4 answers
Kendra
Student
Sarah, Mississippi
2
Questions
Updated
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What is the biggest difference between the way 'the law' is taught in a classroom and how it is actually practiced in the real world?
Sometimes law can be a little sugar coated in classroom's so I want to know how it's different in the real world.
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4 answers
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1860
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Kendra,
Are you talking about the way law is taught in HS , college, or law school?
HS tends to teach law the way it is supposed to work, rather than reality. A simple example. My city had an ordinance that prohibited criticism of staff and elected officials when residents speak during the "citizens to be heard" portion of the council meeting. When I spoke and criticized the city manager, the mayor silenced my microphone. Afterwards, I provided solid legal precedent showing that the ordinance was an unlawful violation of the First Amendment. They refused to make any changes. Then, I found a legal organization that agreed to represent me against the City "pro bono" (at no charge). The City then agreed to make the necessary changes, rather than get embroiled in litigation. The reason they didn't make the changes before that was because they were betting I didn't have the financial resources to take them on.
In the criminal law realm, it's the same. I was sitting in court one day as many people were appearing before the judge on an MTR - Motion to Revoke Probation. There was an individual who was very close to the end of their probation who missed one appointment with their probation officer because their child was sick. They had never missed an appointment before that. The judge revoked her probation, sending her to prison. Then, a young adult who had made numerous mistakes while on probation appeared, represented by legal counsel. He got yet another break.
In criminal law, people will often take a plea bargain because they don't have the financial resources for a trial. Public defenders are overworked, so people try to hire private attorneys, but, even so, finances plays a role. They can't afford to hire all the experts that people with more money would hire - expert witnesses, accident reconstruction experts, etc. Also, people will choose to stay in jail while awaiting trial because what little money they do have needs to go for the lawyer, rather than towards posting bail. So, they lose their jobs.
And, the prison system is supposed to both punish and rehabilitate. But, it mostly just punishes. People with prison records have trouble getting decent employment. (although some states are working to address this by banning that question on job applications). And the recidivism rate is high, even among first time offenders - people end up going back to prison for another offense.
And, because the poor tend to be disproportionately minorities, it is minorities that are most affected by these economic disparities in our justice system.
Also, as was pointed out above with the MTR, the more people we send to prison, the more broken families are created, and the cycle continues.
While some violent criminals need to be locked up, there are many others who could be supervised in community-based programs.
This is all to say, that, no, justice is not blind.
Hope this answers your question.
Kim
Are you talking about the way law is taught in HS , college, or law school?
HS tends to teach law the way it is supposed to work, rather than reality. A simple example. My city had an ordinance that prohibited criticism of staff and elected officials when residents speak during the "citizens to be heard" portion of the council meeting. When I spoke and criticized the city manager, the mayor silenced my microphone. Afterwards, I provided solid legal precedent showing that the ordinance was an unlawful violation of the First Amendment. They refused to make any changes. Then, I found a legal organization that agreed to represent me against the City "pro bono" (at no charge). The City then agreed to make the necessary changes, rather than get embroiled in litigation. The reason they didn't make the changes before that was because they were betting I didn't have the financial resources to take them on.
In the criminal law realm, it's the same. I was sitting in court one day as many people were appearing before the judge on an MTR - Motion to Revoke Probation. There was an individual who was very close to the end of their probation who missed one appointment with their probation officer because their child was sick. They had never missed an appointment before that. The judge revoked her probation, sending her to prison. Then, a young adult who had made numerous mistakes while on probation appeared, represented by legal counsel. He got yet another break.
In criminal law, people will often take a plea bargain because they don't have the financial resources for a trial. Public defenders are overworked, so people try to hire private attorneys, but, even so, finances plays a role. They can't afford to hire all the experts that people with more money would hire - expert witnesses, accident reconstruction experts, etc. Also, people will choose to stay in jail while awaiting trial because what little money they do have needs to go for the lawyer, rather than towards posting bail. So, they lose their jobs.
And, the prison system is supposed to both punish and rehabilitate. But, it mostly just punishes. People with prison records have trouble getting decent employment. (although some states are working to address this by banning that question on job applications). And the recidivism rate is high, even among first time offenders - people end up going back to prison for another offense.
And, because the poor tend to be disproportionately minorities, it is minorities that are most affected by these economic disparities in our justice system.
Also, as was pointed out above with the MTR, the more people we send to prison, the more broken families are created, and the cycle continues.
While some violent criminals need to be locked up, there are many others who could be supervised in community-based programs.
This is all to say, that, no, justice is not blind.
Hope this answers your question.
