Law School Not Golden Ticket to Secure Employment: Univ. of Miami Law Urges Incoming Students to Consider Deferring Their Admission Until 2010

Law Firm Layoffs and Employment Prospects

In a New York Times commentary, Another View: In Praise of Law Firm Layoffs, Dan Slater, the former writer of The Wall Street Journal Law Blog, argues that layoffs at law firms are the best thing to happen to the legal industry in years. On Workplace Prof Blog, Jeffrey Hirsch (Tennessee) writes "because I've personally witnessed too many students fail to get jobs or had offers withdrawn, my soul can't let me agree with his premise." Many more in the legal academy would agree with Hirsch's opinion than Slater's.

In a memo published by Above the Law, University of Miami School of Law Dean Patricia White is urging incoming students to consider deferring their first year of law school until the fall of 2010.

While I would like to believe that this year's elevated acceptance rate reflects the great sense of excitement about the Law School and its future that led me to become its new Dean, I fear that some of it may be related to the shortage of jobs in the current economy. Perhaps many of you are looking to law school as a safe harbor in which you can wait out the current economic storm.
 
If this describes your motivation for going to law school I urge you to think hard about your plans and to consider deferring enrollment. Law school requires an enormous investment of work, energy, time, and money. It is very demanding intellectually and emotionally. Beyond this, in these uncertain and challenging times the nature of the legal profession is in great flux. It is very difficult to predict what the employment landscape for young lawyers will be in May 2012 and thereafter.

Above the Law writes, "Listen to this woman. Look at what you are putting into law school: 'investment,' 'time,' 'money.' Look at what you are getting out of it: 'uncertain,' 'challenging,' 'flux.' Going to law school is not a golden ticket to the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory of secure employment." See also, sidebar (above right).

In response to an unprecedented percentage of applicants admitted to the University of Miami Law School who have accepted the School's offer, Miami is offering the following benefits to applicants who defer their enrollment to Fall 2010:

Guaranteed $5,000 Public Interest Deferral Scholarship when completing 120 hours of public service. This scholarship would be in addition to any other scholarship award you may receive (not to exceed the cost of tuition).

Increase your likelihood of selection for a $75,000 Miami Scholars Scholarship award ($25,000 each year for 3 years). This is a scholarship designed to encourage and reward public service.

If qualified, be among the first group considered for all 2010 scholarships.

Apply your entire $300 seat deposit to Fall 2010, rather than receiving only a partial refund and forfeiting the balance.

[JH]