Law schools for legislators in one day or less.

• Position: Trends And Transitions - Brief Article

Most state legislators have never stepped inside a law school. But a new trend is bringing law school--or, at least, a mini-law school--to them. Each year, more state bar associations are conducting half or full-day programs, billed as Law Schools for Legislators.

Unlike three-year law schools that prepare students for a career, the mini-programs aim for a quick overview of law, the role of the courts or the lawmaking process. Two factors are driving the development of these programs--term limits and a reduction in the number of lawyer legislators.

"With term limits, the pool of legislative experience that new legislators can draw upon has become a lot shallower," says William M. Corrigan, president of the Missouri Bar. "And fewer lawyer legislators mean fewer colleagues who can troubleshoot bills and amendments for unintended legal consequences."

Although the curriculum of the mini-law schools varies from state to state, they all have one thing in common: They are tailored to each individual legislature. For instance, legislators in Arizona can attend a session on Indian law. Florida...