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Seeking The St. Thomas Effect: Law School Mission And The Formation Of Professional Identity, Jennifer Wright

Jennifer Wright

Law schools have long prided themselves on their ability to train law students to “think like lawyers”. Many law schools and faculty deny that they do or should play any role in the formation of students’ professional and moral identities. Recent events point to the high social costs imposed by lawyers and judges who demonstrate no professional allegiance beyond pleasing the client or employer and maximizing the bottom line. Our legal system and our society as a whole depend upon ethical and professional behavior on the part of our lawyers and judges. Recent studies have challenged law schools’ rejection of …