05 August 2010 ~ 38 Comments

Complete Listing of Law Schools Involved in Hunger Strike

On August 5, 2010, I emailed an Official Notice of Hunger Strike to administrators of ten randomly selected law schools ranked in the Top 100 of the 2010 U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings. Below is a complete listing of recipients in order of U.S. News’ ranking:

  • University of Chicago Law School (No. 5)
  • University of Pennsylvania Law School (No. 7)
  • Fordham University School of Law (Tied-No. 34)
  • University of Washington School of Law (Tied-No. 34)
  • American University Washington College of Law (No. 48)
  • Florida State University College of Law (No. 54)
  • Georgia State University College of Law (No. 60)
  • Baylor Law School, Baylor University (No. 64)
  • William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii at Manoa  (No. 72)
  • University of Pacific McGeorge School of Law (No. 98)

The Notice sets forth two conditions that administrators can satisfy to end this hunger strike. I have not yet received a response from any law school administrator regarding this hunger strike. However, I am confident that they are paying attention. Further, I am optimistic that they will respond, if not for me, then for the future of legal education. Keep hope alive!

“Being the change that I want to see …”

Ethan Haines

J.D. Class Representative

38 Responses to “Complete Listing of Law Schools Involved in Hunger Strike”

  1. AJ 6 August 2010 at 6:42 am Permalink

    Just wondering if you could contact all four Minnesota law schools. This state’s legal market is a joke.

  2. Marc Nickel 6 August 2010 at 7:44 am Permalink

    Ethan, don’t you think this is a bit much? Law school is expensive, and not just in money, in time and effort. As a practicing attorney, every time I get asked for my opinion on law school by a prospective law student, I advise them to make sure they know what they’re getting into – especially in this job market. I usally ask them if they would buy a house without performing an inspection for defects – and despite the fact that every one has appeared to listen, I suspect they charge forward without much effort to research law school/law practice reality. I strongly agree that law schools have culpability in puffing up their statistics, however prospective students have to do their due diligence too. Unfortunately, I’ve found that when individuals get set on law school they’re almost never willing to take a breather and inspect their true motivations (i.e., seeking a true career, or following a promise of a bucket of gold). I feel like your hunger strike doesn’t focus any blame on the prospective law students, adn turns a very real and necessary debate into a sideshow to be mocked.

    • Ethan Haines 6 August 2010 at 9:39 am Permalink

      Marc, my hunger strike addresses law school transparency and career counseling reform (the method used for career planning and training). I want schools to properly report their employment statistics and better prepare students for competing in the new post-recession market. My ultimate goal is to have law schools audit their current career counseling offers to make sure contact databases are accurate (due to alumni switching firms or careers), students are aware of global opportunities, mentor programs are in place, candidate career assessments are given, etc. Again, thank you for your honest comments.

      Ethan

      • Marc Nickel 6 August 2010 at 9:46 am Permalink

        Fair enough – and you seem like an honest dealer. I understand the frustration to do something. Personally, I have found the coverage of this hunger strike to be a bit less than congratulatory. That said, I can’t fault you for trying to be the change you are seeking.

      • nor 6 August 2010 at 5:09 pm Permalink

        I appreciate what you are trying to achieve Ethan. As a parent of a first year law student, I can tell you that I am very concerned about my kid’s future. JMO, but medical schools aren’t much better in the transparency department either. Many students find themselves with huge loans after graduation. They also find that private practice has been turned into a very sad state of affairs. You have to eat.

  3. Anon, a Mouse! 6 August 2010 at 9:12 am Permalink

    I think that you should also contact Marquette University Law School as well. They are moving into a brand new $51 million building this year and then have the audacity to solicit donations from their unemployed recent graduates. It is disgusting.

  4. la ca 6 August 2010 at 10:02 am Permalink

    Ethan,

    Can you find a petition link other than Twitter that we can sign and support you on this statement?

    • Ethan Haines 6 August 2010 at 10:33 am Permalink

      I don’t have one at this time. But this is a good idea. Later today, I will post a Petition, in the form of a post, that people can sign by leaving a comment. This way, I will have something tangible to show administrators. This and my Twitter followers so spread the word. Thanks again for your support.

