One of the persistent myths in legal education is that academic support and doctrinal instruction operate in separate silos. It’s the idea that doctrinal faculty teach the “real” law, while academic support is only for struggling students. This false divide undermines student learning and misses an opportunity for meaningful collaboration that can benefit the entire law school community.
At its core, academic support isn’t remedial. It’s pedagogical. When doctrinal faculty and academic support educators work together, the result is not only stronger student outcomes, but a richer educational environment for all.
Here’s why collaboration matters:
- Students Benefit from Consistent, Reinforced Messaging
How many times have academic support professionals told student to self-test, outline early, and use active recall, only to have students dismiss it as “not what the professor wants”?
When doctrinal faculty reinforce the same learning strategies – from case briefing to exam writing techniques – students are far more likely to take them seriously. A student who hears the value of spaced repetition both in Torts and in a workshop is more likely to internalize it. Collaboration means students get a unified message, rather than mixed signals.
- Doctrinal Faculty Gain Insight into Student Struggles
Academic support professionals are often the first to spot when students are falling behind and why. We see patterns: missed connections, persistent misconceptions, trouble applying doctrine under pressure.
When doctrinal faculty invite that feedback, either informally or through structured collaboration, it creates a powerful feedback loop. They can then adjust instruction, revisit key concepts, or provide more practice based on what academic support is seeing in real time.
Academic support professionals aren’t just tutoring. We’re tracking patterns.
- Academic Support Enriches the Pedagogical Mission
Too often, academic support is framed as triage. But it’s also innovative. Academic support educators are deeply versed in learning science, curriculum design, and assessment theory. We can help:
- Design more effective formative assessments
- Create rubrics that support metacognition
- Integrate skills-based instruction
- Build inclusive classroom practices
Collaboration lets faculty tap into this expertise – and elevates the academic support program in the process.
- The Bar Exam Isn’t Just Academic Support’s Responsibility
Let’s say it clearly: The bar exam is not just an academic support issue.
Students don’t only struggle on the bar because they didn’t watch enough bar prep videos (don't get me wrong – some students don't study enough). Students often struggle because they never quite mastered MBE-style reasoning prior to bar prep or because they didn't get enough practice applying doctrine in time-pressured environments.
Doctrinal faculty who partner with academic support can begin incorporating bar-tested reasoning, practice questions, and IRAC from the students' first semester, not just during the final sprint to the bar exam.
Bar success is everyone’s job.
- It Models Professional Collaboration for Students
When members of the law school community collaborate, it sets an example for students about what professional collegiality looks like. It tells them that learning is a shared enterprise. It tells them that support is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. Too many students believe they need to go it alone. When they see their faculty modeling collaboration, they learn to seek help, build networks, and approach legal work as a team effort.
So How Do We Build the Bridge?
Collaboration doesn’t require an overhaul. It starts small:
- Create shared language for legal reasoning, outlining, or briefing
- Meet to discuss student trends, performance, and curricular improvements
- Invite academic support into doctrinal classes for skills workshops or review sessions
- Co-develop materials like sample questions and answer keys
- Cross train faculty on metacognitive strategies or learning science insights
Every small act of partnership chips away at the silo and signals to the students that the entire faculty is invested in their success.
Collaboration between doctrinal faculty and academic support shouldn’t be a luxury. It is necessary for a healthy legal education ecosystem. Together, we can demystify legal learning, promote equity, and build bridges that help all students thrive. Because, at the end of the day, we’re all on the same team.
(Dayna Smith)
