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03 January 2008 / Susan Blake
Issue: 7302 / Categories: Features , Legal services , Profession , Employment
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The next generation

Mastering the art of working as an effective lawyer by Susan Blake

Effective legal practice is important for a society to function well. Many barristers and solicitors command relatively high salaries, and lawyers in and have a well deserved international reputation. Entry to the profession is competitive, and millions of pounds are spent each year on education and training. How good are we at producing lawyers who can work at the cutting edge of the law, and perform effectively and efficiently?

 

UNDERESTIMATING SKILLS

In some ways we are very good. We live in a jurisdiction that has many highly regarded university law departments, and many aspects of our skills-focused professional training have been copied in other jurisdictions. However, there are questions about how coherent our education and training is as a whole. Institutions running professional courses find that even among graduates with good quality law degrees:

Students find it difficult to deal with remedies, especially calculating damages. There may have been limited emphasis on these areas in their previous studies, or they may have a misconception

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Anthony Collins—20 promotions

Anthony Collins—20 promotions

20 promotions mark major people investment at national law firm, Anthony Collins

Sidley—Elaine Whiteford

Sidley—Elaine Whiteford

Sidley adds competition litigator Elaine Whiteford in London

Charles Russell Speechlys—Claudina D’Costa

Charles Russell Speechlys—Claudina D’Costa

Charles Russell Speechlys welcomes Claudina D’Costa as Director of Client Development Marketing

NEWS
The 25th Pro Bono Week begins today until 6 November, with events hosted by law firms, chambers, law schools and charities across the UK
Aggressive sales tactics can add up to fraudulent trading even without proof of a particular deception or financial loss
Judges risk weakening their own independence by staying silent over government reforms, a leading public lawyer argues
A discount on damages does not automatically mean an equivalent haircut for legal costs in military deafness claims
Police powers targeting concealed identities at protests come with procedural conditions that could determine whether prosecutions succeed
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