This qualitative study investigated the role of competition in the success and distress of law students. Participants from an Australian law faculty attended one of four focus groups (undergraduate, postgraduate, academic staff and administrative staff). They discussed their perceptions of competition, the competitive behaviours in law students,…

This study focuses on comparing the results of self-, peer- and teacher-assessment of student essays, as well as on exploring students' experiences of the self- and peer-assessment processes. Participants were 15 law students. The scoring matrix used in the study made assessment easy, according to both teachers and students alike. Self-assessment…

An ethnographic study explored the hypothesis that the use of "familiar" people in mock trial simulations contributes to student inattention to interpersonal skill demands necessary for proficient trial lawyering. Participants in the study included 12 third-year law school students, 1 adjunct instructor, 1 researcher, 12 local high…

The relationship between a two-semester university-based legal clinic experience and the moral judgment of third-year law school student participants was investigated. A nonstandard form of the Kohlberg Moral Judgment Interview (MJI) was administered to 20 students at the beginning of the clinic and to the remaining 14 students near the completion…

Administration of the Derogatis Stress Profile to 509 medical students, 380 law students, and 215 graduate students at McGill University (Ontario) revealed that medical students are not greatly stressed relative to other groups, so other explanations must be sought for elevated levels of depression in some. One clear stressor found is the…

In order to give direction to his career and specifically to his remaining year of law school, the author, a law student at Emory University, interrupted his schooling to spend a year in self-selected legal clerkships. His experiences and a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of such a program are presented. (JMD)

Disjunction between what law teachers mean and how students interpret what is being taught explains why a significant number of law students are not learning or performing at their capability levels. The comments of diverse students at nine law schools can help teachers understand what creates barriers to learning and what helps students learn.…