Showing archive for: “Education”
The global threat to U.S. law
A lot of ink has been spilled about the technology threat to traditional law practice. But U.S. law firms need also to worry about lawyers elsewhere in the world. The WSJ reports that Beijing-based King & Wood is planning to join with Australian firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques to form Hong Kong-based verein King & Wood ... The global threat to U.S. law
Fish on law teaching
Stanley Fish opines on the NYT’s recent criticisms of legal education (HT Leiter): The expert practitioner is expert in part because when he listens to a client or walks into a courtroom the field of action is already configured for him by an internalized understanding of what could possibly be at stake in proceedings like ... Fish on law teaching
The NYT on legal education again
Last week the NYT’s David Segal attacked modern legal education in what many bloggers have criticized as an overwrought and inaccurate article. I joined the chorus. Referring to my article Practicing Theory, I noted that Segal had made the often-repeated mistake of blaming legal educators for teaching too much theory and not enough practice when ... The NYT on legal education again
Law professors, amicus briefs and blogging
Richard Fallon thinks that when law professors try to influence public debate, as when they sign amicus briefs, they should know what they’re talking about. Here’s the abstract: With ever mounting frequency, law professors flood the courts with “scholars’ briefs,” in which they advise judges and Supreme Court Justices on how to resolve disputed issues ... Law professors, amicus briefs and blogging
The value of law school
Herwig Schlunk updates his analysis of the investment value of a law degree. Here’s the abstract: There continues to be an active debate on the question of whether or not law school is a good investment. I prefer to think of the question not in terms of “whether,” but in terms of “when.” In this ... The value of law school
Some thoughts on in-house lawyers
Those attending the Wisconsin in-house counsel conference this weekend (kudos to Jonathan Lipson for a well-organized and comprehensive program) got a great overview of the problems and opportunities facing the lawyers who work inside corporations. Here’s some brief observations. As previously reported, my own contribution focused on how technology might significantly affect in-house lawyers’ work, ... Some thoughts on in-house lawyers
The NYT on law teaching
The NYT brings another David Segal story on legal education. Today’s sermon: law schools don’t teach “lawyering.” Boiling away the overheated journalism, here’s the indictment: Law profs are richly paid for writing mostly useless law review articles rather than “the essential how-tos of daily practice.” Students study cases about contract law but not contracts. Clinics ... The NYT on law teaching
A financial perspective on the legal education market
Today’s WSJ offers an interesting perspective on the law school cost/student debt debate: from the folks who invest in student loans. According to the article, these guys say: Law school * * * can end up a sucker’s bet in periods of high unemployment U.S. has far more law schools than other professional schools, resulting ... A financial perspective on the legal education market
Going to 11
Veterans certainly deserve their day but I hope they won’t mind my sharing it with Nigel Tufnel. Surely you recall his memorable question: Well, it’s one louder, isn’t it? It’s not 10. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at 10. You’re on 10 here, all the way up, all the way up, ... Going to 11
Law school applications and opportunity costs
Many believe that law school applicants have been misled about or just don’t understand the market for legal services. I think it’s worth exploring the alternative hypothesis that law school is college grads’ best opportunity despite the market. Today’s WSJ discusses one possible basis for this conclusion — college students’ poor choice of what ... Law school applications and opportunity costs
Law firms’ competition
The biggest competition for law firms is not other law firms but in-house counsel. So reports the ABAJ. I make a similar point in a paper I’m presenting at a University of Wisconsin program next week. There are two reasons for this: pressures on firms to reduce fees, and law’s information revolution which is reducing ... Law firms’ competition
Crisis in legal education or business cycle?
Bill Henderson vs. Orin Kerr (in comments, with reply by Henderson). HT Leiter. Henderson: U.S. Legal Education is in the midst of a large, structural transformation. This structural shift is driven by a confluence of factors, which includes three significant trends: The decline, or plateau, of the traditional time and materials legal services model The ... Crisis in legal education or business cycle?
