Law Schools

New report looks at how law students view their schools’ diversity work

Law schools say they are focused on improving diversity. But students still feel marginalized based on race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status, according to a new report released by the Law School Survey of Student Engagement.

Sep 30, 2020 10:14 AM CDT

California law school gets donation that’s said to be ‘one of the biggest in history’ from tribe to university

The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, a California tribe, has donated $15 million to the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law to create full tuition scholarships for students interested in careers as tribal legal advocates.

Sep 23, 2020 7:15 AM CDT

Bar exam in hotel rooms offered test-takers social distancing and private bathrooms

Among the many worries for people taking recent in-person bar exams during the COVID-19 pandemic, some were logistical: How could they maintain social distancing during the test? Would public restrooms be germ magnets? Could they safely eat with others? Hotel rooms could be the answer to those concerns.

Sep 22, 2020 1:56 PM CDT

Recent bar admittees offer study strategies to stay focused in stressful times—including the pandemic

From staying organized with small poster boards and using multiple Sharpie pens to finding a compatible study buddy or just getting outside for some fresh air, two bar exam admittees offer tips to study for and pass a bar exam and steer clear of the stress that comes with it.

Sep 15, 2020 12:35 PM CDT

California law deans ask for open-book bar exam, citing fires, racism and tech issues

A group of deans from ABA-accredited law schools in California have asked the California Supreme Court to change its online October bar exam to an open-book format with no remote proctoring.

Sep 14, 2020 2:45 PM CDT

Vanderbilt Law Review members donate fees to support minority students with ABA diversity scholarship

When leaders of the Vanderbilt Law Review realized they would meet remotely this semester, they also realized they wouldn’t need to collect the dues that usually pay for their space and supplies. Rather than dwelling on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it prevented them from coming together, the VLR’s executive editor says they saw it as an opportunity to put their dues to good use.

Sep 9, 2020 11:55 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: COVID-19 outbreak in attorney’s office leads to court suspension; prosecutor killed while cycling

COVID-19 outbreak in Jefferson County attorney’s office leads to court suspension Three criminal court dockets in the Jefferson County Circuit Court in Louisville, Kentucky, will be suspended through Sept. 30 after three prosecutors and another staff member in the Jefferson County attorney’s office tested positive for COVID-19. An additional 16…

Sep 8, 2020 4:35 PM CDT

Classmates’ comments should be confidential, Harvard Law says in new social media policy

If you are a Harvard Law School student making a social media post about something said in class, you should not write it in a way that identifies the speaker to those who were not there, according to a new policy at the school.

Sep 8, 2020 1:29 PM CDT

‘Talk less, smile more’: The Hamilton-Burr conundrum law students face today

Law students, like Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, are facing questions of whether to stay silent or speak up about societal issues such as social justice in this country, their interests and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sep 3, 2020 12:25 PM CDT

Why did the average scaled score for the July multistate bar exam improve?

Despite many concerns about taking a bar exam during the novel coronavirus pandemic, the crisis might have actually led to people doing better on the test.

Sep 2, 2020 3:51 PM CDT

How are things working out for 3 Utah law grads seeking diploma privilege?

Prior to this summer, Chase Wilde didn’t know how to file a court appearance. Thanks to the supervised practice requirement in the Utah Supreme Court’s temporary order for diploma privilege, he does now.

Sep 1, 2020 9:08 AM CDT

Yale Law School professor accused of sexual misconduct is suspended for 2 years

Yale Law School professor Jed Rubenfeld has been suspended from his position for two years, effective immediately, as a result of sexual harassment allegations. He will be prohibited from teaching small group or required courses when he returns.

Aug 26, 2020 2:37 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: 3 online law schools get state accreditation; cop immobilization maneuver can be fatal

3 fully online law schools get California accreditation On Friday, California accreditation was given to three online law schools—the Concord Law School at Purdue University Global, the Northwestern California University School of Law and the St. Francis Law School. Two other online schools, the California School of Law and the…

Aug 25, 2020 4:13 PM CDT

2 law schools dinged for bar pass standard are now found to be in compliance

Of the 10 law schools to receive public notice in May that they were out of compliance with Standard 316, Florida Coastal School of Law and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law are the first to demonstrate compliance.

Aug 25, 2020 3:14 PM CDT

Cooley Law School will close another campus; ‘not really enough students to make it work,’ dean says

The Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School announced Monday that it is closing its Grand Rapids, Michigan, campus and consolidating operations in the state at its Lansing, Michigan, location.

Aug 19, 2020 9:46 AM CDT