AN ANALYSIS OF COMPUTER-RELATED CURRICULA IN SCHOOLS OF LAW ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

Scope of Study. The purpose of this study was to obtain quantitative information concerning the computer-related curricula offered in American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools and to determine lawyers' opinions concerning the amount and type of computer-related curricula needed. Questionnaires were mailed to the 172 ABA accredited law schools and to the 250 largest law firms within the United States. An original mailing and follow-up mailing resulted in law school return rate of 79.10 percent. An original mailing and two follow-up mailings resulted in a lawyer return rate of 43.20 percent. A Statistical Analysis System (SAS) program was utilized to reveal frequencies and percentages of each response. Further comparisons, utilizing two-way tables and the chi-square test for significance, were conducted to indicate relationships between selected items from both questionnaires.;A small percentage of lawyers are taking computer-related courses as continuing legal education and only a small percentage of lawyers are involved with computer-related cases. A large majority of lawyers feel that their computer-related background is not adequate when modifying or describing computer laws in their state. A large percentage of the lawyers use the data base, Lexis, for law-related research. A small percentage of lawyers have taken computer-related course work. Nearly one-half of the lawyers feel that a computer-related course should be required in law schools and that the computer-related course, Computers and the Law, would be the most beneficial course for their profession.;Findings and Conclusions. ABA accredited law schools do not have computer-related course admission requirements and a large percentage of the ABA accredited law schools do not require completion of a computer-related course prior to graduation. The majority of the ABA accredited law schools allow their law students to take a computer-related course as an elective. Computers and the Law is offered as an elective computer-related course in some ABA accredited law schools and as a computer literacy or computer-related information course in other ABA accredited institutions. ABA accredited law schools have a computer available for student use when doing law-related research. A small percentage of ABA accredited law schools are making plans or changes in their curricula to include computer-related courses.