Northwestern Starts a 2-year Law Degree Program

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For mid-level and senior level executives interested in going back for a JD, I think its a brilliant idea. As I researched the facts of law school it was to over generalize....a scam. Law school consists of approximately 42 credit hours of actual law training and another 48 hours of fluff. Whatever you want to fill with those elective credits is totally up to you. So what have all the programs done? Well they've just marginalized the MBA by providing a joint MBA/JD program where all the electives count for MBA credit. So its really about stuffing people in a classroom for 3 years doing something. How about a JD and an LLM? No problem, just do all your electives towards the LLM in three years.
What no one will admit is that law school (the credit hours) is a two year program. If the ABA allowed an 18 month program it would be an 18 month program. What's that old saying? Year one they scare you to death, year two they work you to death, year three they bore you to death? Or as my buddy describes it, year three was about playing xbox way too much.
I think its a travesty that more schools don't take this approach. The JD candidate is taking all the risk anyway. They are paying the same price for the JD as the three year program anyway. The JD is losing out on the L3 summer associate options to get them their first big job...their choice. If the JD candidate is confident they can get their job without 2 summers as an associate then the third year is really just collegiate grind. Let them have their JD and be on their way in 2 years.

Troy of IL 2:10AM October 15, 2009

I was wondering if anyone knew of other 2 year programs? Thank you

Sam of CA 5:51PM January 29, 2009

just what we need more lawyers

of 9:10AM July 15, 2008

I think this action by Northwestern University is good for the students getting the degree of law. Though the student may feel more loads than before , they can spare more time to do other things. In my opinion , it benefit students in many ways. And it forces students to spend more time in studying skills and knowledges in colleges and declines the waste time in entirments.

allen of 4:39AM July 11, 2008

It's obvious that Leiter is not intent on helping his school achieve the best of students for the law program at the University of Texas. For any prestigious university should be open to exploring any and all attempts at bringing in as many students as possible without lowering academic standards. Northwestern does bring about an innovative approach which has been for years already studied but many schools hindered to approach. The timing for Northwestern couldn't be better as many progressive colleges and universities are seeking full-time and post-college students to enhance their programs. Too bad for the University of Texas program. The school will probably not comply with implementing a program of this sort until other schools within the Big 12 merge together. And needless to say, it will take several years.

Student Advocate of OK 4:00AM July 11, 2008