1. A Quick Survey… Navigate to the following URL on your device:
Complete the survey and submit your response.

2. VLS Externship Program
Focus: Learning to Practice
Learning curve for new lawyers
Course components
So how does FfP fit in?

3. Survey Question #1
What do legal employers look for in a law school graduate when they are making hiring decisions?

4. Student Results Hiring Criteria
We can work with the raw data and present this in sequential order so that the highest-ranked choices are at the top

5. Attendee Results Hiring Criteria

6. Foundations for Practice Results Hiring Criteria

7. Survey Question #2
What are the essential attributes for new lawyers’ success as they launch their careers?

8. Student Results Graduation Skillset

9. Attendee Results Graduation Skillset

10. Foundations for Practice Results Graduation Skillset (top 10)

11. Skills covered by our Course
Keep information confidential – 96.1%
Arrive on time for meetings, appointments, and hearings – 95.4%
Honor commitments %
Promptly respond to inquiries and requests – 91%
Take individual responsibility for actions and results – 82.2%
Write in a manner that meets legal and professional standards – 78%
Understand when to engage supervisor or seek advice in problem solving – 75.2%
Show Initiative – 74.8%

12. Adhere to proper timekeeping and/or billing practices – 74.5%
Proactively provide status updates to those involved on a matter – 73.5%
Work cooperatively and collaboratively as part of a team – 72.9%
Seek and be responsive to feedback – 71.7%
Document or organize a case or matter – 68.8%
Recognize and resolve ethical dilemmas in a practical setting – 60.9%
Cope with stress in a healthy manner – 60.3%
Set goals and make a plan to meet them – 59.6%
Possess self-awareness (strengths, weaknesses, boundaries, preferences, sphere of control) – 50.2%

13. Students who Got it Say…
"The assignments and the consistent communication ensured that I had a positive learning experience. I appreciate that the assignments were not just “busy work” and directly related to and allowed me to build upon and improve my externship experience."

14. Students we Reached Say…
"When doing Orientation, I couldn't help thinking that some of this stuff was common sense. But, throughout the semester, I found I would think back to the professional responsibility/confidentiality portion as well as the segment about how to effectively memorialize assignments and communicate with supervising attorneys."
"I thought this would just be fluff. I was surprised how beneficial the journal assignment was to me. Not just because of [my faculty supervisor's] thoughtful responses, which were great, and not just because it helped me keep her posted in developments in my life, which were important. Also, because (shockingly to me) it really made me think about what I was going through as a fledgling attorney. I now feel like I actually understand why you make us do that."

15. Incorporating survey results into coursework
Students in recent semesters have paid less attention to professionalism and meeting deadlines
This semester we have incorporated Foundations for Practice into semester discussion conferences on topics like getting feedback and work-life balance