The Chronicle has this articlearticle on recent discussions on the need for law schools to educate students differently.

Some telling points: “Law school graduates don’t have the practical skills to be effective lawyers. The second and third years of law school are repetitious. Law schools don’t do enough to recognize and reward good teaching and the examination of ethics.”

The meta-reform that’s needed is to make law school optional. As things now stand, in most states graduating from an accredited law school is necessary to be allowed to take the bar exam. Drop that mandate and competition will work its wonders.