Legal Marketing & PR

Law school fails to prepare students for real life

By Ed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Derek McIver

Ictus Initiative

617-717-8294, Derek@IctusInitiative.com

LIVE WEBCAST TO DISCUSS BUSINESS EDUCATION AT LAW SCHOOLS

Panel Asks: Are Law Schools Preparing Graduates for the Real World?

VENICE, CA January 19, 2010 – Nationally-recognized law firm management expert Ed Poll, JD, MBA, CMC, announced today an upcoming live webcast to discuss how the nation's law schools teach – or fail to teach – the fundamental principles of business. 'Law School: Are Recent Graduates Prepared for the New Era?', which takes places January 27 at 11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET, will feature four recent law school graduates who will describe how law school did or did not prepare them for them for The Business of Law®. The session is presented in association with West LegalEdcenter®.

'Law practice and all its supporters represent a multi-billion dollar industry that is governed by the same business principles that govern other professions,' explains Poll. 'Yet law schools pay little if any attention to these real-world business concerns. The result is that recent graduates enter their new profession woefully unprepared for the realities and the rigors of the industry. It's time for that to change.'

Over the course of the session, the recent graduates will describe their current environment, relate their experiences in the legal world, and engage in a lively discussion about the state of business education at the nation's law schools. Moderator Ed Poll will also discuss his top 10 principles to succeed in this era. As Poll explains, law practice is much more than being able to research case law – new graduates need to be educated on client management, billable hours, fee collection, profitability, and business management. Mr. Poll will use the session to demonstrate the importance of these skills, and educate participants on the basics of The Business of Law®.

Those signing up for the live webcast will also be given a unique opportunity to learn more about Poll's business principles: all participants will be offered a special package deal on books and CDs from the LawBiz® store, including Business Competency for Lawyers (LawBiz® Management Co. 2006) and Poll's newest book, Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times (Thomson West, available February 2010). This special package will be made available to attendees immediately following the seminar. In addition, Ed offers weekly insights on his YouTube® channel (YouTube.com/LawBizGuide) and can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/lawbiz. 

About Ed Poll

Ed Poll, J.D., M.B.A., CMC, is a nationally-recognized expert in law practice management. He helps attor­neys and law firms increase their profitability by consulting with them on issues of internal operations, business development, and financial matters. Poll brings his clients a solid background in both law and business. He has 25 years experience as a practicing attorney and has also served as CEO and COO for several manufac­turing businesses. In 1990, he founded LawBiz® Management Company and is now focused on coaching, speaking, and training law firms.

Poll is the author of numerous publications that have become the definitive works in the legal field, including: Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times (Thomson West, available February 2010), Law Firm Fees & Compensation: Value and Growth Dynamics (LawBiz© Management Co. 2008), Attorney & Law Firm Guide to The Business of Law: Planning and Operating for Survival and Growth, 2nd ed. (American Bar Assoc. 2003), and The Profitable Law Office Handbook: Attorney's Guide to Successful Business Planning (LawBiz® Management Co. 1996).

Full post as published by Law Biz Blog on January 19, 2010 (boomark / email).