The American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar recently convened in Chicago on May 17, 2024, to deliberate on the accreditation of online-only law schools. Despite facing opposition from law school deans and grappling with logistical complexities, the council made strides in advancing discussions on the feasibility and standards required for accrediting fully online legal education institutions. Want to know if you’re earning what you deserve? Find out with LawCrossing’s salary surveys. Pushback and Contemplation In a significant move, the council opted to ..read more

A Historic Shift in ABA Policy The American Bar Association (ABA) has endorsed new attorney licensing pathways that do not involve the traditional bar exam. This significant policy change, adopted by the ABA’s Council of the Section of Legal Education, marks a departure from over a century of support for bar exams as the primary route to legal practice. Call for Diverse Licensing Pathways The newly adopted policy statement urges states to develop varied pathways to licensure. This move aligns with growing state-level initiatives to establish alternative licensing methods, driven by concerns ov ..read more

Introduction Law schools may soon have access to more detailed information about the educational and economic challenges faced by applicants on their path to a law degree. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is developing a new “environmental context” metric, which will provide insights into colleges and universities based on factors such as institutional student spending, graduation rates, and the percentage of undergraduates receiving federal need-based Pell Grants. New Environmental Context Metric The LSAC, known for administering the Law School Admission Test and managing the central ..read more

Financial Pressures Prompt Change The State Bar of California, facing significant financial challenges, had been poised to decide on a shift in its bar exam development process. The proposal involved transitioning from the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) to Kaplan Test Prep for crafting a new Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) replacement, set to launch in February 2025. Make informed decisions in real-time. Subscribe to JDJournal and be in the know with the latest legal updates. Decision Postponed On May 16, the State Bar of California’s board of trustees unexpectedly pulled the proposal ..read more

David Lawson, aged 75, and his son Shannon, aged 49, have defied the norm of retirement boredom by graduating from Texas A&M University School of Law with cybersecurity degrees. Want to know if you’re earning what you deserve? Find out with LawCrossing’s salary surveys. A Unique Journey Their journey to law school began with a dream shared by both father and son. Upon spotting an ad for the master’s program in cybersecurity law and policy, Shannon Lawson wasted no time in sharing the opportunity with his father. Whether you’re a recent law school grad or an experienced attorney, BCG Attor ..read more

New data from the American Bar Association reveals disparities in the allocation of law school scholarships, with white students disproportionately receiving full-tuition scholarships compared to their non-white peers. Knowledge is power, and knowing your earning potential is no exception. Check out LawCrossing’s salary surveys to gain valuable insights. Scholarship Allocation Discrepancies White law students received 70% of full-tuition scholarships despite comprising only 61% of the national pool of full-time law students. Conversely, students of color, making up nearly 32% of full-time la ..read more

The ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is set to discuss a draft policy statement urging jurisdictions to explore various pathways to attorney licensure. This discussion comes as several states have already begun to adopt alternative licensing methods. Want to stay ahead of the competition? Here’s what you need to do. Shifting Landscape Due to COVID-19 The traditional bar exam faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting jurisdictions to reconsider their approaches to attorney licensing. Many states initially offered emergency diploma privilege ..read more

The accelerated recruiting process in Big Law is creating challenges for diverse students, putting pressure on them to make career-defining decisions early in their law school journey. Want to know if you’re earning what you deserve? Find out with LawCrossing’s salary surveys. Hurdles for Diverse Students Students, particularly those who are the first in their families to attend law school, are facing hurdles due to the shortened timeline and intensified competition for summer associate positions. The compressed schedule gives them less time to adjust to the demands of law school and consider ..read more

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, a U.S. law firm, announced on Monday its acquisition of a life sciences patent litigation team from Proskauer Rose, led by Siegmund Gutman. Make informed decisions in real-time. Subscribe to JDJournal and be in the know with the latest legal updates. Gutman’s Leadership Role Siegmund Gutman, former head of Proskauer’s life sciences patent team, has joined Mintz’s Los Angeles office as a member. In his new role, Gutman will lead Mintz’s life sciences litigation practice and co-lead its patent litigation practice. Whether you’re a recent law school ..read more

The President of the American Bar Association (ABA), Mary Smith, has addressed concerns raised by three Democratic senators regarding the impact of bar admissions questions on survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. Want to know if you’re earning what you deserve? Find out with LawCrossing’s salary surveys. Background Senators Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons, and Mazie Hirono highlighted the potential trauma and delays faced by survivors when disclosing their involvement in legal or administrative proceedings during the bar admissions process. Many bar applications incl ..read more