The ABA Council is seeking input from affiliates regarding a retreat they are planning for June. See below. SALT’s Hazel Weiser is coordinating a call among some of us for later this week, and CLEA's Kim Connolly wanted to get your thoughts on this in the meantime. If you have any, contact her at connolly@sc.edu. Or you can contact Randy Hertz and Bucky Askew directly.
Dear Kim [Connolly]:
We (Bucky Askew and Randy Hertz) are writing to you to seek your help in compiling a set of background readings for the "mini-retreat" on the economy that we plan to hold on Saturday, June 6, from 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., during the meeting of the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar in Indianapolis.
The subcommittee that is handling the planning for this event has formulated what the two of us regard as an excellent approach for addressing the complex issues concerning the state of economy in ways that will keep us focused on the context of law schools and the subcontext that is of particular relevance to the Council: accreditation of law schools. What we are currently planning is to have a two-hour roundtable in which invited speakers will address the effects of the economic downturn on the law schools and the law school accreditation process. The umbrella theme will be the impact of the accreditation standards, whether some might be interpreted more flexibly than others during the recession, and helpful actions that the Council might take in this situation. The discussion topics will include, among many others: how to enhance, or at least maintain, diversity while under financial stress; the new job market and its implications for future law school development efforts; need vs. "merit" grants and their consequences; filling entering classes with qualified students; and identifying steps that might reduce the cost of legal education while maintaining quality. This two-hour roundtable will be followed by a 75-minute discussion in which Council members, staff, and representatives of sister organizations can discuss the issues raised in the roundtable. The final session, led by a "summarian," will help us focus on reaching conclusions, identifying possible goals, and setting priorities.
We would like to develop a packet of relevant materials (data, memoranda, brief articles, and so forth) to distribute to all attendees in advance of the mini-retreat. We are hoping that you might be willing to provide us with any such materials that you regard as useful background readings for a discussion of this sort.
In order to get these materials to all attendees well in advance, we need to receive them no later than May 8, 2009. Please send to:
Maxine Klein
American Bar Association
Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
321 North Clark Street, 21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60654-7958.
If sent electronically to: kleinm@staff.abanet.org
We are very grateful for your help. We hope to see you at the mini-retreat.
All the best.
Bucky and Randy













Recent Comments