Communication Training for Pre-Law Students [and] A Bibliography on Legal Communications.

Although the study of communication has been consistently recognized as a vital segment of legal training, it has not been universally adopted as part of the law school curriculum. A survey of 150 law schools was designed to determine the communication skills and training necessary for competent performance in both law school and professional practice. Of the 84 responding schools, 81 schools provided usable data. The findings of the survey confirmed the contention that some aspects of communication training are viewed as highly relevant to the formal education of an attorney. The five communication topics considered most important were basic argumentation, listening, principles of persuasion, interviewing, and structuring messages and speeches. These topics are generally taught in a variety of communication courses; but they are rarely applied to the legal setting in those classes, suggesting that the usual communication course may be inadequate preparation for prelaw students. (A bibliography on legal communication is attached.) (RL)