Law School Career Official Sees a Few Hopeful Signs
A career official at Northwestern University School of Law points to a few hopeful signs of better times ahead for law graduates.
Bill Chamberlain, the law school’s assistant dean for career strategy and advancement, says law schools and career offices have become lightning rods for frustration as available jobs contracted. But changes are in the offing, he writes for the National Law Journal.
Some students will decide not to attend law school as they review job statistics provided under new reporting requirements, Chamberlain says. He doesn’t see that as a negative. “Some of those pursuing the degree just for the money may be deterred, leaving those who have weighed other alternatives and are truly passionate about practicing law,” he says.
He also sees some hopeful signs in the job market. “So what else is ahead for 2012?” he asks. “With so much uncertainty in the world markets, it is difficult to predict whether entry-level hiring truly has hit bottom, but noticeable increases in the number of employers on campus last fall and in fall recruiting outcomes for the Class of 2013 may signal an increase in employment at graduation for that class. Lateral hiring continues to be on the upswing—an indicator, at least in past cycles, of better things to come in the entry-level market.”
