At McConnell Vald s we have designed an education program that continually strives to make competence a given, and excellence our trademark. F ew accept that a recent law graduate is competent to practice law without additional training and supervision. Law schools do well at preparing students intellectually and introducing them to traditional areas of substantive law. Yet fundamental trade skills are not adequately covered in law school. A lawyer's success largely depends on skills such as effective oral and written expression, negotiation, how to investigate and discover facts, how to marshal facts so that legal concepts can be applied, alternate dispute resolution mechanisms, knowledge of the local rules and regulations, knowledge of local practice and procedure, and particularly, how to resolve real issues, controversies, cases and problems in the most efficient, productive and economical means possible.
Proficiency is the crucial component of being competent.
Prominent lecturers are invited to conduct these sessions. Recent examples include the Tax Reform Act of 1994, the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1994 and the New Judiciary Act of 1994. These attorneys, in turn, report and share the information gathered with other attorneys within their department or practice group. Our CLE program is another important step in fulfilling this commitment. So, the next time you deal with any of our firm's attorneys, rest assured that he or she has participated in a rigorous training and continuing legal education program, all to better and efficiently serve your interests.