In April, Dean Jeremy Paul of the Northeastern University School of Law and co-managing partner Alan Klinger of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan wrote for the New York Law Journal about legal curricular reform. Paul and Klinger outline seven improvements to current legal training, and we at the Case Studies Program would like to offer our favorite teaching tools that address these needs:
- Strategic Thinking: This is what case studies were made for. Case studies that specifically consider strategic planning include Drafting an IP Strategy at MNC, Hong Kong Property Deal, Bingham McCutchen: Combinatorial Mathematics, and “To Hell with the Future, Let’s Get On with the Past”: George Mitchell in Northern Ireland.
- Economics of the Profession: Compensation Systems in Professional Service Firms, From Stamford to New York, The Offer. See all Legal Profession and Management of Law Firms & Professional Services case studies.
- Teamwork and Project Management: Tale of Three Asset Management Teams, Three Teams at Harris and Graves role play, and, the instructional note on How to Be a Good Team Member. See all Leadership and Team Dynamics case studies here.
- Multicultural Competence: Springfield Outfest, Seoul Food in Urbana, and Ellis Vs. MacroB. See also the cases on International and Comparative Law.
- (Learning New) Technology: Paul and Klinger are referring to interactive websites, social media, databases, statistical analysis, and software. In that vein, The Offer is a negotiation taking place entirely over email. David Abrams incorporated audiovisual defenses for participants when teaching The Case of the Federal Defender’s Advice. Participants can learn about the legal repercussions of the digital information industry with Game Changers: Mobile Gaming Apps and Data Privacy. Also see our Intellectual Property and Internet Law cases.
- Capacity to Succeed in Multiple Fora (in other words, interacting with different audiences): Lawyers have to communicate about the law to a wide variety of audiences. In the Problem Solving Workshop, students learn this skill by presenting and interacting (via role plays) with clients and superiors in large and small law firms, government officials and regulators, opposing corporate counsel, and plaintiffs and defendants in criminal prosecutions. The 2013 PSW at Harvard Law School included Balloon Boy, Commissioner’s Choice, The Case of the Landlord’s Dilemma, The Case of the Medical Stent, The Case of the Lead Toys, and The Case of the Encumbered Employee.
- Ethics: Reputation, Credibility, and the Goldstone Report, Hewlett Packard and Mark Hurd, In a Pickle: Barclays Capital and the Sale of Del Monte Foods, El Paso’s Sale to Kinder Morgan, The Case of the Rent-Paying Tenant.
Is there a case study, role play, or simulation that you are looking for? Does it address one of Paul and Klinger’s seven improvements for legal education? Let us know!
