Challenges of quality improvement in the vocational training of legal professionals: a reflexive analysis and prospects

The article presents the priority directions of the development of legal education in the Russian Federation. The problematic tendencies that caused the crisis of the phenomenon in the system of legal professionals training in Russia are analyzed. The discussion questions debated by the professional community during the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum - 2022, concerning the transformation of higher education in this sphere, were considered. The program of state support and development of the country’s universities “Priority -2030” is analyzed. Two basic approaches to the training of specialists in the field of law are considered: practice -oriented and activity-based. The key concepts that constitute the methodological foundations of legal education are described: legal socialization, legal culture, legal education. The thesis on the need to enrich the sys-tem of legal education with axiological, human-centered content is put forward. Conclusion drawn on the relevance of using innovative, active teaching methods that contribute to strengthening practice-oriented component of the process of vocational training of legal professionals.