Graduating seniors generally face great career uncertainty when they finish college. Now with the economic recession, more questions are arising as to what opportunities exist in the job market now and in ones that will exist in the future.
Just a years ago, there were jobs with banks that paid handsomely and required 100-hour work weeks. Now, however, these jobs are not on the market and students are looking to pursue different avenues. That may turn out to be a good thing for public service, according to this Boston Globe article.
“There’s always that push to make money and be comfortable, but the financial crisis made me think that there’s a lot more in life than going to get that corporate job,” said Matthew Clair, a Harvard government major who will spend the next two years teaching at an Atlanta primary school. “It gave me a good excuse to take some more time off to do what I’m really passionate about.”
Statistics from the National Association from Colleges and Employers show that the anticipated hiring rate for the 2009 graduating class will drop over 21% from 2008. Statistics also show that there is an anticipated increase in Teach for America applicants. One can imagine the applicants for the City Year program will see an increase as well. So, while there is a deepening economic recession, there appears to be an increasing appeal to the idea of committing to public service.
March 18th, 2009
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opia |
Faculty, Resources |
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An article from The Nation written this past summer discusses the subprime mortgage crisis and its legal consequences in Atlanta, one of the cities hardest hit by the housing and loan crisis.
The article highlights how the subprime mortgage crisis played out both on the macro and micro level. Focusing on few families in Atlanta, Georgia, the article tries to focus on what the families went through in their efforts to keep their home.
Sarah Bolling an ‘07 alumni, is featured in the article. Bolling, who is currently working for the Legal Aid Society in Atlanta, is defending the Mitchell family and other families hit hard by the mortgage crisis.
To read the article, clink on this link
September 11th, 2008
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opia |
Alumni, Faculty, News, Pro Bono, Resources, Students, Supreme Court |
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Dean Elena Kagan was named as a recipient of the 2008 John R. Kramer Outstanding Law Dean Award from Equal Justice Works. The annual award goes to three individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of public interest law.
Since she started in 2003, Dean Kagan has enacted extensive and innovative initiatives to promote public interest work at HLS. The Public Service Initiative, announced this spring at the Celebration of Public Interest, forgives the entire third year of tuition for students who commit to five years of public service work after graduation. Other highlights of Dean Kagan’s tenure include a generous loan repayment program, guaranteed Summer Public Interest Funding, and the mandatory Pro Bono Service Program.
Dean Kagan’s public interest efforts have increased the richness of OPIA’s program offerings and have also positioned HLS as the leader of public interest law. To read more, click here.
August 13th, 2008
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While law schools continue to provide rigorous academic and intellectual training, some are starting to supplement this with more practical instruction. Several law schools have started Visiting Assistant Professorship programs in which practicing attorneys join as full-time faculty. By giving these attorneys a chance to concentrate on their scholarship and teaching, law schools hope to mentor promising newcomers with private sector, government and nonprofit experience and introduce them to academia.
Students also stand to benefit from VAP programs. Akiba Coviz, director of academic affairs at Harvard Law School explains, “Anytime someone has practiced out in the world it brings an additional level of value to the students.” These visiting professors are able to offer real-world insights and instruction in practical skills that can be lacking in a traditional legal education. For more on this story, click here.
June 24th, 2008
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Faculty, Jobs, Students |
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