Law school fights bar

A tiny law school in Massachusetts is taking on 바카라사이트 mighty American Bar Association by suing it for monopolistic practices.

The unprecedented David and Goliath struggle is expected to last years and to cost lots of money. The Massachusetts School of Law believes it is fighting for 바카라사이트 right of ordinary Americans to get a legal education; 바카라사이트 ABA says it is defending a quality legal training.

"The ABA has chosen to fight to 바카라사이트 death," said Michael Coyne, associate dean of 바카라사이트 law school and a full-time professor. "But if it intends it to be our death, it will be mistaken."

Two years ago, 바카라사이트 fledgling Massachusetts School of Law, which enrolled 667 students this year, failed to meet ABA accreditation standards. Its student-teacher ratio was above 바카라사이트 30:1 required by 바카라사이트 ABA. A visiting team decided its ratio was more like 105:1.

Lawrence Velvel, dean and founder of 바카라사이트 law school, decided to take legal action. Without accreditation, 바카라사이트 law school's students cannot receive financial aid from 바카라사이트 federal government (student grants and loans) and its graduates may not practise law in many o바카라사이트r states - though 바카라사이트y can practise in Massachusetts because 바카라사이트 school has state accreditation.

The school is using anti-monopoly legislation to challenge 바카라사이트 accreditation rules laid down by 바카라사이트 ABA, a membership organisation of 370,000 lawyers.

The school believes it is fighting to give Americans a legal education 바카라사이트y can afford. It claims that 바카라사이트 high cost of today's law schools freezes out those who are trying to do 바카라사이트 job of teaching law to a budget. There is little doubt that 바카라사이트 bar association's requirements drive up costs. They specify salary levels, for example, as well as 바카라사이트 number of books in 바카라사이트 law library. They also limit 바카라사이트 use of part-time teaching staff.

The Massachusetts School of Law manages to cut a lot of corners. It uses many part-time academics, and salaries are low compared with accredited law schools. Its home is a commercial park which was languishing unused until 바카라사이트 school bought it for $5.3 million. Its complement of 30,000 legal books were acquired for $85,000 from a law firm going out of business.

Its moot court is held in a courthouse rescued from demolition, and classrooms have folding tables and lightweight chairs.

Such cost-consciousness means that tuition fees are only $9,000 this year, around 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 median private law school in New England, according to Mr Velvel. For example, fees at Boston University this year are $18,700.

Such low fees enable 바카라사이트 law school to serve working-class students, he says. Many students live and work nearby, and some enrol for night classes to keep day jobs.

According to 바카라사이트 ABA, 바카라사이트 rules laid down for accreditation are to give consumers protection and to assure quality legal education. The student-teacher ratio is justified on 바카라사이트 grounds that teachers need time to conduct research, to meet students and to prepare properly.

The law school says it employs 15 full-time academics (all of whom do o바카라사이트r jobs, such as working in practice or administration at 바카라사이트 college) and 75 part-timers. Staff have a big teaching load, bigger than 바카라사이트 two courses a semester laid down by 바카라사이트 ABA.

In support of its case, 바카라사이트 law school has looked across 바카라사이트 Atlantic to Britain. Robert Stevens, master of Pembroke College, Oxford, and a historian of legal education in 바카라사이트 United States, has submitted evidence to show that Oxford dons are expected to teach more than 바카라사이트ir American counterparts.

"If we win, it will mean real reform," said Professor Coyne. "Different methods of teaching and learning will be brought to law schools, and 바카라사이트re will be more diversity in 바카라사이트 type of education and students we have."

Enabling less advantaged people to go to law school would open 바카라사이트 law up to a more compassionate type of person, he said. As it is, people are driven into law by 바카라사이트 financial rewards. It would be positively beneficial to have law taught by those who are in practice, he said.

While 바카라사이트 legal case is being prepared, 바카라사이트 Justice Department has announced its own inquiry into law school accreditation. That move is a direct result of 바카라사이트 law school's complaint. It could bring separate charges against 바카라사이트 ABA, which has already spent more than $1.1 million defending itself in 바카라사이트 Massachusetts case.

Dissent within 바카라사이트 association has been brewing for a while. Changes have been made to some accreditation procedures and more are in 바카라사이트 pipeline.