Brought to you free by the New York Law Journal.
In this edition of the New York Law Journal's Law School special section, we turned to the deans of New York's 15 law schools and asked them to share their unique perspective on such topics as rising tuition costs, the newly implemented 50-hour pro bono requirement and career prospects for new graduates.
Chart: Tuitions for 2012-2013 Academic Year
Albany Law School
Penelope Andrews, President and Dean, says: A law degree remains one of the best ways to pursue a variety of careers, particularly in a society and global community where governance by the rule of law is in the ascendancy.
Brooklyn Law School
According to Nicholas Allard, Joseph Crea Dean and Professor of Law, legal education - acquiring the intellectual discipline for critical thinking about law - is a key that can open the door to many different careers.
SUNY Buffalo Law School
Makau Mutua, Dean, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Floyd H. and Hilda L. Hurst Faculty Scholar, responds: Innovative skills training and the enhanced teaching of legal doctrine, theory and interdisciplinary perspectives are a great combination for preparing lawyers for practice well into the 21st century.
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
"The unmet need for legal services is vast, and we welcome the [pro bono] requirement as an invitation to us to step up our activities," says Matthew Diller, Dean and Professor of Law.
CUNY School of Law
Michelle J. Anderson, Dean, contends: We don't think it makes sense for a student to graduate law school today without real world experience in practice.
Columbia Law School
David M. Schizer, Dean, Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law, and Harvey R. Miller Professor of Law and Economics, says: With New York City as our laboratory, we offer a deep, diverse, and dynamic curriculum that combines theory with practice.
Cornell Law School
Stewart J. Schwab, Allan R. Tessler Dean and Professor of Law, says: Our motto is to educate "Lawyers in the best sense." We are preparing students for a lifetime career, which means they must have a strong base in theory with plenty of opportunities for practical experience.
Fordham University School of Law
Michael M. Martin, Dean and Fordham University Distinguished Professor of Law, notes: Along with becoming a lawyer, graduates use their legal training to supplement their study and knowledge in a range of fields, such as finance, human resources, insurance, media, entertainment, and compliance.
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
We place our students in lawyering roles so that they are learning the range of knowledge and skills needed to engage in sophisticated problem-solving in today's legal practice, asserts Eric Lane, Interim Dean and Eric J. Schmertz Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Public Service.
New York Law School
Anthony W. Crowell, Dean and President; Professor of Law, responds: Lawyers are leaders, and constitute the ranks of middle and high level management, in government and business alike, and we need to ensure that our law schools prepare students for these roles and that our profession values these contributions.
New York University School of Law
According to Richard L. Revesz, Dean and Lawrence King Professor of Law: NYU Law was a pioneer in adding practice-oriented training, such as the first-year Lawyering course, to its J.D. program, and its curriculum today is rich in clinical offerings and simulation-based classes.
Pace Law School
Michelle S. Simon, Dean and Professor of Law, asserts: We take a personal interest in each of our students - something that is easier for us because we are a smaller law school.
St. John's University School of Law
Michael A. Simons, Dean and John V. Brennan Professor of Law and Ethics, says: We have structured our curriculum and our advising processes so that students can identify and develop a career pathway in one or more practice areas.
Syracuse University College of Law
While the traditional pathways to a legal career are changing, a legal education continues to provide a rigorous and rewarding educational process that allows our alumni to succeed in a variety of contexts, states Hannah R. Arterian, Dean and Professor of Law.
Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
According to Patricia E. Salkin, Dean and Professor of Law, a growing number of law school graduates have found intensely satisfying careers in small and solo firm practice, in the non-profit and business worlds as managers and compliance officers, and in government related fields focusing on advocacy and reform.
