Anyone have or currently completing an accelerated JD (2 years rather than 3)? My cousin is looking into this and was wondering about any experiences people have had with it. Also if by chance anyone knows to recommend a good one in NY would be highly appreciated and repped.
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academics/ajd/ Northwestern Law is the first top law school to offer a 2 year accelerated program. You essentially cram three years of law school into 5 semesters. From what I understand though, you still pay for tuition equivalent to 3 years worth of school. There is a fairly major development happening in NY right now where the state bar is considering allowing students to take the bar exam after 2 years of law school. Last friday, a panel convened at NYU Law to discuss the topic. The NY State Chief Justice indicated that the proposal is worth looking into. The rub is that you could potentially have lawyers who have law licenses, but no law degrees. Some people don't see that as being an issue, while others are extremely concerned about the idea. Here's another link for more info. http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/proposal_to_let_law_students_take_ny_bar_after_2_years_is_worth_study_says_/ Additionally, another counter-argument to the "NY" proposal is that allowing students to "graduate" in two years will saturate the legal market even more. I am assuming you aware, but the legal market for graduating law students is horrific. Potential law students seem to finally be reacting to this reality as the number of law school applicants has dropped nationwide.
Pretty much this. Any of the other schools offering accelerated programs are crap and not worth attending. Law is a pretty pedigreed field and it's not worth attending third or fourth tier institutions, especially in this legal job market.
I also did it in 2.5 years - but I have never heard of doing it in two....part of law school is teaching you how to think like a lawyer and that can take some time for them to give you the beat down
Got a bunch of friends that did it at Northwestern, so I know it well. You only have one semester of grades when you interview, so that is a letdown. The big question isn't whether or not someone wants to do an A-JD. It's "Are you sure you want to go to Law School?" It's only worth it if you get a big firm job, and for that you usually have to go to a top 14 school. Then, you'll end up heavy in debt, working for the man, and hating your life. Tell your friend to work as a paralegal for 6 months and see if she still wants to be a lawyer. I'm a Northwestern JD/MBA. I worked at top law firms for the summer. I chose life - I work in business now.