2016 James P. While Lecture on Legal Education: Legal Education Reconsidered

Abstract

The title of my talk, “Legal Education Reconsidered,” is not meant to suggest that legal education needs to be reconsidered. On the contrary, I will explore why the many criticisms of legal education made over the past six years combined with a significant decline in the legal job market have led many people — including many college students and recent graduates — not only to reconsider legal education, but to draw the conclusion that it is no longer a worthwhile investment. Even worse, a growing number of faculty and deans have become disheartened about their chosen life’s work and as a consequence have lost sight of the value of an American legal education.

Keywords: Higher Education, Legal Education, U.S. Legal Education