Law Commons^™

This essay examines how law school education can be modernized through the use of technology. First, the essay acknowledges that the current use of technology in most law school classrooms lacks appeal to today’s students. It briefly explores the use of PowerPoints, podcasts, and clickers and suggests that students have grown bored with this technological trio because of overuse and familiarity. Second, the essay proposes that today’s students will be better served in class if professors would use the technology that students more typically use. It advocates for the addition of internet videos, music playlists, and Facebook groups to the …

This Article examines how Facebook posts can be used to teach professionalism and professional responsibility in law schools. By providing graphic Facebook examples, it demonstrates and discusses the need to include instruction on professionalism and professional responsibility as the concepts relate to social networking. The Article suggests that today’s Generation Y law students develop and define their professionalism ideals and understand their professional responsibility, in part, in conjunction with the development of their online personas and their use of Facebook. It provides an in-depth analysis of four Facebook posts made by lawyers, clients, judges, and law students. It proposes that …

In response to the demands of prospective law students, pressure from outside law organizations, and forces from within the legal academy, law schools are offering more skills training for students and more job security for Legal Methods professors. As a result, Legal Methods professors’ primary responsibilities in the legal academy are changing from a single focus of teaching to a dual focus of teaching and scholarship. Although the changes are welcomed, the task of producing scholarship remains especially difficult for Legal Methods professors because in many instances they still lack the necessary funding and time to fulfill this new obligation. …

Students’ reactions to feedback are intriguing. Why is it that some students resist, and in fact almost resent, receiving suggestions for improving their work while others are grateful and clamor for more help? This short article examines the role of gratitude in legal education. It suggests that students who engage in disciplined optimism, i.e., positive attitude and hard work, are more likely to succeed in law school than students who avoid feedback and self-handicap their efforts.