Legal Education

Jenner and University of Chicago Law School open SCOTUS clinic

A U.S. Supreme Court clinic, led by a University of Chicago law professor and appellate lawyers from Jenner & Block, has opened. Clients will be represented pro bono at the Jenner & Block University of Chicago Law School Supreme Court and Appellate Clinic, according to a press release. Students working…

Aug 2, 2016 1:30 PM CDT

Why Tim Kaine became disillusioned at Harvard Law School

Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine experienced some “bumpy years” at Harvard Law School, according to a newspaper account of his years there. Kaine was the son of a metal shop owner and a graduate of a Jesuit boys’ school in Kansas City, the Boston Globe reports. When he entered…

Aug 2, 2016 11:04 AM CDT

Federal panel ‘sent a signal’ to ABA about law school loans and accreditation enforcement

Concerns about enforcement of accreditation standards and the need for response to law school costs, student debt and lack of lawyer jobs swirled during a Department of Education panel’s discussion that led to their vote to recommend suspending the ABA from accrediting law schools for one year, a transcript of…

Aug 1, 2016 2:47 PM CDT

Which law schools have the highest percentage of graduates with federal clerkships?

Some of the country’s most affordable law schools also have a fair amount of graduates with federal clerkships, according to a recent list compiled by Business Insider. Besides using its annual list of top 50 law schools, the publication relied on ABA data to compile its clerkship list. Among the…

Aug 1, 2016 2:05 PM CDT

Law clinic goes pro as students and profs launch startup practice

Eve J. Brown saw law students get a year's worth of client experience at the intellectual property clinics she ran at Suffolk University and Boston University, but few found jobs in the field after graduation. Small IP firms usually don’t hire first-year associates, and large firms for the most part…

Aug 1, 2016 2:00 AM CDT

Feds disqualify ABA and others from loan forgiveness program

The feds disqualify the ABA and others from a loan forgiveness program.

Aug 1, 2016 12:40 AM CDT

Recall effort for Brock Turner’s judge poses serious threat to rule of law, say law profs

California law professors including Pamela Karlan, Gerald Uelmen and Erwin Chemerinsky signed a support letter for the judge who presided over the recent Stanford University sexual assault trial, and is facing a recall petition. Of the 46 law professors opposing the recall of Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron…

Jul 28, 2016 2:00 PM CDT

7th Circuit judge has ‘penchant for confabulation,’ losing law prof alleges in law review article

A retired University of Chicago law professor who represented former Illinois Gov. George Ryan is striking out at a respected federal appeals judge for an alleged “penchant for confabulation,” “questionable” rulings and “bullying” of lawyers on both sides of the case. The former law professor, Albert Alschuler, unsuccessfully represented Ryan…

Jul 28, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

What skills do new lawyers need now—and what can wait? Database lets you search for answers

So, young law grad entering private practice, are you confident, on time and diligent? Great! But if you lag in cultivating networks or handling conflicts, don’t worry, you have time. On a day many law students are facing the challenge of state bar exams, the Institute for the Advancement of…

Jul 26, 2016 12:14 PM CDT

These are the top-rated law schools in the nation’s cheapest cities

Want a good legal education while saving on living expenses? Law.com has compiled a list of the law schools that are highest-ranked by U.S. News in the nation’s most affordable cities, as ranked by Forbes. First, Law.com starts with the cheapest cities and finds the best-ranked law schools in those…

Jul 25, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

Georgetown law prof is hired as ACLU’s national legal director

Georgetown law professor David Cole has a new job as national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union. Cole will oversee the ACLU’s Supreme Court practice and manage the work of nearly 300 staff attorneys at the ACLU, according to a press release. He takes over the new job…

Jul 22, 2016 10:30 AM CDT

Deborah Rhode is at war with complacency (podcast)

Stanford Law School professor Deborah Rhode is the enemy of complacency. This Legal Rebels Trailblazer is one of the most cited scholars in legal ethics, though she wears many more hats. She has carved out specialties in discrimination (ranging from race and gender to the unfair advantages that flow to physical beauty, often probing their intersection with legal ethics) and in criticism of legal education itself.

Jul 20, 2016 8:45 AM CDT

Law professor files ethics complaints against Baltimore prosecutors in Freddie Gray cases

A public-interest law professor is filing complaints seeking the disbarment of two prosecutors with the Baltimore City State’s Attorney Office for actions in the prosecution of police officers in the death of Freddie Gray, the Baltimore Sun reports. Professor John F. Banzhaf III of the George Washington University Law School…

Jul 19, 2016 4:00 PM CDT

Which law schools’ grads have the least amount of debt?

Based on its annual survey, US News & World Report has identified 10 law schools where the average student who took out loans has less than $70,000 of debt. The survey focuses on 2015 graduates who took on law school debt. Graduates of the University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson…

Jul 19, 2016 2:00 PM CDT

Trump’s VP pick practiced law at a small firm; he wouldn’t wish law school ‘on a dog I didn’t like’

Donald Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, once practiced law at a small firm that handled a variety of legal work, including contract disputes and negotiations, real-estate transactions and landlord-tenant issues. Pence graduated from Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 1986, but he didn’t enjoy his…

Jul 18, 2016 11:10 AM CDT