Digital Commons Network^™

Reforming The Legal Profession Through Faith-Based Service Learning For Law Students: Notre Dame's 'Just Communities' Project, Vincent D. Rougeau

Vincent D. Rougeau

Major curricular reform is long overdue at many American law schools, and the current economic crisis presents a unique opportunity for change. This article argues for a greater emphasis on service learning in the law school curriculum so that students can acquire a wider range of practical skills essential to lawyers and gain a deeper sense of engagement with issues of justice. At Notre Dame’s London Law Centre, the “Just Communities” project offers a compelling example of how this can be accomplished. Through participation in faith-based community organizing, law students not only gain valuable skills essential to the lawyer’s craft, …