The Sorcerer's Apprenticeship

A few innovative law firms are turning the first year or two of law practice into apprenticeships. These apprenticeships are designed to accelerate recent law school graduates' transition into legal practice. Law firms are being forced into this change because clients will no longer pay high hourly fees for new lawyers who do not know the fundamentals of practice and add no appreciable value to the team. These apprenticeship models supplement expanded formal training programs with extensive experiential learning and one-on-one guidance from partners. While some of the associates' work is billed to clients at a reduced hourly rate, associates have little pressure or expectation to produce billable work. Apprenticeships for new lawyers sound promising and the firms that are implementing them should be commended. However, under the current system of legal education and private practice, this model may not be realistic for most law firms.