First things first, here's a link that describes the program in full -http://www.law.wlu.edu/thirdyear/
From a broad perspective, the new third year program seems like an innovative and creative idea. As far as typical 3L classes are concerned, they can sometimes be quite mundane, and I believe that the new program has the potential to fill some pretty large gaps. If you're looking for the advantages, take a look at the link; they're all there.
However, as of now, I believe there is one significant shortcoming that has not been entirely addressed. In my experience, the two new practicum courses that I took were not very different than any other law school course I have taken. I think one of the program's shortcomings, that may be addressed as time goes on, is how the courses are actually taught. While this clinical and practical approach may be new to students, it cannot be forgotten that it is also new to the faculty. In my experience, one new third year course that I took was nothing more than a legal writing course with a specific focus (though taught by a leading expert in the field), and the other was a very unstructured survey course taught by a new adjunct with no teaching experience. However, I would urge you to talk to other 2L and 3L students who have taken these new courses; I know that some have had very good experiences.
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