Leading Law Schools that produce ‘T-Shaped’ graduates with global talent
Source: University of Miami, School of Law

Curious as to what a ‘T-Shaped’ graduate equates to in today’s ever-changing education sector?

To explain the term in simple words, T-Shaped graduates are adaptable and open to multiple disciplines. They don’t limit their skills to a niche subject, they embrace the era of diversity and adopt a multitude of professional techniques.

In broader terms, the team over at T-Summit have established a descriptive definition of the phrase, “Currently higher education is producing I-shaped graduates or students with deep disciplinary knowledge. T-shaped professionals are characterised by their deep disciplinary knowledge in at least one area, an understanding of systems, and their ability to function as ‘adaptive innovators’ and cross the boundaries between disciplines.”

As the T-Summit team adds, “Over the past decade, research has emphasised the need for today’s young professionals to possess deep disciplinary knowledge along with a keen ability to communicate across social, cultural and economic boundaries. These ‘T-shaped professionals’ are in high demand for their ability to innovate, build relationships, advance research and strengthen their organisations.”

Source: UNH School of Law

In the fields of law, aspiring professionals are currently on the hunt for higher education providers that will transform their I-shaped skills into T-shaped expertise.

As an ambitious legal practitioner, it’s essential for you to keep your options open and level-up your legal expertise at every given chance. With a breadth of knowledge across multiple disciplines to boast to future employers and a commitment to professional growth, you won’t be limiting your potential.

By tying your talents to a forward-thinking law school, you’ll soon evolve into a creative legal thinker who has the motivation to complete a Master of Laws (LLM) and the chance to engage with experiential learning activities.

The T-Summit conference team also explain that, “Upon graduation, students should be able to handle information from multiple sources, advance professional relationships across different organizations, contribute innovatively to organizational practices, and communicate with understanding across social, cultural, economic and scientific disciplines.”

To become an effective T-Shaped law graduate, you should choose a legal institution that’s devoted to student success and academic excellence. By advancing in a variety of disciplines, you’ll develop your growth mindset and empower your legal career. It’s a win-win situation!

Here are 5 leading schools of law that value T-Shaped graduates and global talent…

SCHOOL OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

Source: University of Miami, School of Law

Featured on the honor roll of high performers for outstanding employment results in the preLaw Magazine (Fall 2018), and globally-recognised as a ‘Top 25 Law School’ for international law and foreign lawyers in the International Jurist (2018), the Miami School of Law prepares students for the practice of law in a global environment.

As the law school’s Dean, Patricia White states, “Miami is a wonderful place for people who have international interests to come and study and be able to make connections. That’s a real specialty, and a historic specialty, of the University of Miami law school and it’s been growing by leaps and bounds.”

For transforming aspiring practitioners into global professionals, this law school has been accredited by the American Bar Association and is a distinguished member of the Association of American Law Schools.

With Miami Law LL.M. Graduate Programmes that help foreign-trained and US students and lawyers raise their practice to new heights and engage in career-building initiatives such as the International Moot Court Programme, award-winning law clinics, practicum and externship experiences, and taking a US Bar exam, you’ll be exposed to plenty of professional opportunities at the law school and beyond.

All this, on top of innovative programmes available at Miami School of Law, like the Law Without Walls (LWOW) learning scheme, means the time to enquire is now.

SCHOOL OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Source: UNH School of Law

According to US News & World Report 2019, this school ranks 6th for its innovative Intellectual Property Law programmes. The School of Law at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) is often referred to as the ‘original IP powerhouse’, since this is the 27th year they’ve been  as a top 10 IP law programme provider in the US.

Formerly known as the Franklin Pierce Law Center, the UNH School of Law treats every student as a unique individual. By balancing academic rigor with experiential learning, the school is one of the ‘Best Schools in the US’ for practical training among US Law Schools, according to preLaw Magazine.

If you’re interested in Intellectual Property Law, the online and residential degrees available are the Juris Doctor degree in IP: Trademarks and Copyright and IP: Patent Law, the Master of Laws in Intellectual Property (LLM), the Master of Intellectual Property (MIP) and the Franklin Pierce Intellectual Property Law Certificate.

Alternatively, you can specialise in areas like Commerce and Technology (residential courses) and International Criminal and Law and Justice (online only).

With a Law library that includes the only academic IP library in the Western Hemisphere, strategic student clinics and an International Technology Transfer Institute, the UNH School of Law is where your future starts.

SCHOOL OF LAW, EMORY UNIVERSITY

Source: Emory University

Consistently ranked one of the ‘Best Law Schools’ in US News & World Report rankings, Emory University School of Law is a world-class provider of legal education for those seeking to build on their legal background for professional and scholarly advancement.

With a long history of embracing diversity and exceptional academic engagement, the law degree programmes at Emory Law are in high demand.

To grant students the best legal education, Emory Law has a variety of experiential initiatives to enhance students’ understanding of social, cultural, economic and scientific disciplines. For example, through the Centre for Transactional Law and Practice, students are taught critical deal skills and financial literacy.

Through award-winning endeavours like the International Refugee Assistance Project, students under the supervision of pro bono attorneys provide legal representation for refugees seeking resettlement, and through the Child Rights Project, aspiring legal practitioners get the chance to advocate for children and youth.

With Emory expertise and real-world opportunities, you’ll be able to take your legal career to the next level.

UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (UCLA)

Source: UCLA School of Law

UCLA School of Law is known as one of the most influential law schools in the nation and the world. As a recognized pioneer of impactful centres and programmes, the school’s strengths are planted in a heritage of access, excellence, innovation and service.

Hands-on practical experience empowers UCLA Law students, morphing the classroom into a real-world lab that blends both theory and practice. From the start of their studies, learners receive invaluable training as they volunteer with local organisations and interact with clients.

Second and third year students take on summer internship placements on top of full- or part-time semester externships. Here, they work beside federal judges, government agencies, public interests law firms and non-profit organizations. From Hollywood studios to the White House and The Hague – no door is left unopened.

“There is simply no substitute for practical mentorship,” says Jullian Harris-Calvin, J.D. ’13, Attorney, Public Defender Service, District of Columbia. “The clinical experience was personally rewarding and also greatly helped in my transition to practice.”

SUFFOLK LAW SCHOOL, SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY

Source: Suffolk Law School

Recently voted by PreLaw Magazine (Fall 2018) as #1 in legal technology in the US, Suffolk Law is located in the heart of downtown Boston, surrounded by the city’s healthcare, technology, legal, and financial communities. Suffolk is committed to creating practice-ready lawyers, equipped with the skills and competencies to succeed in a shifting cultural and technological landscape.

Founded in 1906, Suffolk Law is a large, urban law school with a vast alumni network.  It is the only law school with all 4 legal skills specialties in the top 20 for three years running (U.S. News & World Report 2019):

  • Legal Writing (#9)
  • Dispute Resolution (#18)
  • Trial Advocacy ((#14)
  • Clinical Training (#16)

With advanced and skill-based courses, a Suffolk LLM will increase your marketability by building the expertise you need for today’s in-demand law fields, such as intellectual property, which is ranked #32 in the US (US News).

Praised for meeting the demands of today’s legal industry, PreLaw Associate Editor, Tyler Roberts states in this recent article, How Suffolk Law is redefining practice-ready, “Suffolk Law School is one of the most innovative forces in legal education.”

Suffolk students put their legal knowledge to use outside the classroom. Whether they participate in the Institute on Legal Innovation & Technology, specialized clinics, or in internships in the Greater Boston legal community, Suffolk Law is preparing the next generation of legal leaders. Click here to learn more.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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