Prevailing issues in legal education within management and business environments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of prevailing issues in UK legal education in terms of current developments and changing patterns. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is designed to bring together a range of perspectives which inform how legal education is changing in terms of key spheres of influence. The authors are directly involved with the Committee of Heads of University Law Schools in the UK and also have extensive experience of managing law programmes in business and management environments. This experience provides a dynamic opportunity to lead ideas for change whilst being at the forefront of policy and strategy. Findings – Globalisation of legal, business and management education indicates that the stimuli operating in one jurisdiction are not without response to others. Universities are subject to external influences which impact on the extent to which law schools are able to operate. Political, social, economic and technological factors shape the nexus between external factors and internal spheres of influence. In many ways, law schools appear well‐placed within business or management schools to maximise opportunities to lead change most effectively. This wider perspective provides the ability to transcend local influences and create a more contemporary environment in which to enhance legal education in a global context. Originality/value – The value of this paper is to highlight current challenges for those in positions of policy‐making and strategic responsibility in law schools. It provides an awareness of prevailing issues in order to inform thinking about how best to position legal education given the changing influences which shape legal education in a global context.