Publication Date

2021

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This essay introduces the UMKC Law Review Symposium on Professional Identity Formation and Its Pedagogy, situating the collection of articles against the backdrop of extraordinary social and political upheavals, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice movements, and threats to constitutional democracy. The Symposium brings together leading scholars and educators to explore how law schools can better prepare students to meet professional and societal demands by fostering a strong sense of professional identity. Themes emerging from the contributions include the integration of reflective practice, mindfulness, leadership, grit, growth mindset, externship experiences, and virtue ethics into legal education. Collectively, the works argue that professional identity requires both a recognition of law as a calling beyond individual interests and a commitment to personal excellence and continuous development. This Symposium underscores the urgency of cultivating lawyers who are not only skilled practitioners but also engaged citizens capable of advancing justice in uncertain times.

Publication Title

University of Missouri Kansas City Law Review

Volume

89

Issue

3

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