Kim
Chosen Osarodion Iyen
Maintenance
77
Answers
Benin City, Edo, Nigeria
Updated
Chosen Osarodion’s Answer
The biggest difference between how law is taught and how it is practiced is this:
In school, law is taught as rules and principles.
In the real world, law is practiced as strategy and persuasion.
Let’s break it down clearly.
1️⃣ Law in the Classroom: Clean, Structured, Logical
In law school (like at Harvard Law School or Yale Law School), students learn:
Legal principles
Case precedents
Statutes and constitutional provisions
Logical reasoning (IRAC method)
Ideal fact patterns
Everything is:
Organized
Clear
Based on past cases
Focused on “what the law says”
Professors teach landmark cases like:
Brown v. Board of Education
Roe v. Wade
Students analyze:
What rule was applied?
Why did the judge decide that way?
What principle was established?
It’s intellectual. Structured. Theoretical.
2️⃣ Law in the Real World: Messy, Human, Strategic
In practice, things look very different.
Real-world law involves:
Incomplete facts
Emotional clients
Financial pressure
Time constraints
Politics
Negotiation
Power dynamics
Most cases never go to trial.
They are:
Settled
Negotiated
Plea-bargained
Strategically withdrawn
A real lawyer asks:
Can we win?
Can we afford to fight?
Should we settle?
What will the judge likely do?
What pressure can we apply?
It becomes less about “What is the law?”
And more about:
“How do we use the law to achieve the best outcome?”
3️⃣ Theory vs. People
In school:
Cases are neat stories.
Facts are fixed.
Emotions don’t matter much.
In practice:
Clients lie.
Witnesses forget.
Judges have biases.
Opposing lawyers are aggressive.
Evidence is messy.
Law becomes psychology + negotiation + strategy.
4️⃣ Grades vs. Results
In school:
You’re rewarded for spotting issues.
You argue both sides.
You show analytical depth.
In practice:
You must pick one side.
You protect your client.
You manage risk.
You solve problems quickly.
A brilliant legal argument means nothing if:
It costs too much.
It damages reputation.
It delays business.
5️⃣ Ideal Justice vs. Practical Justice
Classroom law often feels like:
“The law is about fairness.”
Real-world law often feels like:
“The law is about leverage.”
Sometimes the “right” side loses. Sometimes the stronger lawyer wins. Sometimes money influences endurance.
That reality shocks many law students.
The Core Difference in One Sentence
Law school teaches you how to think like a lawyer.
Practice teaches you how to survive and win like one.
Since you’ve mentioned before that you’re interested in becoming a lawyer (possibly even a prosecutor), this is important:
If you enjoy:
Debate
Strategy
Persuasion
Handling pressure
Reading people
You will likely thrive in real-world law.
If you only enjoy:
Academic theory
Reading cases quietly
Writing essays
You may enjoy law school but struggle in litigation.
If you’d like, I can also explain:
The difference between being a prosecutor vs. defense lawyer
The difference between courtroom law and corporate law
Or what law school is really like day-to-day.
In school, law is taught as rules and principles.
In the real world, law is practiced as strategy and persuasion.
Let’s break it down clearly.
1️⃣ Law in the Classroom: Clean, Structured, Logical
In law school (like at Harvard Law School or Yale Law School), students learn:
Legal principles
Case precedents
Statutes and constitutional provisions
Logical reasoning (IRAC method)
Ideal fact patterns
Everything is:
Organized
Clear
Based on past cases
Focused on “what the law says”
Professors teach landmark cases like:
Brown v. Board of Education
Roe v. Wade
Students analyze:
What rule was applied?
Why did the judge decide that way?
What principle was established?
It’s intellectual. Structured. Theoretical.
2️⃣ Law in the Real World: Messy, Human, Strategic
In practice, things look very different.
Real-world law involves:
Incomplete facts
Emotional clients
Financial pressure
Time constraints
Politics
Negotiation
Power dynamics
Most cases never go to trial.
They are:
Settled
Negotiated
Plea-bargained
Strategically withdrawn
A real lawyer asks:
Can we win?
Can we afford to fight?
Should we settle?
What will the judge likely do?
What pressure can we apply?
It becomes less about “What is the law?”
And more about:
“How do we use the law to achieve the best outcome?”
3️⃣ Theory vs. People
In school:
Cases are neat stories.
Facts are fixed.
Emotions don’t matter much.
In practice:
Clients lie.
Witnesses forget.
Judges have biases.
Opposing lawyers are aggressive.
Evidence is messy.
Law becomes psychology + negotiation + strategy.
