18 Apr Law School 3rd Year: Another Option?

Lots of discussion in recent months centering around NY’s considering allowing law students to sit for the bar exam after two years of law school, and then commence their careers if they pass. As we know law school applications are way down and a major reason for that is the substantial cost of the three-year education. For many years many have been saying that students learn enough material after two years to be ready to practice, as long as certain key courses are included.

More and more schools are adding more clinical and externship programs during the third year, but many simply do not give much credit for it or do not offer enough variety. Assuming we are not going to a two-year law school model, here’s my thought:

Like medical school, turn law school into a two year classroom, two year apprenticeship experience. Much like teaching hospitals we could have “teaching law firms” or “teaching governmental agencies” or the like. There are many details to work out, such as who pays who what during this time.

But I think it’s doable. I may add some flesh to these bones of a thought in the weeks ahead.