In earlier posts, The Market for J.D.s and Law School Debt Loads, I talked about the bi-modal distribution of starting salaries for recent law graduates, and the problem of increasing student debt-loads. Over the last year, there have been increasing calls for greater transparency in law school reporting of the types of jobs, and salaries, of recent graduates. At its meeting on Saturday, February 12, 2011, the Young Lawyer’s Division (YLD) of the ABA adopted a resolution throwing the YLD’s support behind the Truth in Law School Education resolution. The introductory paragraph of the attached Report says it all:
It is incumbent upon the legal profession and law schools to provide each and every potential and current law student with information that will accurately reflect the employment and financial realities that they will face upon graduation from law school. The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (“ABA YLD”), as “the home for young lawyers,” believes that the Truth in Law School Education (“TILSE”) resolution is the first step towards achieving that goal. The ABA YLD strongly believes that there is a disconnect between law students’ perception of their employment prospects upon completion of their law school education and the reality of what law students will realistically achieve. Those entering our profession should have an accurate understanding of the employment opportunities and salaries available to recent law school graduates. There is a greater need for publicly-available, accessible facts for prospective law school students, so that these individuals are able to make a more informed decision regarding their future careers.
For more information, read Karen Sloan’s National Law Journal article, available on Law.com on February 15, 2011.
Hat tip, Tax Prof.
posted by Gary Rosin