WHAT SHOULD FAMILY LAWYERS KNOW? RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF PRACTITIONERS AND STUDENTS1

The contemporary practice of family law demands that lawyers know far more than the law. Results of a recent survey of professionals and law students suggest that today's family lawyer needs knowledge and skills that are often missing from law school curricula. Survey respondents emphasized the importance of strong interpersonal skills like listening, negotiation, and working with clients in emotional crisis, as well as keen understanding of financial issues in family law, the impact of separation and divorce on children, and the ethical dimensions of family law practice. Law students held contrasting views to law faculty and to practicing attorneys on a number of measures, ranking adversarial courtroom skills as more important and placing less emphasis on skills, knowledge, and attributes related to ethics.     

THE POTENTIAL OF THE FAMILY LAW EDUCATION REFORM PROJECT FOR FAMILY LAWYERS1

Family lawyers are major beneficiaries of the reforms set out in the Family Law Education Reform Project (FLER) Report. This commentary from a veteran family law practitioner explores the needs of the family law bar for the training of law students in practical, interdisciplinary, client‐centered lawyering that goes beyond the traditional case method. I trace many of the current innovations evolving in family law practice and how FLER reforms will not only benefit law schools but also have a major impact in the courts and private practice sector.     

FAMILY LAW EDUCATION REFORM PROJECT: A FACULTY PERSPECTIVE

The Family Law Education Reform Project Report calls for shifting the family law teaching paradigm from a focus on case‐based analysis toward a problem‐solving, interdisciplinary approach. This essay encourages law professors to take seriously this shifting teaching and learning paradigm. Aligning family law curriculum with the realities of practicing family law is a critical step in this process. This essay discusses the numerous intellectual challenges family law professors will face as they reflect on the proposed FLER Project curriculum.     

USING EXTERNSHIPS TO INTRODUCE FAMILY LAW STUDENTS TO NEW PROFESSIONAL ROLES

Law schools are seeking ways to familiarize family law students with exciting new professional roles arising in connection with family court reform. This article describes the family law externship program at William Mitchell College of Law which includes a classroom component allowing students placed in different practice settings to compare and contrast their experiences. The program assists students in making career choices and enhances their ability to counsel future clients.     

THE FAMILY LAW EDUCATION REFORM PROJECT FINAL REPORT

The Family Law Education Reform Project (the FLER Project) is co‐sponsored by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Center for Children, Families and the Law at Hofstra Law School. This Final Report is based on a series of dialogues between family law academics and practitioners from many disciplines, a FLER Project survey, and research conducted by law students at Hofstra University and Northeastern University. 2     

Reprinted from Vol. 44 No. 4 in Honor of Professor J. Herbie DiFonzo. The Family Law Education Reform Project Final Report†

The Family Law Education Reform Project (the FLER Project) is co‐sponsored by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Center for Children, Families and the Law at Hofstra Law School. This Final Report is based on a series of dialogues between family law academics and practitioners from many disciplines, a FLER Project survey, and research conducted by law students at Hofstra University and Northeastern University. 2     

HOFSTRA'S FAMILY LAW WITH SKILLS COURSE: IMPLEMENTING FLER (THE FAMILY LAW EDUCATION REFORM PROJECT)

The Family Law Education Reform Project (FLER) Final Report documented that the current doctrinally oriented family law curriculum at most law schools does not adequately prepare students for modern family law practice. FLER recommended that law school courses move from the study of cases to the study of the legal system's effect on families, and integrate the study of alternative dispute resolution and interdisciplinary knowledge. In response, Hofstra Law School has made a comprehensive attempt to implement FLER's curricular recommendations. This article discusses one major innovation – the Family Law with Skills course. Family Law with Skills is the basic course in Hofstra's revised curriculum and is designed to integrate doctrinal teaching with professional skills development. In addition to studying legal doctrine, students are required to engage in structured field observation of family court proceedings; interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and mediation representation exercises in a divorce dispute; direct and cross examination of a social worker in a child protection dispute; and drafting of a surrogacy agreement. The article describes each exercise and discusses its rationale, student reaction to the course, and lessons learned.     

Academic perspectives on teaching international family law in higher education institutions in England and Wales

ABSTRACT

The increasing prevalence of family law disputes in England and Wales with an international element is well documented in the development of domestic legislation, case law and family practice. However, despite changes to the legal landscape and the academic recognition of international family law as a legal subject, it is still often disregarded within the undergraduate family law curriculum or as a standalone module. This article explores the development of international family law in England and Wales and presents the findings of a national questionnaire into whether international family law is taught as part of the undergraduate curriculum. The article also explores what barriers exist to including international family law topics. To conclude, the author offers some general advice about incorporating these topics into the curriculum to ensure that students are equipped to deal with the realities of family practice in England and Wales.     

