Law school, like the practice of law, is a business. And as a business, the law school might be a whole lot more successful than many law firms and the individual players in them.
Therefore, it is capitalistic common sense that a successful industry is going to be plenty self-protective. Those within who are altruistic - and reckless - enough to be whistleblowers could suffer harsh consequences.
Reform, as lawyer Ralph Nader did with GM et al., has to come from the outside. That's the way it has always been in capitalism. Enron's Sheron Watkins regrets her very timid internal version of whistleblowing. Although saluted by Congress and the media, she found it difficult to find work in business.
As Elie Mystal dutifully reports on Abovethelaw.com, there have been deans of law schools who have blown the whistle. The most recent is Annette Clark who is resigning as dean of the St. Louis University School of Law. Martin Luther just nailed one copy of his beefs to the church door. Clark sent a letter of resignation to Father Lawrence Biondi, President of the University, and also one to the faculty. Busy lady.
While we can admire Clark's and other deans' courage and passion about what they believe is right, any sacrifice they are making likely will not have a decent payoff in correcting those alleged wrongs. Congress might be the institution to be doing the reforming, just as they did in holding the Watergate hearings which were televised. It, along with outsider THE WASHINGTON POST, was what put the end to a corrupt administration. Many of the miscreants went to prison. If Congress takes on the job, its role has been prepared by outsider Abovethelaw.com.
Until outside action occurs, law schools will continue to appreciate the business of those who pay a lot of money to prepare to seek a job in a downsizing field. Just how much it will downsize, no one can predict. What we do know that much of the recent expense creep is coming from manpower costs. It is also capitalistic common sense that the consumer should beware.
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