Foreword—Establishing a Firm Foundation for the Small Law Practice

On March 26, 2014, the Western New England Law Review sponsored a symposium entitled Firm Foundations: Managing the Small Firm and Individual Practitioner. The symposium presentations provided perspectives on the often-overlooked world of small firm practice. A few influential books about the state of legal education and the future of the legal profession prompted public outcry from bar associations across the country to weigh in on the perceived problems of American legal education. The debate has resulted in some real changes in law school programs. Legal education is in the midst of major changes. For decades, law schools have been unique among university-based professional schools in the degree of disconnection between the academic program and the profession for which students were ostensibly being trained. Law schools must do a better job of preparing their students for practice in the small firm setting, but being aware of the challenges is a necessary first step in doing something about them. This symposium is a very good second step