Law schools

“Mom, Dad, I want an M.F.A.”

“That’s nice dear. What about a law degree?”

The "good government" movement in Washington has taken aim at fat-cat lobbyists, free spending campaign donors, and earmark producing lawmakers. Its latest target: judge-inviting law schools?

A law journal plans "Deadwood Report" to test whether schools live up to boasts about having faculties that excel in teaching, research and service.

"We wouldn't dream of training doctors only from a book." In many ways, that quote from the dean of the law school at Washington and Lee University sums up a dramatic curricular change announced this week -- in which the law school is adding the equivalent at the very least of dissections, if not of medical residencies. The law school is completely replacing all academic courses in the third year of its program with "experiential" courses in which students will perform work equivalent to that done by lawyers.

U. of Chicago law school blocks Internet access in classrooms -- and many students are outraged.

Does this litigation protect faculty members from unfair accusations -- or potentially threaten academic freedom?

An international faculty will offer a curriculum for a U.S.-style J.D. at Peking University.

Citing benefits to learning environment, faculty vote to adopt a system similar to those at Yale and Berkeley law schools. Is Harvard next?

New Northwestern option comes amid interest in substantial shifts in the models of legal education. Dayton, pioneer in a compressed program, sees encouraging results.

Statistics reveal a vastly greater academic failure rate among African-American versus other students, raising questions about ABA diversity standards and the effectiveness of outreach programs.