preLaw - Back To School 2008 - (Page 8) news LAW SCHOOL Northwestern’s two-year JD The top-ranked law school is second to introduce a reduced program, following University of Dayton, which graduated its first class in May BY MICHELLE WEYENBERG Forget the third year. Northwestern University School of Law students now have the option to graduate in two years. The accelerated program mirrors that of the University of Dayton School of Law, who introduced the option in 2005, after the American Bar Association lifted a requirement that law degrees follow six semesters of instruction. Northwestern’s five-semester program begins in May 2009 — the summer immediately after students are admitted. The students then enroll in the regular fall and spring semesters for the next two years. Northwestern hopes to admit 25-40 students in the program. The same curriculum as the traditional program will be offered but applicants will be required to have two or three years of work experience after college. Dayton’s first five-semester class graduated in January. Those students completed their degrees in two and a half years. Their first five-semester class to finish in two years graduated in May. Dean Lisa Kloppenberg said the average age of students for those two graduating classes was 23 and 24 when they first began summer classes. This summer, the average age is 28. “For older students, the program worked out well,” she said. “It’s the same amount of work in a shorter compressed time.” Dayton students also have had mostly positive reviews of their accelerated law school experiences. “I saved a lot,” said David Treadway, a May 2008 graduate. “I’ll be earning income a year earlier plus I won’t have a year’s worth of living expenses while not working full-time.” December 2007 graduate Tommie Culpepper felt taking law school at a quicker pace helped him avoid more competition while searching for jobs in May. His perception was that employers would view an accelerated graduate as more competent and motivated. Kloppenberg said she thinks it’s bold for Northwestern as a Top 10 law school to adopt this program. “This is a great fit with Northwestern’s emphasis on attracting students with work experience and preparing them well for today’s workforce,” Kloppenberg said. “I think Northwestern will be pleased by the quality of students attracted by the accelerated pace.” Northwestern University School of Law Top schools for firm life Stanford University Law School was ranked No. 1 by Vault for best preparing their graduates for firm life. Vault surveyed nearly 400 hiring partners, hiring committee members, associate interviewers and recruiting professionals across the country. With 58 percent of law school graduates entering private practice, Vault’s law school rankings fill an important gap with their unique emphasis on employability. The respondents, who represent over 100 law firms — 12 to 1,000-plus attorneys, were advised to consider the following factors in their rankings: research and writing skills; knowledge of legal doctrine; possession of other relevant knowledge and ability to manage a calendar and work with an assistant. Half of the firms surveyed appear in Vault’s “Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms.” The Top 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Stanford University Law School University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Law School New York University School of Law University of Virginia School of Law University of Chicago Law School Harvard Law School Columbia Law School University of California Boalt Hall School of Law Northwestern University School of Law Yale Law School For Vault’s 11-25 rankings, check out the digital magazine at www.NationalJurist.com. 8 preLaw http://www.NationalJurist.com
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