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Is it Really Worth Having a Third Year at Law School?

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published November 12, 2012

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

Nora V. Demleitner, the Dean of Washington and Lee School of Law
Law schools are required for the structured learning they offer, but that learning needs to be disseminated at a pace in keeping with professional needs of the students, and not inordinately lengthened to suit the 18th century pace of 21st century law schools.

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Critics around the country have often criticized the third year at law school to be added burden that does nothing more than delaying students by a year from getting to be lawyers. Against criticisms that the third year is meaningful only for law schools to earn useless tuitions, Nora V. Demleitner, the Dean of Washington and Lee School of Law chose to speak out on the law school’s website.

Opining that the criticisms aimed at law schools for continuing to add a third year in their curricula are misconstrued, the dean of W & L published an article titled “Eliminating Law School’s Third Year Misses the Mark.” And she opens with the observation, “Legal education struggles with one major issue: cost for value provided. But suggestions that doing away with the third year of law school miss the mark.”

She says, “The value provided in that third year internalizes many of the costs previously absorbed by law firms, which used to train young lawyers but are ever less willing to provide that service because of cost pressures.”

Apparently sound logic, only it does not explain why the third year was still needed when law firms were more than willing to train young lawyers, and it also does not explain the cases where big law firms still maintain rigorous re-orienting and training courses for new law graduates.

She also raises other arguments for keeping the third year in law schools that might seem off the mark by themselves.

Given that the avowed purpose of law schools is to help students enter the practice of law, she argues that the third year is beneficial for students who do not want to practice law.

She says in defense of the controversial third year, “It also allows law students who discover that the practice of law does not suit them — in contrast to their previous educational experience — to seek out other non-legal careers that present them with opportunities to use their legal skills, albeit in different environments.”

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United States

I thought that was the job of career offices at universities and career coaches – why waste a year of life and bear a full year of the costs of law school for that?

However, she does make a point, though of questionable value, “In a time where ever more knowledge is available, when navigating society and business are more complicated than ever, when law is more sophisticated and more all-encompassing, decreasing the length of legal education by 33 percent seems curious and ill-advised. If this development is merely based on cost, it misses a major point — the increasing lack of professional training in practice.”

Actually, costs are only a part of the arguments against having a third year, though they do matter greatly. The costs of a third year increase student loans to an extent where the odds become stacked against a new law graduate, thus denying him/her any real ability to choose between alternatives.

Learn the 10 Factors That Matter to Big Firms More Than Where You Went to Law School

The real arguments are that clinics can never substitute for gaining genuine work-experience at courts and law firms, where the learner is actually there and doing it. The existence of a third year at law school keeps students from early initiation into reality, shortening their productive work-life by an unnecessary year.

There are schools in developing countries like India, which take the W & L School of Law’s argument further to have law courses stretching across five years. If what is done in five years in India, can be done in three years in the U.S., then what took three years in the U.S. in the 20th century, can be done in two years in the 21st. The changes in the economy are taking place because businesses and processes are becoming aware of the horrible and overriding need to shake off old work patterns and optimize all resources, including money, time, and social capital. It is this reality that law schools are choosing to ignore from self-serving motives.

Law schools should start considering how to provide their part of value to a would-be-lawyer within two years, rather than three years, for graduating from law schools is only the beginning of starting to learning and understanding law – you do that during professional practice.

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About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
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