Legal Education Statistics

First-year class sizes for ABA-accredited law schools are slightly smaller in 2019

The total number of students at ABA-accredited law schools rose slightly this year. However, the number of first-year students decreased from 2018 to 2019, according to ABA data released Thursday.

Dec 12, 2019 3:29 PM CST

Latest figures show why many law grads struggle with debt; which schools had highest and lowest debt-to-income ratios?

Most law students earn less money per year after graduation than the amount they borrowed for law school, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Education.

Dec 5, 2019 1:32 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Barr sees ‘perfect storm of screw-ups’ in Epstein death; law school gives up ABA accreditation

AG Barr concludes Jeffrey Epstein’s death due to ‘perfect storm of screw-ups’ U.S. Attorney General William Barr says he initially had suspicions about multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein’s jailhouse death, but he eventually concluded that the convicted sex offender died by suicide. Barr told the Associated Press that he reviewed security…

Nov 25, 2019 4:09 PM CST

ABA legal ed section set to send various standards and rules revisions to House of Delegates

The council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, which met at the Park Hyatt Chicago in an open session Friday, approved various proposed revisions to accreditation rules and standards, but tabled, for further discussion, a suggested change to Standard 206, which addresses diversity and inclusion.…

Aug 26, 2019 2:05 PM CDT

Legal Ed asks for comment as they consider revising teach-out plans and accreditation rules

The American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is considering revisions for rules and standards that apply to ABA-accredited law schools, including a proposal that would change the existing direction for teach-out plans.

Jul 16, 2019 2:55 PM CDT

Closing Time: As Whittier Law School prepares to close, its dean tries to soften the blow for students

Jul 1, 2019 12:16 AM CDT

ABA legal ed section’s council adopts tighter bar pass standard; clock for compliance starts now

Following multiple years of discussion, and two rejections from the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates, the council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar adopted a proposed revision to tighten an accreditation standard regarding bar passage Friday.

May 17, 2019 4:29 PM CDT

30% of young lawyers in this state wouldn’t go to law school in a do-over

Many young lawyers in Florida are having some misgivings about their choice of a legal career or their particular field of practice. A survey by the Florida Bar’s Young Lawyers Division, released earlier this year, asked the lawyers whether, if they had to do it over again, they would still…

May 9, 2019 10:56 AM CDT

Jobs for Class of ’18 overall see ‘modest increase’ but with fewer graduates than last year

There was a slight uptick in law firm, government and public interest jobs for the Class of 2018, according to employment outcomes released Monday by the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Apr 29, 2019 4:36 PM CDT

New law school survey tracks inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals

In terms of openly gay faculty members, the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, with 14, may have the most, according to a new survey from the National LGBT Bar Association. The Law School Climate Survey uses the term LGBTQ+, which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender…

Apr 25, 2019 2:13 PM CDT

Kim Kardashian West wants to skip law school and become a lawyer this way

Media personality and socialite Kim Kardashian West hopes to follow in the footsteps of President Abraham Lincoln by skipping law school and becoming a lawyer through “reading the law.” West recently told Vogue about her plans, spurred by a meeting with President Donald Trump. She had urged Trump to commute…

Apr 15, 2019 7:45 AM CDT