      Ethan

  5. Ignatius 6 August 2010 at 10:11 am Permalink

    Good job putting Fordham on the list – I’d drop lines to Georgetown and Loyola Law School as well.

    As Jesuit schools they have a particularly unique perspective in this issue. They should be asked whether it really should cost $45k per year to educate ‘Men and Women for Others,’ who will either not be able to find work or be “lucky” enough to take jobs in big corporate firms, where the moral value of their endeavors is questionable at best.

    No one puts a gun to your head and makes you go to law school, in fact quite the opposite, but these schools hold themselves out to a different ethical and moral standard – while acting in lock-step with their peers. The kind of alumni they’re producing, and what they do with their J.D.’s should be of greater concern than the exorbitant fees they can extract from them.

    Good luck to you.

  6. MJ 6 August 2010 at 5:08 pm Permalink

    Ethan,

    I feel your frustration. I fell for the law school rope-a-dope over 15 years ago. But I don’t know what your hunger strike will do. Money talks and these law schools are not going to change now. They can only see the next 1L class as a source of income for their other programs. It will not stop any time soon. The Obama administration just tackled student loans and certainly this is not a priority issue for a bunch of lawyers, which is what most administrations consist of. Don’t do anything to harm yourself. We get creative after a while and use the skills that helped us get this far to keep things going. You are not alone. Reach out to colleagues directly and through blogs and other sources to make it through.

  7. Jumping Jehosaphat 6 August 2010 at 5:24 pm Permalink

    Ethan, you should invite doctors to come visit you regularly during this ordeal and write reports on your health… “Ethan’s health is deteriorating… lack of vitamins, protein, and roughage are causing chapped lips, cloudy sclera, and possible bone loss. Ethan is at risk for scurvy and intestinal ailments, fainting spells, possible seizures, and potential coma. PLEASE DO SOMETHING NOW!!!”

  8. extenze 6 August 2010 at 7:41 pm Permalink

    Thank you for the inspirational thoughts you stated here. It is great to know that there are some people that can connect to this issue. For everyone else, I suggest that they take the time to glance through this.

  9. Nancy Arre 7 August 2010 at 5:22 am Permalink

    I am so happy to read this. This is the kind of facts that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that is at the other blogs. Nice one for this stunning info.

  10. Fernando Jipson 7 August 2010 at 8:52 am Permalink

    This is excellent.

  11. Ga marketing 7 August 2010 at 11:15 am Permalink

    This is certainly the most fabulous of ways and I truly agree with this. I have been learning so many new things out here that enable me to bring to the forefront several things. Yours truly for all the help that you hve rendered via your blogs.

  12. Will 7 August 2010 at 2:47 pm Permalink

    The other day a friend of mine told me she was looking into applying for law school. I mentioned to her that most law schools publish false employment stats. She had no idea. She knew that law school was tough, professors were mean, etc., but she had never heard of a school providing BS employment stats.

    And that’s precisely the problem! People just see those figures and assume they’re accurate because, after all, all lawyers are wealthy and successful, right?

    Before these kids go into six figures of debt, they need to know what they’re getting into. The motto for the admission process should definitely be: BUYER BEWARE!

  13. Menudo 7 August 2010 at 3:59 pm Permalink

    Ethan:

    How did you randomly select these schools? I feel like the midwest and Alaska are under-represented. Also, are you just dying for a juicy T-Bone steak right about now?

    • lawyer 8 August 2010 at 2:50 am Permalink

      Um, duh, there are no law schools in Alaska.

      • Ethan Haines 8 August 2010 at 8:40 am Permalink

        Unfortunately, there are no law schools in Alaska. To address the concerns of students in isolated locals who have only one law school to rely one, I selected the University of Hawaii – they are officially on notice of my hunger strike. I have included the Midwest region by putting the University of Chicago Law School on notice.

        Ethan

        • Skeptic 9 August 2010 at 10:45 am Permalink

          If you are unemployed, why not take a few more minutes to send the “notice” to all 100? I don’t understand the motivation for the “random” 10, but it seems like just enough to get some publicity.

