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Dissertation
Socialization in Law School, Resultant Professional Identity As a Lawyer, and Willingness to Learn Important Management Skills
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2013
Abstract
Scholars (e.g., Curtis, 2008; Dolin, 2007; Munneke, 2010; Shields, 2008) have acknowledged that the traditional model of ensuring scholarly training at the expense of technical legal and technical managerial skills may require adjustment if law schools wish to improve the performance of lawyers when they begin practicing their profession. For instance, adopting a more technical approach to legal education could improve lawyer and practice functioning, which could lead to less trial-and-error performance issues that are now present (e.g., Garth & Martin, 1993; Munneke, 2001b, 2010; Sonsteng, 2007; Steele, 2003). This adjustment would align with the Task Force on Law School's stance in the MacCrate Report that management skills are important (American Bar Association Task Force on Law Schools and the Profession, 1992a). This study tested a theoretical model that hypothesized relationships among (a) professional socialization, (b) professional identification as a lawyer, (c) perceived importance of management skills, and (d) willingness to pursue continuing education in the profession and out of the profession. A total of 878 lawyers of The Florida Bar completed a survey using web-based software. The variables were correlated, exploratory analyses were conducted, and structural equation modeling was employed. Law school socialization emerged as a significant predictor of lawyer identity as technical or traditional, which affected lawyers' perceptions of the importance of management skills and lawyers' willingness to pursue continuing education in the profession and out of the profession. Overall, the study findings support the hypotheses and the proposed model. However, a more parsimonious model was constructed that took into consideration that traditional socialization, identification, and professional social identity appeared not be influential in determining lawyers' attitudes towards management skills. The most important determinant in whether lawyers were willing to take these courses appeared to be whether lawyers were a product of technical socialization. Implications for law school curricula and continuing legal education classes are discussed.
Details
- Title
- Socialization in Law School, Resultant Professional Identity As a Lawyer, and Willingness to Learn Important Management Skills
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Contributors
- Thomas J. Kramer (Committee Member)Sherry K Schneider (Committee Chair)
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 227
- Copyright
- © 2013 Kathleen Suzette Hudon
- Identifiers
- 99380090843306600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida