|
To most people, monitoring ice floes and penguin dives in the Antarctic seems a far cry from monitoring corporate liabilities and due diligence in a Washington, D.C., law office. But for Kristin Larson, it was a "logical trajectory" in her career.
However, the associate for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP admits it took a bit of convincing to get into George Washington University Law School in 2000. Despite her graduate school GPA of 4.0 in molecular physiology and marine biology and seven years interpreting treaties and international regulations in the Antarctic, law school admissions relied solely on undergrad work and the LSAT.
"I really felt I had to kick and scratch my way in even though professors who supported me kept saying they'd love to have me in the program," says Larson, who went on to law school and then joined the Clinton administration's Advisory Counsel on Environmental Quality.
Joint Degree Explosion
Contrary to Larson's experience, law schools today are embracing cross-disciplinary education as they adapt to emerging fields like environmental sciences, bioethics, and information technology. While many lawyers like Larson chose law school later in their career paths, new students are opting for dual or joint degree programs they hope will offer them more options.
"Law is a field where there has been so much change," says Gary Clinton, dean of students at University of Pennsylvania Law School (Penn Law). "People don't go into a law firm expecting a partnership or thinking they're set for life. That first job may be a springboard, and many eventually wind up using that law degree in corporate America or public service."
Before enrolling in Penn Law's joint degree program in bioethics, Jennifer Bealer did breast cancer research with the Harvard School of Public Health. "I wanted the dual degree because it would unite my background outside the law and allow me to focus on health law," says Bealer, an intern at Ropes & Gray LLP in Boston.
While bioethics is a field that has seen "huge growth over the last three years," according to Clinton there is a heavier focus in general in cross-disciplinary programs. Penn Law currently offers 14 joint degree programs with other Penn University schools and departments where students can finish in three years instead of the five it would take to earn the two degrees separately.
Other "niche" joint degree programs combine a JD with a PhD for those who want to research or teach. Northwestern University Law School works in partnership with the Graduate School and offers a six-year JD/PhD program, providing full funding to a small number of students. "Two years ago we worked closely with the Graduate School to revamp the entire program so we have a unified admissions process and full support for a very structured path," says Don Rebstock, associate dean for enrollment management and career strategy.
Stanford Law School also has worked to streamline administrative processes for dual degrees. Stanford has created 27 new joint degree programs over a two-year period. Like many schools, Stanford has a longestablished MBA/JD program, and Dean Larry Kramer wondered why this in particular has been so successful. "We decided it's not just the substantive knowledge that one discipline gives you, but the mix of intellectual cultures," says Kramer, who spearheaded the recent expansion.
Kramer points out that law schools train students to identify problems and break them down, focusing on analytical skills needed in the profession. "But that's not problem solving," he says. "You need to know something substantive about whatever it is before you can actually solve the problem. That's why if you're going into business law, it makes sense to apply that knowledge within the legal framework."
Double the Knowledge, Double the Impact
It was applying the knowledge she obtained during years of working in the field that led Larson to study law. "I had to apply the rules of treaty interpretation and run a facility while making sure we were compliant," says Larson, who managed the McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica from 1988-95. "I wanted to be in a position to affect legislation as well as interpret those laws and regulations."
Larson represents another trend that perhaps explains the "uptick" in enrollment and expansion in joint degree programs. "We've seen a number of students come back to law school, such as students with a master's in engineering who come back to focus on intellectual property law," says Susan Robinson, the associate dean for career services at Stanford.
Whether pursuing a passion or planning a niche in their law careers, many lawyers rely on their specialized degrees to further their law practices. For example, Edith Netter never intended to become a lawyer. "I was interested in public policy and got my MA in urban studies, but for me it wasn't action-oriented enough," Netter says. "I took a couple of courses on land use law and saw that the tools the law offered were more goal oriented."
Netter's firm specializes in land use law and mediating for both developers and nonprofits. According to Netter, her background in planning gives her a perspective many real estate lawyers do not necessarily have. "A lot of people think of land use law as a subset of real estate; I look at the practice as more policy oriented where you use legal strategies to achieve people's goals, whether it's in the public sector or real estate."
Ami Grace-Tardy had always planned on using her MS in environmental sciences to advocate for environmental policy. She felt a law degree would allow her a more "direct and effective way to have an impact. It helped keep the passion alive, but it also allowed me to step back and think about how to approach something from a scientific standpoint."
Grace-Tardy handles environmental litigation for the Washington, D.C., office of Beveridge & Diamond PC and says she sees more and more recent grads and summer associates coming in with dual degrees. "It's not necessary, but it helps you in the job market."
Skills Across the Curriculum
In addition to the influx of joint degree programs in emerging science and technology fields, joint degree programs for certain fields that experience a lot of crossover, such as public policy and international studies, are on the rise.
"Some want to have a richer private practice; for others it's a transition to a research career," explains Michelle Mello, director of Harvard's program in law and public health. Mello graduated from Yale Law School in 2000 while concurrently getting a PhD in health policy and administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
More law schools are starting to recognize what Mello discovered: The skills and approaches involved in other disciplines impact how one thinks as a lawyer. For advocates of the environment or social issues, the objectivity gives them not only perspective, but also an advantage.
"What's different is that you learn methods from an objective perspective, whereas lawyers are involved in arguing positions," says Mello, speaking of her background in research.
Students currently in joint programs also say the diversity in curriculum gives them a much-needed break while the diversity in community broadens their perspective. "You're part of two communities so you don't just see the legal perspective," says Penn Law student Bealer. "Bioethics has a lot of people in different fields, and it's nice to get different opinions."
Georgetown law student Rachel Spitzer enrolled in a joint degree program at Georgetown in law and an MS in foreign service. Spitzer wasn't sure she'd be able to pursue the policy work she wanted to do with a master's alone, so she opted for law school. "This allows me to pursue my interests outside of law. In the middle of studying for law exams, I can take a break and read things with more of a policy focus instead of a legal focus."
Diversity in Dual Degrees
Besides the obvious advantage of having an expertise and more refined niche, the financial incentives may also explain the increase. Most dual programs allow students to finish in three or four years rather than the five to six years it might take to do the programs separately.
Alternatively, that long-term advantage can be a hindrance. "If you're a law student, you're looking at spending an additional $50,000 on that third year, but also there's also an opportunity cost of a year of potential earnings, which for a lawyer could be $150,000," says Gary Clinton, Penn Law dean of students. "It's a very serious commitment."
For more information on joint degree programs, see the ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, 2008 edition, available at www.abanet.org/abastore. The product code is 529008508ED.
|
