We always talk about downshifting in terms of the practice of law. And, it is true legal education has greatly lagged behind the trends in the practice of law.
Vermont Law School, however, is demonstrating that the real world is catching up with legal education.
VLS is one of the law school struggling with reduced applications, fewer students, a weak legal market, disjointed marketing, and tuition that far outpaces what is reasonable. The law school is not associated with a larger university, and its tuition is an exorbitant $45,207.00 per year. It does not matter if VLS provides some level of scholarship funding to 60% of its entering class, to use a phrase from a prior New York Governor's debate, "the rent is too damn high"!
According to Boston.Com, as well as other sources, VLS is contemplating (1) reducing overhead to account for fewer students and to stabilize tuition; (2) employ distant, digital, and specialized learning; and, (3) change its marketing from that which is not realistic to that which is practical.
I tend to think that most law schools will be following VLS' example, and those that do not might very well be required to close.
Comments