Do Law Schools Need Standardized Tests?: The Morning Minute
The news and analysis you need to start your day.
May 11, 2022 at 06:00 AM
6 minute read
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
TRUE TEST - The Council of the American Bar Association's Section of Legal Education and Admissions is set to consider doing away with Standard 503, which requires law schools to use standardized testing as part of their admissions processes. But while the move would be welcomed by many who believe it could, in theory, make law school more accessible to diverse applicants, its practical effect could prove muted. Still, advocates see it as a potential step in the right direction. "I have yet to meet the person who believes the GRE or LSAT will go away with the elimination of Standard 503," Marc Miller, dean of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, told Law.com's Christine Charnosky. But, he added, "having an absolute testing mandate impedes flexibility and innovation." Not everyone agrees that tossing the standardized testing mandate would be a boon for diverse law school applicants, however. The Law School Admission Council reacted to the news with a statement that said "studies show test-optional policies often work against minoritized individuals, so we hope the ABA will consider these issues very carefully." Meanwhile, Alberto Acereda, associate vice president of Global Higher Education at ETS, said, "In the law admissions space, the GRE has done critical work in helping to diversify student cohorts and provide access for students to legal education, regardless of their background, global location or undergraduate institution."
THE GREAT RESENTMENT - As Law.com's Patrick Smith reports, more than 3,400 respondents from law firms around the globe detailed the state of their mental health, work environments, perceptions of colleagues, client expectations and the effects of remote work for Law.com and ALM Intelligence's annual Mental Health Survey. Overall this year, there were slight declines from 2021 in terms of those reporting anxiety (67%), depression (35%) and isolation (44%). There also was an increase in those who believe their firms provide a safe environment to raise concerns about mental health (45.4%). However, for the third year in a row, close to three-fourths of respondents (74.3%) believed their work environment contributed to their mental health issues. Former commercial litigator and current executive coach and wellness expert Jarrett Green said he found it interesting that, according to the survey results, individuals felt their own well-being was improving but felt the well-being in their firms was not. "This could suggest that people have built a sense of internal resiliency over the course of the pandemic that is making them feel a bit healthier, while also believing that their improved resiliency has resulted despite—not because of—their firm's culture. This combination can create a sense of resentment toward one's firm, which can help explain the Great Resignation," Green said
WHO GOT THE WORK?℠ - Centene has agreed to sell Magellan Rx to Prime Therapeutics for approximately $1.4 billion in a deal guided by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; McDermott Will & Emery; and Fox Rothschild. The transaction, announced May 5, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022. St. Louis-based Centene is represented by a Skadden Arps team including partners Jeremy London and Paul Schnell. Prime Therapeutics, which is based in Minnesota, is advised by McDermott Will and a Fox Rothschild team. >> Read more on Law.com Radar and check out the most recent edition of Law.com's Who Got the Work?℠ column to find out which law firms and lawyers are being brought in to handle key cases and close major deals for their clients.
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