New Calls for Reform of Law Schools

A committee of the American Bar Association held a hearing in Dallas over the weekend to hear ideas on the reform of law schools. The New York Times reported that while there was no consensus on how law schools should change, most speakers said that significant shifts are needed in light of the tight legal job market and falling law school applications. Among the ideas discussed: Shrinking most parts of the law school curriculum from three to two years, changing bar exams, encouraging college juniors to go straight to law schools and creating new positions (modeled on the idea of nurse practitioner) to perform some legal duties.