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Feature

www.lawcrossing.com

Ethan Haines isn’t actually named Ethan. But rather, HIS name is actually Zenovia Evans, a 28-year-old Denver woman who started the blog Unemployed JD which, beginning August 5th , began documenting a 24-day hunger strike in order to bring attention to the issue of law school transparency and career counseling reform.

Evans sent out letters to the top law schools around the country, stating that her hunger strike would last until the law schools returned her letter with a willingness to create ‘’an open, honest dialogue between law students, recent law graduates, and law school administrators.’’ She writes on her blog that beginning on August 5th, she would not eat until the law schools she contacted address the following:

‘’(1) Agree to comply with Law School Transparency’s employment disclosure request or state whether it anticipates declining their request.’’ And ‘’(2) Agree to audit [their] career counseling programs for effectiveness, resourcefulness, and accuracy.’’

Evans’ blog received attention throughout the legal community and is just one of many blogs out there, devoted to issues related to law school reform.

Recent law school graduates have reason to be upset. After spending tens of thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands, of dollars on schooling that they thought was sure to provide them with a high-yielding position upon graduation, many of these students are finding that those jobs are merely myths.

While all job markets are currently experience the adverse effects of a massive recession, law students are pointing their frustrations at law schools for what they say is a lack of information regarding the information they are provided about what they can expect after graduating from law school.

Here are just a few noteworthy quotes coming from the blogs of law school post-grads:

JD blog, Esq. Never says, ‘’I Used to be pleased with myself for avoiding falling into the trap of earning a worthless liberal arts degree. Thanks to law school, that’s no longer the case.’’

The Jobless Juris Doctor said, ‘’Graduated from law school in 2009. Keep my diploma in the bathroom in case I run out of toilet paper.’’

The Blog, Third Tier Reality, states its goal as ‘’[informing] potential law school students and applicants of the ugly realities of attending law school.’’

Looking at Evans’ blog, Unemployed JD, it seems that the hunger strike was less than 100% successful. In fact, her latest post, in which she announces the recent termination of her hunger strike, makes no mention of any law schools agreeing to her terms. However, Evans states that, ‘’while the strike is over, [her] support and passion for the cause remain solid.’’

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Disgruntled Law Students Know How To Blog By Todd Schultz

If you’re a law student, or a disgruntled post-graduate of a law school, then there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Ethan Haines.