          • KM 11 August 2010 at 10:07 am Permalink

            Why is publicity a bad idea? The whole point is to get the issue into the spotlight, and by choosing these schools he can make a direct impact on those student and hopefully inspire other law school, and prospective law students to think about what they are doing.

  14. John 7 August 2010 at 4:07 pm Permalink

    I started law school way back in 1977. And when i graduated, there was a recession. Jobs were hard to come by. But even then, my law school surveyed the recent graduates, asking for employment information. They published the results. Even then, not everyone had good luck finding a job.

    And now, almost 30 years later, some people still haven’t gotten the message. There are too many JDs looking for work I once worked at a place that had a paralegal with a Yale JD and another with a JD from Hastings. Decent law schools, no? That was the only job those people could find.

    My advice: while you’re still young, find something constructive to do with your life. It’s not too late.

    • Skeptic 9 August 2010 at 10:48 am Permalink

      Oh good grief. If you went to law school to get a job in Big Law, you were rolling the dice. If you went to law school because the law really interested you, and you understood what “tuition” meant, you now are in the same position as most graduates; you need to figure out how you want to proceed with a career.

      For many of my fellow lawyers (and law students back in the day), doing something different and constructive is good advice. However, it is just too cynical to say to ALL future law students.

  15. John 7 August 2010 at 10:57 pm Permalink

    You need pictures otherwise it never happened.

    The best thing for you publicitywise would be a daily youtube video where you start to look to appear weaker and weaker. Maybe you could even old the camera. As you start to lose strength the camera will shake more and more emphasizing you feebleness and sacrifice. Get a girlfriend to help you buy clothing that will emphasize your steadily frailer figure.

    You also need a graph showing your weight updated at least daily.

    Not to sound crass, but just saying you’re hunger striking is like a tree falling in the forest with no one around.

    • Ethan Haines 8 August 2010 at 8:36 am Permalink

      This is a good suggestion John. I have received similar requests. This week I intend on making an appearance of some sort. I don’t think law school administrators are taking this seriously. Check back for an announcement regarding my decision.

      Ethan

  16. Lakeisha Schutt 8 August 2010 at 9:23 am Permalink

    I’m glad I chose to read this one. Nice work!

  17. Forex 9 August 2010 at 12:14 am Permalink

    Good to be visiting your blog again, it may be months for me. Nicely this post that i’ve been waited for so long. I need this post to total my assignment in the college, and it’s exact same topic with your post. Many thanks, excellent write about.

  18. John A Silvi 9 August 2010 at 10:38 am Permalink

    Ethan: Their is a way to prove your theory on admissions and employment. The DOJ and US Attorney General(s) already have the details. The issue came up out of the Grutter vs. Bollinger decision (The Michigan Law School Admissions Case) in 2003. As I forwarded to you via your Ethan email, the articles in print will summarize the situation and present the solution.

    (DJ 169-73-0) Dated April 5th 2005 Department of Justice/Division of Civil Rights

    The true guilty party is not the various selection committees for law school, the services and council itself (LSAS/LSAC) are the guilty party along with the ABA. They refuse to run the selection process as a business which has resulted in ” un-collectable” loans which totaled nearly 120 Billion dollars and destroyed Sallie Mae (the student loan program).

    And since my proposal was acknowledged in addressing the impasse for admissions, the removal of Phillip Shelton (CEO of LSAS) occurred in 2007 with Bernstein being the new appointee.

    1). Fixing Law School Admissions (Wesleyan University) Argus Paper
    2). Rough Ride for Law School Acceditors (Inside Higher Ed) Dec 2006

    End your strike, for you can now prove corruption. Put your JD degree to work !! You have the information and answer that you seek………

    You are no-good to anyone Dead !!!

  19. Ben M. 9 August 2010 at 2:50 pm Permalink

    Ethan,

    This is kind of pathetic. Did you assume that upon getting a law degree people would just start throwing jobs at you? What did you undergrad in? History? Poli-sci? And assume that if you could stick it out for 3 yrs in law school that you would be rewarded with a cushy job paying 6 figures at the end?

