Louis D. Brandeis School of Law

Law School Over-Promises Financial Aid; Will Have $2.4 Million Shortfall Over Three Years

By

It finally looks like the out-of-control cost of legal education came back to bite a law school in the behind.

A scandal is erupting at the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. The law school reportedly made more financial aid commitments than the school had a budget for. Brandeis blew their financial aid budget by more than 100%. That is, they promised more than double the money the school had budgeted.

Louisville Law’s assistant dean of admissions, Brandon Hamilton, has resigned. It appears that Hamilton may have been offering more money to students who had not yet decided on an Louisville in order to entice them to matriculate.

Maybe if Louisville had done more to contain tuition costs it wouldn’t have felt pressured to throw so much financial aid money at students to make their education cost effective?

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Law School Over-Promises Financial Aid; Will Have $2.4 Million Shortfall Over Three Years”

43 Comments

Musical Chairs: Dean Chen To Step Down at Louisville Law

By

A few years ago, at a conference hosted by Penn APALSA, I had the pleasure of meeting Dean Jim Chen of the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law. He gave a luncheon keynote address that was deeply thoughtful and inspiring. Attendees of the conference were quite impressed.

Students and staff at U of L have also praised Dean Chen. And he does have achievements to crow about (besides, of course, his glittering résumé and impressive record of scholarship). In the most recent U.S. News law school rankings, the Brandeis School of Law climbed 11 spots (from 100 to 89).

When law schools fall in the rankings, their deans often follow. But U of L fared well in the latest rankings. So why is Dean Chen departing?

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Musical Chairs: Dean Chen To Step Down at Louisville Law”

25 Comments

Lawyer of the Day: Ex-Clerk Accused in Bizarre Break-In

By

Earlier today, we mentioned the University of Louisville’s nice jump in this year’s U.S. News law school rankings. ATL readers are probably more familiar with the school, however, as the alma mater of Courtney King. King got in trouble for acts she allegedly committed while intoxicated, which gave rise to the diva-tastic phrase, “Google me, b*tch.”

This week, another Louisville law grad is in trouble for allegedly drinking too much and acting just an eensy-weensy bit belligerent. By that we mean she stands accused of trying to break into a judge’s house.

Keep reading to learn more about our hot-blooded lawyer of the day — and to see her mug shot. She’s attractive…

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Lawyer of the Day: Ex-Clerk Accused in Bizarre Break-In”

30 Comments

Google Me, B***h: The Real Deal on Courtney King’s Arrest

By

The blogosphere has been buzzing since we first wrote about Ice Miller attorney Courtney King’s alleged criminal activity. In case you missed our coverage, King was arrested after allegedly uttering, to the police, the words first made famous by rapper Eight Set: “Google me” (sans the “bitch”).

King, whom we recognized with Lawyer of the Day honors, was charged with alcohol intoxication, assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and terroristic threatening. She allegedly stated the following to the police, immediately prior to her arrest:

“You are going to… die. I’m a lawyer. You can Google me. You are dead. I work at a law firm in Indianapolis.”

People have quibbled over King’s attractiveness, but more importantly, they’ve speculated as to whether there was, in fact, any actual violence on King’s part leading up to her arrest. Was King overcharged? Was race a factor in her arrest? Is she on “possible probation” with the firm, or was she fired? All of this, and more, after the jump….

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Google Me, B***h: The Real Deal on Courtney King’s Arrest”

61 Comments

Lawyer of the Day: Alleged Death Threats Put Attorney on Ice

By

Here at Above the Law, we know a thing or two about how lawyers should deal with the police. Incidentally, we also know how lawyers should not deal with law enforcement officers. And if you truly value your job as an attorney, it’s best not to mouth off to the cops, or to threaten them in any way, shape, or form.

But Courtney King, a rather attractive attorney with Ice Miller, apparently didn’t get the memo. Last week, after allegedly downing a few too many shots of liquid courage, King got into a stand off with police that may have iced her nascent legal career….

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Lawyer of the Day: Alleged Death Threats Put Attorney on Ice”

84 Comments

Don’t Defend Your Law School Until You’re Earning Three Times Its Yearly Tuition

By

We mentioned this in yesterday’s Morning Docket, but I think it deserves a full post. For a long time, I have been questioning the value proposition of going to law school. Finally, it seems that somebody who can operate a calculator has my back.

The National Law Journal reports that Jim Chen, Dean of the Louisville School of Law, has come up with an easy-to-apply salary figure to determine whether law school was a financially sound decision on a case-by-case basis.

If you want to go to law school and one day be able to own a home, Chen argues you need to have a salary that is three times your law school’s annual tuition. You need to earn six times your annual tuition if you want to be a truly financially sound home owner if you are carrying three years of law school debt with you.

I’d like for people who constantly defend the value of law school to start pointing out the high-salaried jobs that are needed to make law school worth it….

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Don’t Defend Your Law School Until You’re Earning Three Times Its Yearly Tuition”

77 Comments

Future Lawyer of the Day: Law Student Rescues Orphaned Baby

By

Here at Above the Law, we frequently publish stories about law students who have been accused of doing pretty bad things. Take, for example, the law students and recent law school graduates who have graced our pages in the past few months:

  • Tammy Hsu (authored an arrogant blog and insulted her classmates)
  • Stephen McDaniel (accused of murder and child pornography possession)
  • Ilan Grapel (accused of being a spy by Egyptian authorities)
  • Reema Bajaj (accused of prostitution)
  • Johnathan Perkins (admitted to fabricating a tale of racial harassment by the police)

Enough with the law students gone bad. Today, we thought we’d change it up a little bit and bring you a story about a law student who did something good. Actually, this particular law student did something great.

On August 31, a law student rescued an orphaned baby. Who is this remarkable heroine and where does she go to school?

double red triangle arrows Continue reading “Future Lawyer of the Day: Law Student Rescues Orphaned Baby”

66 Comments