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.…