriculum focused on theoretical rather than practical knowledge. (Having to take many classes at home probably didn't help.)

Respondents noted that some more practical tips in law school, such as transaction facilitation, business management, and building client relationships, would have better prepared them as new associates.

But, the findings do not indicate a crisis. Despite a gap in practical skills, a significant majority (83%) would choose to go to the same firm again, and 79% were satisfied with their work. In addition, mentorship programs were commonly available, and most new associates found them beneficial. The main feedback respondents provided was to encourage mentorship time without impacting associates' billable hour targets.

A Check-In on New Associates

The survey was not just about legal education, however; it also asked about what new associates look for when choosing a firm. The survey revealed that junior associates value firm culture (74%) and reputation (67.15%) over compensation (66.15%). One reason might be that a quarter of respondents (24%) expected to use their current position as a stepping stone to other opportunities.

What other opportunities? About one-third were aiming for a partnership, while a quarter preferred something in-house. Just over one in 10 wanted a government or NGO role.

Finally, it's notable that many Gen Z associates preferred flexibility over pay, with slightly over half willing to trade some salary for fewer billable hours. They also favored more time off and flexible work schedules.

Takeaways

Making the transition from law student to practicing attorney can be difficult. Fortunately, while this has been a long-running issue, respondents in this survey seemed to be optimistic about their futures and pleased with where they are beginning their careers.

Law schools may wish to emphasize more practical training in some courses, and law firms may want to do more to encourage mentorships, but this latest class of associates appears to be happy with their current career trajectory.

Related Resources

• ABA Proposes Greater Course Uniformity Across Law Schools. Many Deans Opposed. (FindLaw's Practice of Law)
• The Law School Shuffle: The New 2024-2025 Law School Rankings (FindLaw's Practice of Law)
• Lateral Hiring at an All-Time Low for Law Firms (FindLaw's Practice of Law)