US law schools must reform to offer students a better deal

Students take on considerable risk when signing up for an education in US law schools. With rising tuition costs, heavy debt burdens and a tough job market upon graduation, many have criticised law schools for offering students a rough deal. Former University of Baltimore Law Dean Philip Closius points out that the increase in tuition costs occurred in order to cut university deficits, and were facilitated by a growing job market and cheap credit. He says that a lowering of tuition costs is unlikely, because the universities are hooked on the revenue. Closius now offers the opinion that the only way to save the US legal education system is to change the way that law schools operate to give far greater focus to the actual needs of students. He says schools should focus on improving the things that most matter to students, like admissions, career services, tuition and budget, bar passage, transparency and teaching quality. Schools should commit to helping students with services like resume review, mandated mock interviews and realistic job searches, he says.

US law schools must reform to offer students a better deal blogs.wsj.com Wed, Jun 6, 2012