The Evolution of Legal Education in Spain

Since the 1960s, Spanish law schools have educated lawyers who have assisted in the opening of the national economy and helped develop successful international law firms in Spain based on the Anglo-American model. Yet until recently, little of the dynamism reflected in the Spanish economy and, more directly, in the legal profession, was evident in law school methods or curriculum. This article presents a view of the Spanish legal profession and its relationship to the legal educational system. It begins with an overview of changes in the Spanish legal market over the past few decades. Then it explains the state of law schools in Spain, which for the most part have not kept pace with this changing market. A notable exception is described, as well as the recent adoption of the “Bologna process,” which has the potential to encourage change in Spanish law schools. The article then presents short testimonials from Spanish law graduates from five different decades as to the role their legal education played in their respective professional successes.