The Word Is Out

The message that law school is a scam and waste of money is getting out according to the The ABA Journal.

The writer hits most of the major points, and although she quotes my blog: “Keep my diploma in the bathroom in case I run out of toilet paper” she doesn’t bother to cite it (I’ll take Journalism 101 for $200, Alex), but she does provide a rudimentary overview of the movement.

It’s becoming a mini-epidemic: Disgruntled recent law school graduates or current students complaining, sometimes with venom, on so-called scamblogs. Bloggers bemoan their law school education, their debt, their lack of suitable jobs and a legal system they say has failed them. Law school, despite a promise of employment in the legal profession, is little more than a scam to get money from students, they argue.

And she does note the best news of all, that the folks doing the scamming are being forced to hear our voices:

And an increasingly concerned legal community is paying attention, although its response may not satisfy the angriest bloggers. The American Bar Association is working in several areas to improve disclosure to prospective law students so they understand the full impact of their decision to enter the legal field.

It’s great that the word is out, but this is just a first step. It’s incomprehensible that law schools are permitted to fudge employment statistics in an effort to lure students in so that they can turn a profit at the student’s expense. This is not tolerated for any other purchase made – why is there even a discussion about this?

Yellen’s subcommittee is looking at revisions to Standard 509, which describes the consumer information law schools should publish. It is considering a proposal that would require schools to disclose more detailed placement information—not just the overall employment number—and also to break it down by categories. Under this proposal, law schools would have to disclose whether the employment is full- or part-time and temporary or permanent.

How is it possible that the schools are permitted to NOT disclose this? Seems clear to me and everyone else who was suckered out of $120,000 – tell the truth or give back the money. I firmly believe that every graduate that didn’t get a job in the legal industry that relied on their school’s false information and advertising deserves a refund. And you can quote me.