The Aspen Advisor Week in Review for July 27, 2018
Many law schools have struggled with enrollments and, as a result, budgets over the past 4 years. Fewer students applying to and attending law school meant that schools had to do more with less or expand their pool of students. This led some schools to accept students who were underprepared for the rigors of law school. On a positive note, having a more diverse student body motivated schools to explore and implement new teaching methodologies in order to engage students and improve learning outcomes. “There are no old roads to new directions” could be a theme to this week’s articles. One article questions the future of independent law schools in our current climate. Another announces the intentions of the University of Illinois at Chicago to merge with the John Marshall Law School. New directions, indeed.
Law School Students
Another Person Giving You Advice About Going to Law School
This one is for all the new college grads who don’t know what to do with their lives.
Legal Education
NCCU Has Taken 'Concrete Steps' Toward Admissions Standards Compliance, ABA Says
North Carolina Central University School of Law, which in January was found to be out of compliance with an ABA accreditation standard regarding admissions, has now demonstrated compliance, according to a decision the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar posted to its website Monday.
Law School Students Just Saw a Radical Shift in the Pathway to Success
Conservatism has long offered the path of least resistance for law students. That may be changing.
Don LeDuc Helps to Make Law School More Accessible
Don LeDuc, president of the Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School, has one piece of advice for students interested in entering the legal profession. “Think like a professional from day one,” says LeDuc, who began teaching at the law school in 1975, served two stints as dean and was appointed President of the law school in 2002. “Act like the lawyer you hope to become.”
What UI Chicago and John Marshall Law School Merger Will Mean for Legal Ed
The John Marshall Law School, which has been an independent school since it was founded in 1899, overcame its biggest hurdle to becoming part of the University of Illinois at Chicago when the University of Illinois’ board of trustees approved the merger last week. John Marshall’s board also approved the merger.
Future of Independent Law Schools is in Peril
Stand-alone law schools don't enjoy the same financial security as their university-based counterparts, but their leaders say the independence makes them better able to respond to changes in legal education and the profession.
Yale Law School Grows Increasingly Diverse, Yale Law Journal Takes a Different Path
A mere 5 percent of the incoming Yale Law Journal editors are black or Latinx.
Survey: 1 in 5 Lawyers Favors GRE Scores Over LSAT Results as Criteria for Law School Admission
More law schools are accepting Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores in place of Law School Admission Test (LSAT) results, a change that is gaining support in the legal profession. While most attorneys still prefer the LSAT, approximately one in five lawyers (21 percent) who were surveyed by Robert Half Legal are in favor of this shift in the law school application process.
Legal Training and New Markets
California Bar to Consider Changes to Nonlawyer Ownership Rules
The State Bar of California has approved the establishment of a task force to consider amending ethics rules that limit ownership of legal services companies to lawyers.
The Aspen Advisor Week in Review is a collection of interesting articles from the past week that pertain to Legal Education. Some may be especially relevant to law professors and others to law students. Many stories focus on the pedagogical, technical, and financial innovation occurring in law schools today. We hope that these articles inspire you.
Nicole Pinard is the Executive Director of Market Development for the Legal Education division of Wolters Kluwer Legal and Regulatory Solutions U.S.