Marci Eisenstein

It will take a team effort to encourage today's top candidates to apply to law school. Law practice sometimes gets a bad rap, and there are some legitimate concerns. Certainly, the work is demanding, and the hours are long. But there is also incredible opportunity and, working together, law schools and legal employers must get applicants excited about what they can do with a law degree.

What does law practice today involve? First, we do intellectually stimulating, creative work. We also do work that matters. Our work helps our clients realize their visions. At the same time, lawyers have the unique ability to do work that serves the public interest and protects people whose rights are at risk.

Finally, while law practice may not historically have been a flexible career path, today it can be. At some firms including ours, even the newest lawyers chart their own course selecting the practice area that's the right fit for them, developing skills at the pace that suits them, and working on a flexible schedule to balance work with other commitments.

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Law Schools Are Losing Smart Applicants. How Do They Lure Them Back?