Hearing University of Idaho students talk about their futures is an interesting pastime. Someone thinking of traveling after college is ambitious and driven, those who have scored a job after graduation are lucky and students who are considering applying to law school are crazy — apparently.
A recent Forbes article headline read, “Attorney Offers Students 1,000 Reasons To Skip Law School.” The article itself discussed a successful trial lawyer who advocates against going to law school. The cost. The work. The stress. But most of all, the fact that over the years there has been an increasing amount of law school graduates unable to find work after graduation.
As a prospective law student, this is puzzling. The career that I have sought for my entire life is turning into a dead-end job in a dried-up job market? I refuse to believe that and you should, too.
The numbers are saying that one needs to be a marketable and competitive candidate to land a job as a clerk or associate passing the bar. Students need to be willing to go above and beyond the minimum requirements these days to be a successful legal professional.
Luckily, the UI College of Law has the right idea and is making efforts to ensure its graduates’ success. In October, the Board of Regents approved the expansion of UI’s College of Law to include a second-year law curriculum in Boise.
A program previously reserved for only third-year students now has the golden stamp of approval to begin planning the implementation of a second-year law program. The reason why this is going to be instrumental for law students is the abundance of opportunities that comes with studying in the state’s capital city.
How many legal externship prospects are there on the Palouse? Not many. But in Boise, students may have a better chance at practicing with legal professionals at nonprofit organizations, public policy agencies, law firms or even land an externship with state or federal judges.
The opportunities seem to increase exponentially for aspiring legal professionals when they’re located in an urban, metropolitan area. Though Boise isn’t exactly a robust metropolitan sprawl, it does the job for Idahoans.
Imagine how much more marketable a law graduate is going to be after spending two years in Idaho’s capital making contacts with judges, attorneys and politicians compared to a student who spends three years studying law on the Palouse.
The UI College of Law understands the job market is changing and is consequently making the necessary changes to ensure its students have the upper hand.
Not only is this going to benefit the students who do make the move down to Boise, but Moscow’s law students will reap the benefits as well, because the university’s strengthening relationship with Boise is bound to yield expanded career opportunities.
There shouldn’t be such a negative connotation associated with aspiring to be a law professional, because of the market’s current state. Instead, future attorneys need to grab ahold of the opportunities available and launch themselves into a successful career.
The more integration the university has with Boise, the better. Hats off to UI College of Law.
Amber Emery can be reached at