- Oct 26, 2018
- Nicole Pinard
The Aspen Advisor Week in Review for October 26, 2018
In this week’s Aspen Advisor, I’d like to draw your attention to two interesting trends.
The first is around employment opportunities for recent law school grads as described in, “Legal Industry Employment for Law Grads Increasing, Study Says.” After the recession, we saw a decline in jobs for law school graduates that required a JD which resulted in a decline in law school enrollment. AccessLex Institute, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on legal education, has published research indicating that trend is improving. Last year, 72 percent of law graduates found jobs requiring them to pass the bar exam. This number has been increasing steadily and is almost back to its pre-crisis height of 75 percent. The increase in employment rates can be attributed to fewer students graduating from law school. Regardless, if you are a law school graduate, a positive trend indeed!
In the article, “Teaching Technology Today: One Law School’s Innovative Offerings,” we learn about how Hofstra is preparing their law students for the changing practice of law. Whether in the private sector, public sector, or in the courtroom, technology is having a profound impact on how lawyers do their jobs. Electronic discovery, electronic filing, and electronic billing are now common. Apps are being developed that use artificial intelligence to bridge the justice gap. In the courtroom, iPads, touch-screen monitors, and video screens are being used to present and review evidence which is leading to new course offerings such as Evidence with Trial Technology, Introduction to E-Discovery, Artificial Intelligence and Law, and Introduction to Blockchain and Law. It’s exciting to see the growth of technology and smashes the stereotype of lawyers as luddites.
Bar Exam
How to Support an Employee who has Failed the Bar Exam
Use the cardinal rule to think about how you would like to be treated in the same situation
Law School Students
Legal Industry Employment for Law Grads Increasing, Study Says
Post-law school employment continued to rise in 2017, a sign that law schools have adapted to the contracted post-recession job market.
Ralph Nader, Pete Davis Call on Law Students to Serve the Public Interest
Former U.S. presidential candidate and attorney Ralph Nader spoke at the Harvard Law Forum Thursday to discuss the need for more public interest lawyers and his belief in Harvard Law School’s obligation to support public interest careers among its graduates.
Legal Education
Stanford Law School Expands Innovative Global Law Program with $25 Million Gift from Alumnus William A. Franke
The largest alumni gift in Stanford Law School history commemorates the school’s 125th anniversary.
New Program Aims to Support First-Generation College Graduates Attending Duke Law School
Getting into and completing law school is a daunting and challenging process for anyone, especially for students whose families do not have experience in professional fields.
Wealthy Applicants Have a Much Easier Time Getting Admitted to Better Law Schools
All told, the law school admission process is very difficult for less-wealthy applicants.
Teaching Technology Today: One Law School’s Innovative Offerings
Lawyers of the future, regardless of practice area, need to be proficient in legal technology.
Arizona Summit Law School Details Plans to Eventually Close its Doors
Private law school has struggled to attract students and is now facing having its accreditation pulled by the American Bar Association.
Other Legal News
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Announces Dementia Diagnosis
Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, 88, the first woman ever to serve on the highest court in the land, has been diagnosed with dementia and is battling the early stages of what is probably Alzheimer's disease, she announced in a public letter addressed to "friends and fellow Americans" on Tuesday.
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.