That Was Then, This is Now: Is There a Place in Law School for Marketing and Business Development Curriculum?
By Bob Gero
President, The Gero Group and LMA Education Chair
LMA MPC chapter President, Joe Goldshear, moderated an esteemed panel of professionals including Robert Bartow, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Laura H. Carnell Professor of Law at the Temple University Beasley School of Law; Daniel M. Filler, Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs and Professor of Law at the Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University; andMary Beth Pratt, founder of MB Pratt Consulting, Adjunct Professor at the Temple University Beasley School of Law, and retired CMO of global law firms, on the above referenced topic.
Thanks to Nancy Gimbol and Flaster/Greenberg for hosting a capacity audience in Center City, Philadelphia. Here we discussed how these law schools are examining their curricula in order to introduce future attorneys to the “intersection of law and business,” according to Mary Beth Pratt. What should law schools be teaching, and what should law firms be teaching new lawyers? Furthermore, these days many firms do not hire first-years; where then will new lawyers learn how to practice?
Some of the highlights are:
- In addition to teaching theory of the law to first-year law students, it would appear that both law schools are beginning to merge theory and practice, with communications and presentation skills. At Drexel Law, for instance, Dan Filler looks to interject business related skills as a part of the students’ training during all three years.
- The methodology differs a bit between Temple and Drexel, however both programs underscore the need for a stronger partnership between the practicing bar and law schools.
- Students are informed of law firm expectations for new attorneys in today’s difficult marketplace.
- Students are advised of what skills are needed for them to become complete professionals—e.g., utilize legal knowledge to advance the lives of their clients; learn to write emails to adults in regular English; meet deadlines and be responsive to others’ requests; and basically show up for work
- Students inquire about the environment they will be entering when accepting a job either in private practice, government or the corporate world: how will that business affect them? what are the motivations of that business or agency?
- Students are learning the importance of understanding why they need to change their mindsets, and as a result they are asking for training in practical skills, and exposure to business management process and tools.
- The current times have required law schools to place greater emphasis and more importance on an attorney’s professional responsibilities.
The attendees and the panel engaged in interactive discussion, and members of LMA offered several suggestions to the panel, which acknowledged the positive value of each one. These included:
- Law schools could do a better job of prepping lawyers for work. Law schools haven’t valued “soft skills” enough.
- A lawyer should be a person who figures out how to talk to everybody. The number of people who could be your friends is the number of people who could be your clients.
- Successful lawyers need to market themselves (i.e., make people like to work with them)—not only with clients but with all colleagues and with opposing counsel.
- Law schools should consider teaching networking, not only with law classmates and alumni, but also with a university’s MBA students.
- The basis for a successful legal career also includes fundamental skills such as fluency in communication styles and the ability to collaborate in different business cultures.
- Transactional attorneys particularly need better on-ramping before they join busy practices, as so much transactional work involves networking and real collaboration.
- Law graduates typically only know how to write briefs—in a mess of convoluted repetitious language. They need to learn how to write well in plain English.
- Some medical schools are including emotional-intelligence tests in their application requirements. We must also remember that emotional intelligence can be developed.
- When allocating resources for training, we need to consider the importance of follow-up training for fifth-years—after they’ve learned to be lawyers. Law schools should consider developing such programs.
- Larry Bodine’s recently posted “Universal Marketing Checklist for Young Lawyers” is recommended reading.
The buzz among the audience following the program was electric: “Best program ever!” and “Best in a long time!” among other glowing feedback.
Spread the word to your colleagues that LMA educational lunch programs are not to be missed!