“If It Learns Easy, It Taught Hard” Applying Lessons from Practice to the Lawyering Skills Classroom
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-2022
Publisher
Legal Writing Institute
Language
en-US
Abstract
The end of the academic year is a natural time for reflection. As I complete my fifth year teaching Lawyering Skills at Boston University School of Law, I am taking time to reflect on my experience. I came to teaching mid-career, after practicing in the litigation group at a Boston firm for fifteen years. I enjoyed mentoring and training junior associates, so teaching was a logical next step. As I reflect on my work as a Lawyering Skills Instructor, I realize that many of the lessons I learned in practice also apply to teaching. The most ubiquitous of these lessons is that good teaching, like good writing and lawyering, takes a lot of hard work. Thoughtful planning and meticulous execution are crucial whether you are lecturing in a classroom or arguing in a courtroom. Here are a few additional lessons from practice that also apply to teaching:
Recommended Citation
Laura E. D'Amato,
“If It Learns Easy, It Taught Hard” Applying Lessons from Practice to the Lawyering Skills Classroom
,
in
35
The Second Draft
(2022).
Available at:
https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/3908
