<p>Law school deans and profs have always been very sensitive to being seen as “real” university academics rather than trade school trainers. Like other university academics, they want their prestige to be tied to research not teaching.</p>
<p>Law schools have never done a good job training students for employment. But the academic model works fine if the law grads can still get jobs. So long as there was a good job market, law schools have been university profit centers, which has lead to more law schools, bigger law school classes and higher law school tuition. </p>
<p>Here’s what I think law schools need to do to really get practical – shutter one third of the existing law schools (and/or shrink law school class sizes), make law school 2 years rather than 3, and include much more practical coursework.</p>
<p>While that would serve law students much better, it is a death sentence to about half the people currently making their living at law schools.</p>