“I just think we are getting more focused. You understand you have an investment in these people and they get the right type of training,” [managing partner Steve] Good says, noting that training will include classroom sessions and more opportunity for the first-year lawyers to observe trials, depositions and negotiating sessions.

The problem?  Clients don’t want to pay for training:

[Stephen] Mims [Prescott Legal Search] says he has spoken to a number of general counsel who complain that many first-year associates are not prepared for the job when coming out of law school and would benefit from more training. Gardere’s plan addresses that client concern, he says.

Some have speculated that the economic downturn has accentuated the problems inherent in the traditional Big-Firm model of practice.  We’ll need to see many more swallows before we can tell if it’s Spring in Capistrano.

posted by Gary Rosin

The chart shows the distribution of the LSAT 25th percentiles for the Fall 2008 entering classes, as shown in the 2010 Official Guide.  The 25th percentile for all ABA-approved law schools (other than the three in Puerto Rico) was 151. Over 74% of the post-1988 law schools (19 out of 27) had entering classes with an LSAT 25th percentile of 151 or lower.

To be sure, UC-Irvine will be a much stronger law school.  Perhaps U. North Texas in Dallas will also do well.  Bothhave a lot of money being put into them, which is always good.  But UNT-Dallas is bound to hurt Texas Wesleyan in the other half of the Dallas- Ft. Worth metroplex.

Gary Rosin