美国法学教育模式的反思

Reflection on the Mode of American Legal Education

美国的法学教育模式经历了从学徒制到学院制的发展,是一种本科后教育,以职业教育为主。美国律师协会对于法学院的认证和管理发挥着主导性的作用。案例教学法是美国法学院的主要教学方式,但诊所教育发展迅速,课堂讲授越来越突出。美国法学教育也存在着明显的弊端:维护美国社会和法律职业群体的等级制,学费过高,申请人数递减,学术研究与法律实务脱节。中国的司法考试、法学教学和法律硕士深受美国的影响,应注意避免美国的弊端。

The mode of American legal education has experienced the development from apprenticeship system to college system,and it is a kind of post-undergraduate education with vocational education as the main part.The American Bar Association plays a leading role in the certification and management of law schools.Case method is the main teaching method in American law school,but the development of clinic education is swift and the teaching in class is more and more outstanding.There are also obvious disadvantages in American Legal Education:to maintain the hierarchy of American society and legal professional groups,the tuition is too high,the number of applicants is decreasing,and the academic research is out of line with the legal practice.China’s judicial examination,legal education and Juris Master are deeply influenced by the United States,and attention should be paid to avoiding the disadvantages of the United states.