三十年来中国婚姻法“回归民法”的反思——兼论保持与发展婚姻法独立部门法传统

20世纪80年代以来中国婚姻法开启了"回归民法"的进程,其旨在以民法典的体系化与私法理论推动家事领域的立法改革。然而,实践显示,此举不仅无法实现理论整合、促进掌握法律原理的体系化初衷,反而加剧了婚姻法与民法法律制度与理论的冲突、婚姻法理解的混乱和新创设制度实施上的困难;另一方面则已成为家事领域自由泛滥的制度原因,与婚姻法保护家庭弱者权益、维护家庭稳定的宗旨相悖,误导了立法、司法实践与社会舆论。究其制度理论根源,在于对婚姻法调整对象与调整方法的特殊性,以及婚姻法定位与家事领域自由的关系,乃至婚姻家庭法对社会秩序及道德文化建设的重要意义认识不清。婚姻家庭是人与人全面合作的伦理实体,婚姻家庭关系具有强烈的伦理性,其调整方法也迥异于一般民事关系,并不随着市场经济的建立而发生本质改变。婚姻法独立于民法是法学史上的进步。突出婚姻家庭法的伦理性,维护婚姻家庭的稳定,保持并发展婚姻法独立部门法传统,符合婚姻家庭关系调整的内在需要,有利于解决当前家事法领域的诸多冲突,对制度建设、社会文化建设及学科发展均具有积极影响。     

如何打造优秀的法学教育

朗戴尔法学教育理论和教学法是美国法学院占主导地位的教育模式,备受推崇。然而在理论上,它具有明显的缺陷;在实践中,则造成了学生与法律实践相脱节的后果。它认为法律学科的全部资料都储存在出版物之中。封闭性、复古性、考据性成为构建朗戴尔方法的基石,形成了一个建立在书本资料上的伪科学体系。法学院应当完全抛弃朗戴尔教学法,直接面对社会问题,在更高层次上回归学徒制度,以律师事务所模式为法学教育的核心,以执业者为教师,以现实社会中的法律问题为教学内容,刻不容缓地推行法学教育实验。     

论讨论式教学法在法学本科教育中的应用

法学本科教育的定位应是职业教育,职业教育必须重视实践教育环节。讨论式教学法,作为实践教育模式中重要的教学方法,能充分调动学生的主观能动性,培养学生的创新思维,提高学生的综合素质与能力,以实现我们本科教育的培养目标。讨论式教学法应在法学本科教育中普遍推广。在法学主干课程、基础课程中我们应主要采用讲授式教学法,辅之以讨论式教学法,而在非基础、非主干课程中采用以讨论式教学法为主的教学方式。     

BRIEF VIEW ON THE STANDARDIZED TRAINING OF LEGAL PRACTICE SKILLS

Because of the massive expansion in enrollment, the number of graduates from law schools across the country is unprecedented, but the rate of unemployment is also unprecedented in comparison with the graduation. In stark contrast, many employees are finding it difficult to find graduates of talent fitting directly to working requirements. The traditional mode of education is to cultivate students with legal research abilities, but the main social need calls for graduates who are prepared to practice, which has caused the low employment. As a result, the graduates’ failure to meet the social demand caused serious imbalance between supply and demand. The characteristic of legal practice skills is to solve practical problems through the practice of adapting legal knowledge, but practical skill training in law school education now is basically nonexistent. The training of legal practice skills must be conducted through aspects of course design, and therefore teaching methods necessitate comprehensive reformation. The practice skills of the legal profession, such as basic literacy, basic skills, and work skills, are indispensable to the education of students. Educating them to attain these skills will aid them directly in practical work after graduation, improve their work quality and employment rate, and consequently improve the whole overall quality of the legal profession.     

诊所法律教育在卫生法学教学中的应用研究

发源于美国的诊所法律教育借鉴了医学院学生在医疗诊所临床实习的做法,倡导在实践和经验中学习法律和律师的执业技能。法律诊所教育不仅在美国,在全球其他国家也产生了深远的影响。法律诊所教育发展到今天,它的价值不仅体现于课程本身,更体现为一种教学方法的变革。诊所法律在我国移植和推广的过程中,如何根据我国教学的实际情况,结合具体课程展开富有实效的应用研究,改革课程的教学方法,提高教学效果具有现实价值。     

Using soft skills courses to inspire law teachers: a new methodology for a more humanistic legal education

ABSTRACT

Law schools have in recent years been engaged in a process of revising their curricula, in large part adapting to rapid changes in technology, but also in a more generalised effort to improve “teaching the law”. Yet thus far, legal pedagogy seems to focus disproportionately on the traditional model of the “thinking lawyer”, when it should equally promote the model of the “feeling lawyer”, helping students to sharpen soft skills such as empathy, integrity and problem-solving. The main claim of this paper is that law professors could begin to pay more attention to the growing importance of soft skills in legal education and preparedness for legal practice. In this direction, we propose a set of pedagogical principles revolving around four axes: compassionate, attentive, reason-based and empathetic teaching (CARE). This methodology could help law professors become more effective pedagogues. Soft skills courses constitute a well-suited vehicle for introducing these principles to law school curricula in different legal systems. By systematically incorporating them, law schools can encourage law teachers to provide a more inclusive learning environment for their students. At the same time, law teachers who implement the particular methodology can hopefully rediscover fulfilment in their teaching. Overall, teaching soft skills can significantly improve students’ and teachers’ experience in legal education.     

