HBCU Law School Grads Acutely Affected By Recession

April 5th, 2012 - By MN Editor

by R. Asmerom

Every year, we hear about the overabundance of lawyers saturating the market, but that doesn’t seem to deter many people from filling out law school applications. Indeed, when the economy gets bad, the laid-off make it their job to apply to grad schools. It doesn’t make total economic sense but few would’ve thunk the recession would last so long. The legal industry has been hard hit, with many of those affected being those recent law school graduates who didn’t go to top ranked schools.

The Bay State Banner points out that the job market is especially bad for HBCU grads. Kenneth J. Cooper reports that in the Dallas market, the Southern Methodist University law school is no longer able to promise its students placement in the top Dallas firms. “Instead of owning the Dallas law market, [SMU graduates were] competing with graduates from the Ivy League schools and some of the Top 15 schools,” recent graduate Ahman Airitam told the Bay State Banner.

Graduates from the top 15 law schools in the country which include Ivy League schools and state schools like UCLA and UC Berkeley are less affected than HBCUs, which rank much lower. For example, Howard University is the top ranked black law school but only ranks #121 in the rankings.

The Bay State Banner also interviewed a recent grad, Julian Hall, of North Carolina Central Law who conveyed the challenges facing his fellow graduates: “I got a friend who works waiting tables. Another friend of mine that went to Carolina, she’s working at the makeup counter — passed the bar and everything, doing makeup. I got another friend that is a bartender. So it’s bad out here.”

 

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  • Jona1han2k4

     whats the name of the editor?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1415696195 Calandrial PhoenixRising Afriy

    Sometimes having an advanced degree can hinder you? I completed my MBA program  9/2011.  I’m a paralegal and prospective employers want a certificate too….I mean I have an associate, bachelors in Business Adm in Legal Studies, and an MBA and you tell me I need a paralegal certificate to get the big bucks!  I mean OMG when can I stop attending college!

  • reese

    Why are so many people still going into these professions know that we have too many lawyers now.  Go into Medical, computers degrees, Engineering and etc.  My cousin has a degree in Geology and cannot get a job. Years ago before the economy hit the bottom they were talking about too many lawyers. 

  • Kenedy

    I just finished my bachelors in business & cannot find a job. Im planning on going to law school, but after im done, im planning on looking for a job in another country….competition here is way too much.

  • The Editor

    Please have these post audited!!! It is painful to see an online magazine catered to black women/audiences not properly edited. Hire me if you need some on board. It makes me cringe to see the word “thunk” instead of thought. Grammar stresses are needed. Overall thanks for the insight in the article itself.

  • Jinski13

    I still plan on getting a law degree but I accept I will make little or no money doing pro bono cases and being a lawyer without borders. There’s always a need but not always money. I think it may become a field to help mire than become rich…unless you’re really good with no morals.

  • Candacey Doris

    Start thinking outside the box! Get a second degree that can put you in a job with a smaller applicant pool. Do something most people find boring or low paying if you have to. Having a big gap on the resume where you’re not working in your field can keep you out of that field permanently. 

  • Tagirl

    Lawyers all across the field are feeling the heat of the economy. It’s tough and it is true that industry is very over saturated. A lot of lawyers are returning to school to get a Library Science Masters so that they can be law librarians(you need a JD and an MLS to become one). 

    • L-Boogie

      I did not know that.  

  • icanbutiwont

    A degree is only as good as who has it! If you have legal expertise why not try online legal counseling, or real estate broker , stock/ tax consulting, why not start a business that gives legal advice to other small business. I’m just throwing ideas around, pick, choose or refuse.