How Law Schools Are Preparing Students for the New World of Work

Law schools have been under increasing pressure to produce practice-ready lawyers for more than a decade, but as many top law schools launch new programs, it seems a tipping point has arrived.

While some institutions have long had clinical training, primarily in litigation, schools are evolving their offerings in areas like transactional practice, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

The expectation that law graduates be prepared for work on day one is growing. With soaring billing rates, firms and clients are less willing to pay for long associate apprenticeships, the firm model for more than a century.

“I think it is a responsiveness ...