The Aspen Advisor Week in Review for November 16, 2018
In this week’s legal education roundup, we’re especially proud to announce the prize for Legal Education Innovation. The competition was announced in honor of Wolters Kluwer's 5th Annual Leading Edge Conference, an invitation-only gathering of the country's top legal education thought leaders to discuss key issues facing legal education and to brainstorm actionable strategies. We awarded two winners each $10,000 to invest in ideas aimed at improving outcomes for underrepresented students and reducing the access to justice gap.
One of the winning teams, The Pathways Project: Connecting Ambition with Opportunity for Underrepresented Law Students, seeks to use data from a selection of national law schools to identify independent factors that contribute to under-performance in law school and on the bar exam, and to implement interventions to address those factors. The project seeks to serve law students from groups that are underrepresented in the legal profession. The team was led by Hosea H. Harvey, Professor of Law at Temple University's Beasley School of Law, and Gregory Parks, Associate Dean of Research and Professor of Law at Wake Forest University School of Law. The prize will support the research and analysis costs associated with this data-heavy inquiry.
The other winning project, Expanding Access to Justice and Practical Legal Training, focused on two related start-ups—Proboknow and Lowboknow—that are geared toward bridging the access to justice gap. Proboknow is a not-for-profit online platform that connects newer attorneys with low-income clients in need of pro bono help, as well as experienced attorneys to serve as mentors—making it easier and more convenient to connect with pro bono cases and helpful resources. Proboknow is supported by Lowboknow, a for-profit start-up that connects those who earn too much to qualify for free legal help, and yet not enough to afford market rates, with solo practitioners and small law firms who are willing to either reduce their standard rates or make their services more affordable through limited scope representation. The prize will help to fund the companies' expansion into Boston to network with lawyers and clients on the East Coast.
I am very proud to be connected to this initiative. It is yet another reason to be thankful this time of year!
Bar Exam
Cleveland State University's Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and BARBRI Partnership Produces Ohio's Highest Level of First-Time Bar Pass Rates
In a nationwide climate of still-stagnant bar exam scores, bar review leader, BARBRI, and Cleveland State University's Cleveland-Marshall College of Law have partnered to bolster student success and produce exceptional bar exam first-time pass rates.
A Breakdown of New York Bar Exam Results by Law School (July 2018)
Which law schools’ pass rates climbed, and which law schools sank like stones?
Law Professors
Faculty Mental Health
'Mental health in academia is too often a forgotten footnote. That needs to change.'
Law School Students
How Applying to Law School Early Could Pay Off
Experts say law school admissions odds are better for fall applicants than later applicants.
Five Gift Ideas for Bar Exam Takers
As the holidays approach, family and friends will likely begin to ask what you might like as a gift. While you’re studying for the bar, it’s probably hard to think of wants and needs outside the exam universe. However, there is no reason you can’t ask for bar exam related items as gifts! Given how costly it is to take the bar exam, there are many things you could ask for that would help alleviate financial concerns. Further, family members and friends are usually happy to help with education-related expenses. In this post, we give you five ideas of gifts to ask for this holiday season that will help you prepare for the bar exam.
Legal Education
RANKED: The 10 Best Law Schools for Landing a High-Paying Job After Graduation
The Princeton Review has released its 2019 best law schools list. The New York University School of Law tool first place in the ranking, beating out three Ivy League schools: Columbia, Harvard, and University of Pennsylvania.
Wolters Kluwer Announces New Prize for Legal Education Innovation: First Winners of Leading Edge Prize Each Awarded $10,000
Winners were chosen for their ideas aimed at improving student outcomes and bridging the access to justice gap
Elite Law School Announces Exciting Expansion of Support for Public Interest Work
T14 law school is increasing their support of public interest work.
With Sharp Rebuke to Law School, Judge Tosses Prof's Suit that Included ABA
Former Charlotte School of Law Professor Barbara Bernier alleged that the now-closed school defrauded the federal government of close to $300 million in federal student loans, but a judge ruled that her allegations were too vague and were barred by earlier suits.
Other Legal News
UC Berkeley Law School Confronts the Racist Legacy Behind its Famed Boalt Hall
The revelation that John Henry Boalt, a 19th-century San Francisco attorney, was virulently anti-Chinese has rocked the school and plunged it into the national debate over what to do when honored historical figures turn out to have unsavory pasts. The Berkeley controversy comes as other schools, such as Stanford, the University of San Francisco and Cal State Long Beach, are reexamining California’s past and changing building names or dropping mascots associated with those who kept slaves or mistreated Native Americans and Asian Americans.
Harvard Law School Students Organize #DumpKirkland Campaign Over Biglaw Employment Arbitration Agreements
The battle over Biglaw arbitration employment contracts continues...
Publishing
“Uncharted Territory”: Michelle Obama’s Becoming, Complete with Stadium Tour, is a Publishing Unicorn
Already, Obama’s book has blown up the numbers and approach of previous White House tomes, and the Obamas are a media powerhouse unto themselves.
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.