Timothy Casey, “Reflections on Legal Education in the Aftermath of a Pandemic”

This article suggests that although some law school courses can be taught online, experiential courses and clinics are not fit for the online space given the specific learning outcomes and in-person benefits, particularly concerning well-being.

Online clinics hindered the opportunities for students to benefit from their teachers as mentors, observational opportunities were limited, individual instruction was made difficult, and interactions were limited to email or video conference, where the amount of information exchanged is far less than in a face to face encounter and limit the amount of follow up questions that might expand a student’s understanding of a complex issue.

In light of the proximity between students and supervisors and the increased likelihood that students are more likely to share personal challenges and the ways in which their personal lives affect their professional lives, most supervisors should include student counseling as a part of their daily professional lives. These discussions and discussions about stress-management strategies specific to individual students play a critical role in the student’s professional development. The pandemic, which diminished these opportunities for connection, demonstrated the importance of the clinical environment and the close mentor relationships that occur between clinicians and students.

Timothy Casey, “Reflections on Legal Education in the Aftermath of a Pandemic” (2021) 28:1 Clinical L Rev 85.