A common law fly on the transsystemic wall: observing the integrated method at McGill Faculty of Law

Law schools attempting to prepare students for a more global practice are generally advised to tailor a law curriculum to their individual resources. When offering comparative perspectives, some law school programmes have pedagogical advantages arising out of a mixed legal heritage, such as McGill Faculty of Law’s transsystemic approach. What does the transsystemic approach entail, and can aspects of the transsystemic approach, which is grounded in Québec’s bijural and bilingual context, be practised at national-focus law schools? In order to consider this question, the author observed classroom dynamics in first year transsystemic courses. The McGill experience cannot be imported, but its pedagogy offers key lessons for common law national-focus law schools, including the need to make alternative visions of law necessary for understanding.     

参与式教学法在卫生法学与卫生监督课程中的应用

目的:探讨参与式教学法在卫生法学与卫生监督课程中的实践应用及效果,以提升课堂质量,增强学生的理论实践水平。方法:抽取卫生法学与卫生事业管理两个专业正在讲授该课程的班级,由教师在课堂上应用参与式教学法进行教学,然后用自行设计的调查问卷对学生参与课题讲学的效果和问题进行调查。结果:通过参与式教学法,76.2%的学生认为个人学习的主动性增强;79.6%的学生认为个人对知识的掌握和吸收程度增强;74.6%的学生认为个人独立解决问题的能力增强。结论:卫生法学与卫生监督课程开展参与式教学法具有良好的教学效果。但是在具体实施过程中,教师还应注意努力激发学生的学习兴趣和参与热情,在实施参与式教学前向学生充分讲授基础知识,进行充分备课,拓展背景知识。     

法律实践如何面对“家庭”?

转型中国的法律实践在处理有关家庭伦理与亲情的问题上,采用了一些积极而又零散的做法。这种能动而混乱的实践逻辑,既表明转型中国家庭问题的复杂性,也反映出转型中国的法律实践还缺少一个统一的家庭法哲学来指导。实际上,不仅家庭伦理和道德是法律伦理与精神的来源,而且家庭关系与家庭秩序也是社会关系和秩序的根本;更重要的,家庭能力还是国家整体能力的基石。因此,在社会转型、全球化以及大国崛起的整体背景下,当下中国的法律实践,就不仅必须要为中国家庭的战略地位进行重新定位,而且也必须要为家庭功能的重塑与家庭的重建提供各方面的支持;这样,在处理家庭问题上,它就既要审慎,也要开放。     

MAKING ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR) LESS ALTERNATIVE: THE NEED FOR ADR AS BOTH A MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT AND A BAR EXAM TOPIC

Divorce proceedings have had a negative reputation due to their adversarial nature. Litigation in the family law field has exacerbated an already emotionally charged atmosphere. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) has grown in importance over the past three decades and has helped to alleviate some of the animosity which accompanies divorce and child custody matters. Parents in particular are aided by the benefits of options such as mediation and collaborative divorce, obtaining increased control over their agreements in situations where the relationships will be continuous due to shared parenting responsibilities. However, much more could be done to increase the use of ADR in family law proceedings. Current family law practitioners could fill many roles, including mediator, advocate during mediation, collaborative negotiator, arbitrator, and counselor regarding which process to implement. Knowledge about these different roles, with their attendant skills and ethical issues, has become imperative. This Note will advocate for a mandatory continuing legal education requirement in ADR for matrimonial attorneys, as well as for the inclusion of ADR as a topic on state bar examinations. An increased knowledge of ADR will benefit divorcing parents and their children, ease an overcrowded court system, and lead to greater personal and professional satisfaction for the family law practitioner.     

试论中国亲属法哲学的发展方向——兼与徐国栋教授商榷

近年来,我国亲属法制建设与法学研究进入了比较繁荣的时期。但是,亲属关系的立法和亲属法基本原理的研究依然令人忧虑,有许多重大基本理论问题未能得以明晰。其主要原因在于,作为部门法哲学重要分支的亲属法哲学研究尚处于起步阶段,该研究领域还有许多等待开垦的荒地。由于基本原理中很多重大问题难以达成学术共识,导致目前亲属法的实践,尤其是司法解释和司法适用的法律实践存在诸多问题。本文从亲属法哲学的本体论层面,就亲属法的法律定位及调整对象等问题的学术论争提出了自己的观点,同时,就徐国栋教授的某些学术见解提出了不同意见。     

我国高等教育管理法律规范体系的内容及完善

我国高等教育管理法律规范体系主要指《中华人民共和国教育法》、《中华人民共和国高等教育法》等法律法规中调整高校与学生之间关系所涉及的高校的法律地位、高校的主要权利和义务、学生的主要权利和义务、学生权利的救济等方面内容的法律规范的总和。本文通过解读并分析其主要内容,探讨了我国高等教育管理法律规范体系在内容和形式方面的立法缺陷,提出了相应的完善对策,以期有利于保障高校依法治校。