THE ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE LAWYERS

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical and analytical foundations of critical thinking and its role in the professional development of future lawyers. Particular attention is given to the educational mechanisms through which this cognitive competence influences the quality of legal training. The study aims to clarify the psychological and pedagogical patterns that enable students to work effectively with legal uncertainty, maintain logical consistency in situations involving complex choices, and preserve analytical autonomy across different educational and professional contexts.

The methodological framework is based on systemic, structural-functional, and comparative approaches. Their application makes it possible to conceptualize critical thinking as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing analytical skills, reflexivity, and logically grounded judgment.

The study identifies key contradictions within the educational environment that hinder the development of critical thinking, including the dominance of reproductive learning practices, the formalization of instruction, and the limited use of real cases and discussion-based formats. These factors contribute to a gap between theoretical training and the practical demands of the legal profession. The article demonstrates that the integration of problem-based learning and legal clinics can help bridge this gap by fostering stable skills in argumentation, analysis, and professional responsibility.

The findings support the development of a practice-oriented model for integrating critical thinking into the educational process, in which it functions not as a declarative requirement but as a genuine professional competence of law students. The proposed approaches may be used to modernize curricula, enhance teaching methodologies, and create an educational environment that supports intellectual independence.