Here is a quick post do get the some discussion going:
What do you think is the purpose of law school (either as a current student or future student)?
I have come to the conclusion that law school has two, and only two purposes that student should focus on above anything else: 1) ALLOW you to take the bar, 2) Getting you a JOB as a lawyer.
I don’t think you learn enough of the law in law school to PASS the bar, you need to take a bar course.
I also don’t think you learn enough of the law in law school to be practice ready. Employers expect to have to train you.
I also think most law schools don’t focus enough of helping students get a job, they leave this up to the student, and a lot of students just don’t know what to do to land one.
Thus its my view that because by default in most jurisdictions purpose 1 is satisfied by graduating, any law students primary goal in law school should be number 2. It should be their primary focus in law school. Law school is a three year interviewing job search in my view, nothing else.
Thus everything you do, from day one, should be focused on getting a job. Sure grades help, but trust me grades alone will not land you a job. Prospective law students, I believe, should be focused on day one on doing everything they can to land a job. Don’t wait till 3L to start this process, start it first semester of 1L, if you do you can overcome any obstacles in your way, as you have plenty of time to do so.
Thoughts?
Well.. I am a 0L so I can't give definitive answer on purpose of law school. However, I think I can draw analogy based on my undergrad degree in accounting and my current job as tax accountant.
I think the purpose of school is to get you the fundamentals. Accounting student does not learn how to fill out tax form, file 10K with SEC, or how to use tax or accounting software.
Consequently, as you correctly pointed out, employers (accounting firms, corporation, gov't) expect to teach new hires. Employers will teach you the company's business, software, and other stuff they think that you did not learn from college. However, they expect you to know how to make journal entries, what balance sheet looks like, distinguish between current asset and non-current asset, so forth and so on.
Think about this, how would you teach someone how to read and write in English if he/she does not even know the alphabet. Teaching something to someone without any fundamentals in the subject area that you are trying to teach is like screaming to a wall.
IMHO, it is necessary to have strong fundamental in order to be successful at one's profession.