CLOSING THE DIVIDE; A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LEGAL PEDAGOGY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND HOW TO INTEGRATE THE SAME FOR ENHANCED PRACTICE

AUTHORS – SOWLABHYA A SESHADRI* & PROF. DR. ASHA SUNDARAM**

STUDENT* & PRINCIPAL** AT SAVEETHA SCHOOL OF LAW, SAVEETHA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL AND TECHNICAL SCIENCES (SIMATS) 

BEST CITATION – SOWLABHYA A SESHADRI & PROF. DR. ASHA SUNDARAM, CLOSING THE DIVIDE; A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LEGAL PEDAGOGY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND HOW TO INTEGRATE THE SAME FOR ENHANCED PRACTICE, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 4 (2) OF 2024, PG. 53-72, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

(I) ABSTRACT

Oscar Wilde said that “The study of law is sublime, its practice, vulgar.” This quote can seem daunting and immediately gives us the understanding that the ever-flowing fountain of law is available to all those who want to learn and study it, but runs out when it comes to those who practice it as a profession. Students devote 3-5 years to law schools, trying to understand the essential parts in order to become great lawyers and advocates in the future. In reality, they spend their hours and energy not in preparation for their career, but in clearing their exams. The curricula of law schools are intended to aid the graduate in the practice of his/her profession, however, in reality, there is a significant chasm between what is intended to be taught and what is being taught, learned, and applied. Yes, the teachings at law schools are the most essential part of any advocate or lawyers’ life, but the practical and technical aspects become blurred behind the academic aspects. The elements of communication, interpretation, drafting and pleading and even reading of case bundles becomes a major issue for students who become interns or start working under advocates and/ or law firms. All these issues and many more collectively increase the gap between the academic side of law and the true rigorous practice of the law. This paper will focus on the daunting gap between the pedagogy and the practice of law and how to narrow it.

KEYWORDS: law, curricula, profession, academic aspects, rigorous practice