FOREWORD TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE FAMILY LAW EDUCATION REFORM PROJECT

The purpose of this issue is to promote a dialogue between the family law academic community and stakeholders in the family law system about how future family lawyers should be educated. Family law practice has undergone dramatic change in the last quarter century, perhaps more than any other area of practice. Virtually everything about it has changed—the role of the family court, the procedure for resolving family disputes, the role of the family lawyer, and the substantive law. It is a vibrant and exciting field, with great influence on the lives of families and children. The family law curriculum in our law schools, however, does not reflect either the change in practice or its vibrancy. Despite the enormous challenges of modern practice, and the high stakes for parents and children, family law remains the stepchild of the law school. There are efforts to modernize underway, but they are isolated and unsystematic.