Reflections On Legal Education In The Aftermath Of A Pandemic

Timothy Casey (California Western), Reflections on Legal Education in the Aftermath of a Pandemic, 28 Clinical L. Rev. 85 (2021):

This essay considers two significant changes to legal education in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. First, on-line programs will expand, based on the largely successful experiment in delivering legal education on-line during the pandemic. But this expansion must be thoughtful and deliberate. The legal education curriculum could include more on-line courses, but only if the learning outcomes and the pedagogy are aligned with on-line education. Experiential courses may not be the best fit for on-line given the specific learning outcomes and the benefits of in-person instruction in those courses.

Second, student well-being will receive more attention in legal education. Our experience with the pandemic reinforced the critical importance of well-being, not only for our students, but also for our profession. Student well-being should be integrated into the legal education curriculum.