Can John Mayer make law textbooks a thing of the past? ‘It’s fun pushing the envelope,’ he says

Law Lessons Online

Sep 10, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Nobel-winning law prof who wrote most-cited law review article dies at 102

A University of Chicago law professor and economist who wrote the most-cited law review article of all time has died at the age of 102. Ronald Coase died on Monday, report the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal Law Blog (sub. req.) and the New Yorker blog Rational Irrationality.…

Sep 4, 2013 2:29 PM CDT

You know about moot court—but Karl Okamoto wants students to practice moot deals

Moot Deals? Yes!

Sep 4, 2013 2:05 PM CDT

It was another big term for amicus curiae briefs at the high court

Sep 1, 2013 8:30 AM CDT

Law schools still ‘inaccurate’ on employment numbers, says law prof (video)

Ben Trachtenberg, associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Law, talks with Bloomberg Law’s Lee Pacchia about how a recent set of disciplinary actions against law school administrators for misrepresenting employment data will impact the movement to reform legal education. See the video interview here.

Aug 29, 2013 1:50 PM CDT

Best way to boost access to justice? Change ethics rules, ‘13 Legal Rebel Renee Knake says

Making New Lawyers

Aug 28, 2013 5:00 PM CDT

Are lawyers from top schools a lot happier about their career choice? Statistically the answer is no

Lawyers who graduated from elite law schools are only slightly happier about their career choice than their counterparts from lesser-ranked schools, according to a study of law grads who began their careers in 2000. Legal education critics have advanced the idea that students attend non-elite law schools because of optimism…

Aug 28, 2013 1:15 PM CDT

Former US Atty calls activist a ‘nasty little cowardly spud’ in taped Tulane confrontation

A conservative activist famous for his ACORN video has posted an angry tirade by former U.S. Attorney James Letten, who deems the video maker a “nasty little cowardly spud.” Activist James O’Keefe confronts Letten at Tulane, where Letten is an assistant dean at the law school, and offers the former…

Aug 27, 2013 2:07 PM CDT

Harvard law prof Lessig sues record company, claims copyright threat violated law

A Harvard law professor who is an expert on copyright issues decided to sue after an Australian record company accused him of infringement by using a French band’s song in a lecture posted on YouTube. Law professor Larry Lessig claims he was protected by the fair use doctrine when he…

Aug 27, 2013 12:55 PM CDT

Need an exorcism? Lawyer who drafted US bankruptcy code says it’s one of his skills

Prominent bankruptcy lawyer Kenneth Klee was a primary author of the U.S. bankruptcy code, has worked on the bankruptcy of Jefferson County, Ala., and teaches law at the University of California at Los Angeles. He charges about $1,000 an hour. But he has other skills, for which he suggests a…

Aug 27, 2013 12:01 PM CDT

Two-year JD idea gets a high-profile supporter: President Obama

President Obama has joined the ranks of observers who say law students should spend only two years in the classroom. Obama addressed the issue on Friday at Binghamton University in New York during a town-hall speech about reducing education costs. “This is probably controversial to say, but what the heck.…

Aug 26, 2013 11:57 AM CDT

Law school applications drop nearly 18 percent, benefiting students seeking financial aid

Law school applications for the fall of 2013 have dropped 17.9 percent and applicants are down 12.3 percent. Smaller applicant pools are a boon for prospective students negotiating for better financial aid, Fortune reports. As of Aug. 8, there were 385,358 fall 2013 applications submitted by 59,426 applicants to ABA-approved…

Aug 20, 2013 1:05 PM CDT

Blame it on BigLaw: Firms of 100-plus lawyers cut hiring the most, creating ripple effect

Legal employment for new lawyers plummeted after the recession, but larger firms were responsible for a disproportionate share of the reduced legal hiring, according to a law professor’s analysis. Law firms of 100 or more lawyers were responsible for more than half the entry-level law jobs lost since 2008, according…

Aug 19, 2013 11:00 AM CDT

Judge calls law profs’ 17-year divorce-related legal battle ‘frightening’

Law professors Christo Lassiter of the University of Cincinnati, and Sharlene Boltz of Northern Kentucky University were married for 10 years after wedding in 1986. Their divorce-related legal battles have lasted for 17 years, sparking criticism from multiple judges involved in the Hamilton County, Ohio, case, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.…

Aug 12, 2013 5:59 PM CDT

Top-rated law profs share these traits

The top law professors don’t necessarily work at top-ranked schools, but they do share a common set of characteristics, according to a new book that studied their teaching methods. The 26 professors studied for the book, What the Best Law Professors Do, have an incredible work ethic, preparing thoroughly for…

Aug 12, 2013 10:45 AM CDT