You might see this as a massive market correction: a long-overdue reduction in school seats and bloated faculty salaries necessitated by an industry in decline and tens of thousands of unemployed graduates. We might point out that as the recession really hit, in 2010 or so, law schools increased their class sizes (despite signs that employment numbers were plummeting), and now, enrollment has merely returned to pre-recession levels.

Meanwhile, the ABA, despite the economic downturn, less demand for legal education, and no jobs for graduates, is hoping to modify their law school accreditation criteria to ensure that no faculty members lose their jobs.

The Sky is Falling!

The Wall Street Journal ran a story yesterday that reads like a list of war casualties. Hamline University School of Law has cut its faculty by 18 percent since 2010. Their enrollment has dropped 55 percent, to about 100 students, since 2010. To keep their ranking, they’re handing out more scholarships. 

Oh, and Dean Don Lewis is leaving next year.

Seton Hall in Newark, New Jersey, cut enrollment 43 percent between 2010 and 2012 and is also notifying faculty about potential non-renewals of contracts.

Or Not.

Then again, take a look at 2010. National enrollment swelled to more than 52,000 – an all-time record. The Journal says that the “pendulum is now swinging the other way.” That’s a nice way to put it. 

The Journal also notes that applications for 2013 are down 36 percent compared to 2010, but what we’d really like to know is how much they are down since pre-escape-the-recession times.

Let’s check out the LSAC’s data:

*As of 06/28/13. Interesting, huh? We see a brief spike in applications at the height of the recession, followed by the “no jobs” plummet. Enrollment, however, has barely returned to pre-recession levels (so far). 

Is a reduction in faculty all that unexpected then?

Alas, the ABA will save the day. One of their committees is recommending that law school accreditation standards be amended to require that schools provide some sort of job security to their full-time faculty members. Interestingly enough, an intrepid commenter on the ABA’s website sarcastically points out that “a mere nine of fourteen members of the ABA Section on Legal Education are law school faculty or university administrators.”

Related Resources:

  • Law School Application Reductions, Last Minute Scholarships (FindLaw’s Greedy Associates Blog)
  • Cut Law School Application Costs: Freebies and Waivers (FindLaw’s Greedy Associates Blog)
  • Got Your LSAT Score Last Night? It’s Evaluation Time (FindLaw’s Greedy Associates Blog)

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