He's a Super Lawyer. (Yes, that's a fellow Thomson Reuters' company, and a designation for attorneys who have done big, big things.) He also has about thirty-seven badges attached to the bottom of his page, each attesting to his certifications and affiliations. He's also an adjunct professor at Loyola Chicago. Basically, he's been there, and done that.
And what does all of that vast experience tell him about the value of a legal education, at least in today's economic climate? The same thing we've been telling you: it ain't worth it folks, especially if you're paying full sticker price for tuition, fees, and books.
It's a simple enough premise: he'll award a $1,000 scholarship to one lucky student who chooses to take a different path, post-grad. Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA (setting the bar high, eh?), be a U.S. citizen accepted to or currently attending an accredited school, and he or she must be entering grad school in 2014.
http://blogs.findlaw.com/greedy_associates/2013/11/hilarious-lawyer-offers-1000-scholarship-to-stay-away-from-law.html?DCMP=NWL-pro_top
Let's hear it for the adjunct law professors, who actually, you know, work for a living and are inclined to tell the truth about the legal marketplace, as opposed to our "favorite" ScamDeans and LawProfs who will frankly just say anything for a buck in order to bask in the bubble.
Mr. Willens, we salute you and your humorous way of getting the word out. Don't take it from us, 0Ls, take it from someone in the trenches.
Keep it coming.
ReplyDeleteWhat if they held an LSAT and nobody came??
That day MUST COME if we want to save what's left of the profession (which is part of our system of justice for better or worse).
Choose a different path and award yourself a scholarship and the most precious gift of all... your LIFE.
His scholarship idea only makes sense if it benefits a student not attending a highly ranked law school. The problem with the legal job market today isn't simply that “law grads can't find good jobs”. It's that the flood of bottom-feeding private law schools has created an excess supply of job applicants relative to demand in the market. What jobs are available go to graduates of reputable institutions. Unfortunately even some of those candidates suffer, because the excess supply has diluted the labor market somewhat.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, “Super Lawyers” aren't necessarily lawyers who've done "big things." It's more a marketing ploy than anything else. If you've practiced law for 20 years and have a whole bunch of lawyer friends, you can be a “Super Lawyer” too.
I will award a $5 fast food coupon to any of the remaining 27 Indiana Tech law students who drop out between now and Christmas. It might not sound like a lot, but that coupon is worth more than an Indiana Tech Law diploma.
ReplyDeleteThat was an epic comment, dybbuk!
DeleteAt least if any of those students accepts your offer, they will actually gain something worth five dollars - and they will avoid another five semesters of student debt.
Mathematically, this is easy. Accept five bucks - and cut your losses at perhaps $15K - or continue on and graduate from an unaccredited trash heap, with an additional $95K in non-dischargeable debt.
And I'm offering a $20 gift card to any Indiana Tech student who drops out after first-semester grades come out. They must have a curve, right?
DeleteThey will all get the same grades - that way each one of the speaicl snowflakes can claim #1
DeleteI'm still horrified by the thought of a 4 year law school. Nothing can clear my mind of that yet.
ReplyDeleteIndiana Tech does have the outside shot at confusing people long after the legal career fails to launch. 20 years from now someone could mumble "I went to Indiana Tech" and an onlooker may word associate with an actual good school such as Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech. God forbid they think Caltech.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I went to West Virginia. When I tell people, most say "I love Charlottesville"
DeleteI was watching a few episodes of Law and Order recently and the image of the profession is enough to sweep any young person off their feet regardless of the scamblog messages.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if anyone from the scamblogging world could produce some video or film work for youtube posting.
A typical law and order episode could be parodied to show how threadbare it really is.
The actors can wear no makeup and appear exhausted and trying to park where the repo man can't find their cars etc.
The wardrobe department will have it easy at Salvation Army finding cheap wrinkled suits and stained neckties.
Delete