Robert Danforth, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law, Washington & Lee University School of Law, Lexington, VA. Will discuss Washington & Lee's New Third Year, a program that focuses on professional development through simulated and actual practice experiences.
Topics to be covered include:
a. Explain how the new third year program works.
b. Explain how professionalism is important to W&L and how this program is a continuation of that tradition.
c. Why did W&L decide to make such a dramatic change to its law school curriculum?
d. How did W&L get its faculty on board to make this change?
e. How do you respond to law school concerns that implementing a program like this one is cost-prohibitive?
f. How do you respond to law school concerns that changing the curriculum in this manner might not allow enough class time for law schools to teach what is necessary for their students to pass the bar exam?
g. What kind of feedback have you received from professors and students so far?
h. How do you plan to assess the success of this program?