How do Law Students Develop Commercial Awareness? Listening to the Student Voice on the Roles of the Law School and the Law Student in Developing Commercial Awareness

Abstract

This article provides an authentic, student-centred account of how law students develop their commercial awareness on their journey to graduate employment. Drawing on data collected from a two year research study involving law students going through the graduate interview process, this article presents the first detailed empirical findings on how, when and why law students develop their commercial awareness. This data is important because law students have a wide range of available career options and commercial awareness is required across a range of graduate professions, including the legal sector. The findings of this study indicate that the law school played a part in developing law students’ commercial awareness but that its role was limited due to a lack of explicit guidance on what commercial awareness meant and how teaching and learning activities supported development. Students identified development much more frequently and explicitly through their own independent developmental activities. As well as providing valuable insight into law student perceptions of the role of the law school and the law student in developing commercial awareness, this article makes recommendations for legal educators on how to support students in developing their commercial awareness.

Commercial Awareness in the Law Library: a New Role for Academic Law Librarians?

“…In a study of law students' attitudes towards commercial awareness, McConnell found that many students did not start to deliberately develop their commercial awareness until later in their degrees; this may negatively affect their chances of securing employment at top firms, which often target second-year students. 17 With such importance placed on employability and developing the relevant skills, getting involved with employability-related information skills training could be a valuable way for librarians to build relationships with academics and students and to raise the profile of the library within their institutions.…”