    Honestly, this seems to be a problem not just with law grads, but all grads. They assume college degree=job. An honest look around America, and you would see that there is a HUGE oversupply of lawyers. Perhaps a risk/award analysis prior to deciding to go to law school would have made you think differently about shelling out tens of thousands of dollars on law school.

    The admissions people shouldn’t be blamed for you not doing your own due dilligence. Nor should they be blamed when you injure yourself from lack of nutrition……

  20. Watch MacGruber 9 August 2010 at 4:54 pm Permalink

    Thank you very much for this great blog; this is the kind of post that keeps me going through the day. I’ve been looking around for your blog after I heard about them from a mate and was thrilled when I was able to find it after looking for some time. Being an avid blogger, I’m pleased to see others taking initiative and contributing to the community. I just wanted to comment to show my appreciation for your work as it’s very encouraging, and many bloggers do not get the credit they deserve. I’m sure I’ll be back and will send some of my friends.

  21. Hunger Strike 9 August 2010 at 6:06 pm Permalink

    Hey Ethan:

    I ran across this on Abovethelaw and thought it was so appropriate for your hunger strike. It’s a rap song about starving attorneys by Adam Warrock, a former attorney, turned rapper. He uses the tune from Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike”:

    http://abovethelaw.com/2010/08/career-alternatives-starving-artistemory-law-grad-eugene-ahn-gives-up-labor-law-for-rap/#more-29774

    check out his lyrics:

    “I went from being a lawyer to being my own employer/
    that’s why i need to peddle wares and sell my single here/
    so please excuse the shameless self-promotion over strings and stares/
    you can guilt to your heart’s content /
    i’m still living without repent(ance) /
    i’m living with every cent /
    i need it to pay the rent/ i need it for live events /
    i need it to pay the bills for the money already spent.”

  22. Hipolito M. Wiseman 9 August 2010 at 7:30 pm Permalink

    Hey, I searched for this blog on Bing and just wanted to say thanks for the excellent read. I would have to agree with it, thank you again!

  23. The Cardinal Law 9 August 2010 at 8:41 pm Permalink

    I sympathize completely with your situation and agree that the world would be a better place if law school career services offices were more open about the fact that they’re pretty much useless. At its heart, your idea isn’t a bad one. Your plan to effect change, however, is pretty laughably bad. As far as I can tell, you’ve got two big problems right off the bat.
    1. You’re not actually willing to die for this cause.
    People who bring about change through hunger strikes are able to do so because the powers that be see the strike and say, “Wu oh, we should probably do something to make them stop that before they die. I don’t want to have to clean up the bodies.” This leads directly to problem 2.
    2. These 10 Random Schools Don’t Care if You Die! In addition to not being willing to die, which automatically diminishes the power of the protest exponentially, you also made a serious miscalculation by randomly selecting your targets. Why in God’s green goodness would the University of Washington change its ways because 1 dude somewhere, who may or may not even have gone to law school, isn’t going to eat until he’s really really reeeeeally hungry?
    To do this thing right, you’d have to lay yourself on the line publicly. Your best bet would be to come out against your law school, which is obviously the one you’ve got a real beef with. All this grassroots organizing is fine, but you first need to pick a target that might actually care whether you are dead (Hint: Dead alums don’t donate. Your school has an incentive to keep you alive. Baylor does not.)
    I would consider donating to your cause if you didn’t come across as a misguided goofball. I mean that in complete sincerity. Interesting idea, poor planning, poorer execution, good luck!

    Vaya con Dios.

  24. make gentle the life of the world 13 August 2010 at 7:59 pm Permalink

    Are these heartless people really ordinary people or are they attached to the law school industry? I have had a great career as a lawyer which has allowed me to do many things. Not bad for someone from a very bottom of the pile law school. But I find it indecent for people to attack Ethan for publicizing something that the law school industry does not want publicized, i.e. too many JD’s seeking too few jobs. This ‘I have my cake-so screw you attitude’ is shameful and way too common.
    And, by the way, enjoy your cake while you have it: with new technology and minimum wage lawyers in India writing briefs and doing due diligence the lights are being turned out on more and more American jobs of all kind (and yes you holier than though Ethan critics, that very well mean you too before very long.)

  25. Law 14 August 2010 at 8:44 am Permalink

    what a great post, i like it


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