November 15, 2019
A New Orientation Workshop Pushes Law Students to Practice ‘Hearing One Another’
Lawyers are renowned for their oratory skills. But what clients look for in a lawyer goes well beyond their ability to express opinions and present arguments. Clients want to work with lawyers who genuinely listen and are responsive to needs.
Students at the University of Chicago Law School are learning that active listening can go a long way in establishing rapport and trust with people.
Hearing One Another is one of the university’s Inclusion Workshops. It was developed by the Second Science Project, which was founded at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in collaboration with The Second City. The workshops combine behavioral science with improvisational practice to cultivate insights and interpersonal skills central to understanding and relating to one another across dimensions of diversity.
“I think that law students, just like anyone else, need to be reminded that listening is a skill.” - Charles Todd, Dean of Students
The workshop achieved two crucial orientation objectives:
- Build a rapport among the students
- Improve their emotional intelligence
Students learned there were different styles of listening and that keeping an open mind can also allow one to fully appreciate a new experience.
“Because I really, really listened to this stranger, I got this deeper human bonding with a lot less time. It’s very inspiring.”
- Kenny Chiaghana, Law Student
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