4️⃣ Grades vs. Results
In school:
You’re rewarded for spotting issues.
You argue both sides.
You show analytical depth.
In practice:
You must pick one side.
You protect your client.
You manage risk.
You solve problems quickly.
A brilliant legal argument means nothing if:
It costs too much.
It damages reputation.
It delays business.
5️⃣ Ideal Justice vs. Practical Justice
Classroom law often feels like:
“The law is about fairness.”
Real-world law often feels like:
“The law is about leverage.”
Sometimes the “right” side loses. Sometimes the stronger lawyer wins. Sometimes money influences endurance.
That reality shocks many law students.
The Core Difference in One Sentence
Law school teaches you how to think like a lawyer.
Practice teaches you how to survive and win like one.
Since you’ve mentioned before that you’re interested in becoming a lawyer (possibly even a prosecutor), this is important:
If you enjoy:
Debate
Strategy
Persuasion
Handling pressure
Reading people
You will likely thrive in real-world law.
If you only enjoy:
Academic theory
Reading cases quietly
Writing essays
You may enjoy law school but struggle in litigation.
If you’d like, I can also explain:
The difference between being a prosecutor vs. defense lawyer
The difference between courtroom law and corporate law
Or what law school is really like day-to-day.
DENNIS A BREEN
Lawyer
270
Answers
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
DENNIS A’s Answer
Hi Kendra: In the classroom you are taught by Socratic method. It truly changes the way you think. It teaches you a way to look at things in a different system - analyse rather than accept. In real life you need to think on your feet all the time so this method helps.
The practice of law can be very hard. I have been practicing for over 45 years. I know a lot of lawyers who hate it. It can be stressful. But so can school. School should teach you how to deal with the stress.
Big difference - school can be fun. Meet new people. Engage in interesting discussions. Argue about crazy stuff - but have fun. Work is work!
Good luck - enjoy school!
The practice of law can be very hard. I have been practicing for over 45 years. I know a lot of lawyers who hate it. It can be stressful. But so can school. School should teach you how to deal with the stress.
Big difference - school can be fun. Meet new people. Engage in interesting discussions. Argue about crazy stuff - but have fun. Work is work!
Good luck - enjoy school!
Alanna Franco
Lawyer
3
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Alanna’s Answer
The biggest surprise for most new lawyers is that law school is about rules, but legal practice is about judgment.
In a classroom, the law feels rigid and academic. In the real world—especially in corporate law—the law is rarely "black and white." Instead of finding a single correct answer, you are acting as a trusted advisor. Your job is to:
-Identify Risk: Determine the likelihood and magnitude of a problem.
-Mitigate & Allocate: Figure out how to reduce that risk or assign it to the party best equipped to handle it.
-Enable the Goal: You aren't there to stop the business; you’re there to help it move forward safely.
As a corporate lawyer, I rarely use the specific facts I memorized for my exams. However, I use the way I learned to think every single day. In school you focus on the what (the statutes/case law). In practice - particularly for a corporate lawyer - the law becomes the background "operating system." What sits in the foreground is your ability to think strategically and analytically to solve a client’s specific problem.
The "dramatic courtroom" version of law is only one small slice of the profession. If you go the corporate route, your success isn't defined by winning an argument against an opponent, but by forging an agreement that protects your partner's interests while allowing a deal to close.
My Advice: Don't just study the law; study how people make decisions under pressure. The most successful lawyers aren't just the smartest people in the room—they are the most reliable navigators through uncertainty.
In a classroom, the law feels rigid and academic. In the real world—especially in corporate law—the law is rarely "black and white." Instead of finding a single correct answer, you are acting as a trusted advisor. Your job is to:
-Identify Risk: Determine the likelihood and magnitude of a problem.
-Mitigate & Allocate: Figure out how to reduce that risk or assign it to the party best equipped to handle it.
-Enable the Goal: You aren't there to stop the business; you’re there to help it move forward safely.
As a corporate lawyer, I rarely use the specific facts I memorized for my exams. However, I use the way I learned to think every single day. In school you focus on the what (the statutes/case law). In practice - particularly for a corporate lawyer - the law becomes the background "operating system." What sits in the foreground is your ability to think strategically and analytically to solve a client’s specific problem.
The "dramatic courtroom" version of law is only one small slice of the profession. If you go the corporate route, your success isn't defined by winning an argument against an opponent, but by forging an agreement that protects your partner's interests while allowing a deal to close.
My Advice: Don't just study the law; study how people make decisions under pressure. The most successful lawyers aren't just the smartest people in the room—they are the most reliable navigators through uncertainty.