Legal Tweets

Law Schools Failing Their Clientele?

ronfox: Prized lawyers would not have left profession if LS fac. & staff made them aware of many options to practice consistent w/personal values.

btannebaum: @ronfox remember there are law students who don't view law as a profession, rather a money making vehicle

ronfox: @btannebaum I can't argue w/you but my concern is w/the 1000's who do view it as a profession who LS misplace in unprofessional settings

btannebaum: @ronfox I blame the law students and the law schools. Don't exempt the law student looking for the big salary

nikiblack: @ronfox Law students also have exorbitant student loans to pay back, so tough to blame them for wanting big $ when first out of school....

ronfox: @nikiblack I didn't blame any law students, just RTing @btannebaum but DO blame law schools for higher debt b/c unjustified tuition raises

btannebaum: @ronfox our problem is that we have law students taking jobs solely to pay off loans, having no passion for what they are doing

ronfox: @nikiblack I just finished reading GAO report to Congress on law school costs (poorly done but has tuition increases) http://bit.ly/mZXQd

ronfox: @nikiblack In my years advising law students I witnessed many w/o debt who were still diverted by LS OCI funnel to jobs in conflict w/values

nikiblack: @ronfox I hear you. Law schools are far too BigLaw focused & pressures on law students to conform (& thus be "successful") are so strong.

dougcornelius: @ronfox @nikiblack Its easier to get a job through LS OCI. Future employers come to YOU when you are 1/3 through law school.

ronfox: @dougcornelius Do you support OCI? While it's easier, it is the primary cause of student misplacement & should be ended & eliminated

dougcornelius: @ronfox OCI? It seems misplaced to be hiring for future partners after 1 year of law school.

dougcornelius: @ronfox I think small firms could participate in OCI. But they are smart enough to avoid it. They know a 2L can't help them.

ronfox: @dougcornelius Dsagree. OCI ONLY for those who commit 2 yrs ahead (old days) Basically 0% of businesses & non-profits in real world can

ronfox: @dougcornelius Also, small firms DID often hire 1Ls & 2Ls part-time&summer & did help. Often offered them, now trained, full-time on grad

ronfox: @btannebaum @nikiblack Dreaming of day LS closes doors if: cost not reasonable; not training to practice; & not teaching to follow passion

btannebaum: @ronfox law schools = profit centers for universities. Tuition is based on market demand. After LA Law, everyone wanted to be a Biglaw Atty

ronfox: @btannebaum Isn't the nickname for a university's law school "Cash Cow"? I read one reason for UMass public LS "bring $ to state coffers"

pwoldow: Need 2 rethink law school - from training 2 tuition RT @jkubicki Indeed! @ronfox Lame Solution 2 exorbitant LS tuition. http://bit.ly/iOsCh 

ronfox: knowing only how to think like lawyer upon grad today makes you dinosaur before you even being work http://bit.ly/1uSOp2

btannebaum: @ronfox when I went to law school, we had 5 in florida. Now we have 11

Let's revamp the law schools, shall we?

nikiblack: Makes sense to me: " 'Best Lawyers' Panels Agree That Law Schools, Firms Need Retooling" ( http://tinyurl.com/com5uu

• phila_lawyer: @nikiblack Law schools don't need to "change." Half of them need to close. Simple supply and demand. Enough with their fucking doublespeak.

• nikiblack: @phila_lawyer HOw about closing a bunch of 'em and changing those that remain? ;)

• phila_lawyer: @nikiblack I'd call that "change" I could believe in. How about also making it a 2 yr degree and focusing on practice, rather than theory?

• nikiblack: @phila_lawyer I still think 3 yrs is needed-but 1st year is substantive-the other 2 are more focused on practice areas of choice & practice.

• ronfox: @nikiblack Lawyers won't need to give up career visions once legal education is restructured. Read http://bit.ly/RmlQc (expand) (via @SCartierLiebel

• phila_lawyer: @nikiblack Why not 2 yrs with no summer breaks? Who needs breaks in grad school? How does that prepare you for work?

• piercelaw: @nikiblack Do you know abt DWS? Portfolio review,simulated clients +. Grds practice while others still study for Bar. http://bit.ly/VfdXF

• ronfox: @nikiblack @phila_lawyer re changing law schools: you can ignore fantasy scenario, interested in yr comments on this http://bit.ly/uxYXP

• nikiblack: @ronfox The 2d alternative offered following the hearings (major restructuring)sounds a lot like what @phila_lawyer and I were discussing