Law Schools

Half of law schools worry about creating diverse student body, new Kaplan study says

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision striking down affirmative action, half of law school admissions officers are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about creating a diverse student body, according to a survey conducted by test prep company Kaplan released Monday.

Jan 22, 2024 9:40 AM CST

Met that law school application deadline? You might be too late, AccessLex study finds

If a student from an underrepresented community applies to law school right before the deadline, then they are already late, according to a report from the AccessLex Institute released in December.

Jan 18, 2024 8:57 AM CST

JD-Next should be backup to traditional entrance requirements, says ABA consultant

JD-Next, a prelaw school exam administered by Aspen Publishing, should be used only as a secondary supplement to more established measurements of potential law student success, such as undergraduate grades or more established testing scores, according to a new report from a consultant for the ABA.

Jan 17, 2024 12:26 PM CST

LSAC president shifts to lead Association of American Law Schools

Kellye Testy will become the executive director and CEO of the Association of American Law Schools on July 1.

Jan 11, 2024 12:38 PM CST

LSAC launches hybrid program for DC-area law school applicants

As diversity remains a hot topic after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College decision, the Law School Admission Council is piloting a hybrid version of its Plus Summer program to offer support to more potential law school applicants from underrepresented communities around Washington, D.C.

Jan 10, 2024 12:33 PM CST

Profs trade notes as law schools write generative AI policies

Updated: With more generative artificial intelligence platforms becoming widely available, law schools are adjusting academic integrity polices, while professors are exchanging notes on how best to integrate the emerging technology in the classroom.

Jan 2, 2024 1:12 PM CST

Top 10 Your Voice columns of 2023

One of the ABA Journal's most precious assets is our access to engaged legal professionals with a knack for writing and a point of view to share. With that in mind, we launched our Your Voice section in 2018, inviting guest columnists to spark conversations about issues relevant to the profession. Your Voice is chock-full of five years of evergreen advice and thought-provoking pieces of writing, but these 10 were the most read from 2023.

Dec 22, 2023 8:56 AM CST

4 ways law schools can support students, uphold First Amendment during times of conflict

“Is it possible to both hold a peaceful protest and allow a controversial speaker to speak?” Cassandra Hill, the dean of the Northern Illinois University College of Law, posed this question to me last month, as she moderated a LexCon '23 panel, which explored how schools can support students and protect First Amendment rights during times of conflict.

Dec 20, 2023 10:02 AM CST

Law students will gain access to LexisNexis’ generative artificial intelligence platform

Updated: LexisNexis announced Wednesday that Lexis+ AI, its generative artificial intelligence platform, will become available to 100,000 second- and third-year law and master of laws students at ABA-accredited law schools during the upcoming spring semester.

Dec 20, 2023 8:14 AM CST

Check out our 9 favorite Instagram posts from 2023

It's been another fascinating year in the legal industry and for our coverage at the ABA Journal. And like clockwork, 2024 will be here before we know it.

Dec 18, 2023 8:59 AM CST

2023 was a record year for Disaster Legal Services program

It’s been a busy 12 months for the ABA Young Lawyers Division’s Disaster Legal Services program. According to Amanda Brown, the director of the program, Disaster Legal Services helped survivors navigate the aftermath of a record 23 federally declared natural disasters in 2023.

Dec 18, 2023 8:28 AM CST

JD enrollment up but 1Ls down, new ABA data shows

Fall 2023 had a slight increase in JD enrollment but a small decrease of first-year students over the previous year, according to data released Friday by the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Dec 15, 2023 12:49 PM CST

California bar examiners committee withdraws Peoples College of Law registration, ends degree-granting program

Updated: After 15 years of noncompliance issues, the State Bar of California’s Committee of Bar Examiners made “a first-of-its kind move” by withdrawing the Peoples College of Law’s registration and terminating its degree-granting authority, according to a Dec. 14 release.

Dec 15, 2023 12:28 PM CST

Law firm boycotts on-campus interviews at Harvard Law because of congressional testimony by its president

The plaintiffs law firm Edelson has said it won’t be participating in on-campus interviews at Harvard Law School because of statements about genocide by the university’s president, Claudine Gay, during congressional testimony earlier this month.

Dec 14, 2023 3:11 PM CST

More aspiring law students are applying to fewer schools, new LSAC data shows

Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, more students of color are applying to law school, according to the latest figures from the Law School Admission Council.

Dec 14, 2023 9:05 AM CST