Student Loans
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Job Searches, Law Schools, Media and Journalism, New York Times, Student Loans
Now That the New York Times Acknowledges the Perils of Law School Debt, the Next Question Is How to Recover From the Ruin
Like many of you, I read the epic New York Times article on law school debt over the weekend. To answer the most consistent question I’ve received in the past 36 hours: no, I don’t feel like I’ve “won.” And I don’t feel like the NYT has somehow validated some of my commentary over the […] -
American Bar Association / ABA, Blogging, Law Schools, Media and Journalism, Student Loans
The ABA Started 'Warning' People About Going to Law School Years Ago
I have no idea why this is blowing up today, but it looks like the mainstream media just figured that maybe going to law school isn’t the most awesome idea (especially in this economy). On New Year’s Eve, John Carney — our former colleague, from his days at Dealbreaker — noted on CNBC’s NetNet that […] - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
Education / Schools, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
When The Kids Come Home This Christmas, Talk About Their Debt
I like it when the mainstream media drops by to take a look at the student debt crisis. I’d like to think that, unlike the housing bubble, this impending crisis can be avoided with sensible government regulation and individual actors making smart decisions about their own financial futures. The government regulation is, strangely, the easy […]
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Education / Schools, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
How Much Are Educational Prestige Points Worth in Real Dollars?
How far are we from getting real answers about the value proposition of going to law school? Pretty far, if you read the New York Times Week in Review. An article by Jacques Steinberg illustrates that researchers don’t even really know if receiving an elite undergraduate education is worth the price. The Times asks: Is […] -
Law Schools, LSAT, Student Loans
Above the Law Is 1 for 2 at Helping Would-Be Lawyers Do the Right Thing
And we might have had a perfect score if it not for that pesky God character floating around. In the past few weeks, we’ve brought you two stories about would-be lawyers trying to make critical life decisions. There was the first-year law student who was considering dropping out of law school after just one semester. […] -
Law School Deans, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
Kudos to Maryland Law for Protecting Its Students from Tuition Increases
Next month I’ll be appearing on a panel at the annual meeting of the Association of American Law Schools. The subject of the panel: how to get good press for your law school. One obvious answer: do good things for your students. Just like the University of Maryland School of Law. Our coverage of UMB […] -
Biglaw, Harvard, Money, Quote of the Day, Student Loans
Quote of the Day: In Fairness, She Should Be Making a Little More Than $180K
So, let’s say that an intelligent child does do everything that she is told to do from kindergarten through high school, and then goes to Harvard and then to a very good law school, and then into a high-powered law firm, and ends up making $180,000 a year by the time she is thirty. So […] -
Law Schools, Reader Polls, Student Loans
Should You Drop Out of Law School: The Sequel. A 1L Wants Your Advice.
Lat and I have already had a spirited debate about whether or not a 2L should drop out of law school. Predictably, Lat argued that the 2L should stick with it, while I extolled the virtues of running away and quitting. And the readers weighed in too: 66% of you said that the 2L should […] - Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so… -
Blogging, Law Schools, Money, Small Law Firms, Student Loans
Small Firm Lawyers Balk at ASU 3L's Request for Sponsorship
While bonuses are burning up the comments here at Above the Law, there’s another discussion raging over at the ABA’s SoloSez Listserv — where solo and small firm lawyers from around the country share resources, practice tips and the occasional anecdote. It seems that a 3L at Arizona State’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law […] -
Job Searches, Law Schools, Student Loans
Even If You Told Prospective Law Students the Truth, Would They Care?
We’ve devoted a lot of coverage around here to efforts at forcing law schools to be more transparent about the true employment opportunities for law graduates. We’ve screamed at the ABA, at NALP, and at law school deans themselves. We’ve begged them to just tell the truth about jobs to would-be law students. Maybe it’s […] -
Career Alternatives, Law Schools, Student Loans
In Defense of Going to Law School: A Prudential Perspective (Part 2)
On the Quote of the Day posted over the weekend, a commenter wrote: “In my head I’ve changed the name of this blog from ‘Above the Law’ to ‘The law is f**king stupid and dumb and anyone who goes into it is an idiot forever and did I mention it’s dumb.’ There are still reasons […] -
Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
Quote of the Day: Personal Responsibility, or Blaming the Victim?
You have to wonder what amount of research the student in question pursued before deciding that law school was a good idea, which then leads you to ask whether you’d want him as your lawyer. Sounds like he would be a good candidate for a sub prime interest-only mortgage, until he wanted a bailout on […] -
Law School Deans, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
Tuition Is Going Up at Notre Dame Law (But Not as High as Some Other Places)
There’s been a lot of buzz coming out of Notre Dame Law. No, the students are not being being pressed into service to defend the university from Declan Sullivan lawsuits. Instead, ND Law dean Nell Newton held a town hall meeting with the students to discuss the future of the university. After the public meeting, […]
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Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
The rise of remote work has dramatically reshaped the relationship between Lawyers and Law Firms, see how Scale LLP has taken the steps to get…
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Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so…
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Law School Deans, Law Schools, Student Loans
13% Tuition Increase + 1% Faculty Salary Cut = 100% Screwing of Minnesota Law Students
CORRECTION: This post has been revised since it was first published to reflect the fact that the 13.5% tuition hike for in-state students occurred this summer and applies to the current academic year (2010-2011). Last year, the University of Minnesota contemplated imposing a significant tuition hike on its law students, while trying to keep college […] -
Career Alternatives, Dahlia Lithwick, Law Schools, Student Loans
In Defense of Going to Law School: A Prudential Perspective
A prudential perspective, because it appeared in Slate’s advice column, Dear Prudence (alongside an inquiry from a woman dating a wonderful man who unfortunately has a “micropenis”): Dear Prudence, I am just a little over a year away from becoming a lawyer, and I’m miserable because I hate it. I wasn’t forced into the profession. […] -
Erwin Chemerinsky, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
UC Irvine School of Law: Now Offering 33% Scholarships to the Class of 2014
When the UC Irvine School of Law first burst onto the scene, the school offered free tuition to everyone in its inaugural class. Then, in its second year, UC Irvine offered a 50% discount to all students admitted to the class of 2013. And now, UC Irvine will knock 33% off its tuition, for members […] -
Drinking, Law Schools, Quote of the Day, Student Loans
Quote of the Day: You Can Drink Away Your Sorrows, But Not Your Student Loans
I just bought 4 bottles of wine in sweats at 530 on a monday night. F**k law school. — a poster at Texts From Last Night -
Job Searches, Law Schools, Student Loans, Videos, YouTube
How Many Jaded Attorneys Does It Take to Discourage One Law Student?
It has been a while since we’ve had one of these cut-rate animation movies discouraging people from going to law school. There have been some great ones in the past: A Law School Carol springs to mind, as well as Don’t Go To Law School. There was a time when I thought little video clips […] -
Law School Deans, Law Schools, Student Loans
Boston College 3L Asks for His Money Back; Hilarity Ensues
A third-year student at Boston College Law School made a very reasonable request of the law school’s interim dean, George D. Brown: Give me my money back. I say it’s a reasonable request, because it is customary in this country to get a refund when you buy something that is defective in some fundamental way. […] -
Education / Schools, Law Schools, Money, Student Loans
Arizona State Law School Moving Towards Private Funding Model: Prepare to be Gouged, ASU Law Students
Earlier this week, a story in the National Law Journal (subscription) reported that the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law is weaning itself off of public funding and trying to become self-sufficient on private dollars. Towards that end, ASU will be raising tuition and admitting more law students. I wanted to wait […]