In a new American Bar Association task force report, Elon Law Dean Luke Bierman calls on the legal profession to “preserve values core to our role in society as the shepherds of the rule of law while concomitantly adapting to a new era.”
As a member of the ABA Task Force on the Financing of Legal Education, which published a new report today calling for greater transparency, accountability and innovation in financing legal education, Bierman provided the following statement that is included in the task force report:
“I agree with the import of and statements in the reports of the Task Force and its members; certainly I am in sufficient agreement to concur in them and hope they are helpful. I write separately merely to note that while contemporary concerns about financing legal education warrant the attention it receives here, there are fundamental issues that require significant attention from the profession if we are to be true to our calling as a self-governing profession with special public responsibilities for now and for the future.
“Law schools can’t fulfill their missions and be successful without students. And students are not going to matriculate to law school if the legal profession does not provide opportunity for a meaningful career. The academics, practitioners and judges who comprise the legal profession must recognize and embrace that we are passing through a moment in time defined by rapidly changing social, cultural and economic norms that present challenges to the continued vitality if not relevance of our profession. The pace of technological innovation alone creates legal uncertainties and controversies that we barely can distinguish let alone solve in real time. Our profession must honestly and creatively embrace the challenges attendant this transformative moment to identify and preserve values core to our role in society as the shepherds of the rule of law while concomitantly adapting to a new era. From this perspective, it may actually be a wonderful time to go to law school and join a generation that must forge new paths and new opportunities. It remains, then, for our profession to accomplish this reset in a forthright and productive manner, which will do more to help law schools than any prescriptions by any task force anywhere.”
The report of the ABA Task Force on the Financing of Legal Education is available here.
An ABA Journal article summarizing findings of the task force is available here.
More information about Elon Law Dean Luke Bierman is available here.
Elon Law is leading innovation in legal education by integrating exceptional classroom instruction with highly experiential learning throughout the curriculum, including distinctive full-time, course-connected residencies-in-practice, nationally recognized leadership preparation and attorney mentors for all students. Elon offers exceptional value through a two-and-a-half year program with significantly lower tuition. Learn more about Elon Law on the web, Facebook and Twitter.