A New Year’s Resolution for Law Students: Organize.
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School 
Comments Off on A New Year’s Resolution for Law Students: Organize.
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
If you don’t know already, the New York Times ran a seven-page article in its business section detailing the crisis America’s legal education system faces. It even generously linked to The Law School Tuition Bubble. Yay! The whole article is worth the read, but towards the end it erred:
Today, American law schools are like factories that no force has the power to slow down — not even the timeless dictates of supply and demand.
There is one force that can stop these factories: law students. Find out why I think they should organize.
Blog post about JET Programme on U.S. Embassy website
Blogs, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on Blog post about JET Programme on U.S. Embassy website
Mark Dieker with Japanese students in the mid-90s
The following link comes via JET alum Aurelien Hancou (Okayama-ken 2003-06), now a Senior Programme Coordinator at CLAIR. Hancou writes to share a guest blog post by Mr. Mark S. Dieker, Consul for Political and Economic Affairs at the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka:
http://zblog.japan.usembassy.gov/e/zblog-e20101221a.html
The post is a great testimony of the value and benefit of the JET Programme. Check it out!
Dialogue with an Affable Law School Dean, Part 1
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Dialogue with an Affable Law School Dean, Part 1
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
When you were on JET, did you ever have a refreshingly honest discussion about education with your kocho-sensei? I just had something similar. I received the distinct pleasure of discussing the state of legal education with the Devil’s advocate law school dean inhabiting my mind. A shrewd sparring partner, he’s surprisingly honest and appears to enjoy mandarin oranges. Find out why he doesn’t care that his law school isn’t transparent about its employment figures.
Inequality: Why the Tuition Bubble and Student Debt Matter
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Inequality: Why the Tuition Bubble and Student Debt Matter
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
In Japan, young people who’ve been having a tough time finding work are criticized as “parasite singles” or “herbivores,” regardless of whether there actually are living wage jobs for them. The same thing is happening in the U.S., but to make things worse, $850 billion dollars in student debt is hidden from calculations of income inequality, meaning young people are unemployed and not making families, AND America is also less egalitarian a society than people might think.
Thoughts on Human Capital Contracts
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Thoughts on Human Capital Contracts
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
So you’re tired of hearing about student debt. Well, so am I. You may’ve heard of investing in student equity. Wait, you haven’t? They’re called “Human Capital Contracts”—an investor (or the government) pays for your education in exchange for 10% of your income for ten years. No one else has ever tried something like this. I sat down and thought out what I think of them.
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
Take a break, and listen to some Rock & Roll, primate!
Gunma-ken JET alum and Florida JETAA Newsletter Editor Bahia Simons-Lane has a good post on her blog–Bahia Portfolio: Posting about Japan, language and education–on the debate concerning benefits derived from the JET Programme.
A little more about Bahia and her background:
Bahia was an Assistant Language Teacher at a girls’ high school in Gunma Prefecture for 2 years, then she worked for the Gunma Prefecture Board of Education as the Assistant Language Teacher’s Advisor. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in International and Intercultural Education.
Income Based Repayment Helps Law Students, Not the Tuition Bubble
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Income Based Repayment Helps Law Students, Not the Tuition Bubble
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
Newer law students (and graduate and other professional students) can take hope: between fully financing their legal education with Direct Loans & Grad PLUS loans and electing the Income Based Repayment option, legal education isn’t a crippling investment. Find out why it’s not a great solution, and why it certainly won’t reduce law school costs.
FoxHound87: Disaster is my middle name…
Blogs Comments Off on FoxHound87: Disaster is my middle name…
Joshua Small is a First Year JET currently living in Ikaruga-cho, Nara-ken and has been chronicling his experience on his blog Snorlax87.
Last Sunday, I attended a seminar about what to do during a Natural Disaster. It was sponsored by the Nara International Foundation: Commemorating the Silk Road Expedition. Yes, I know. It should be called NIFCSRE…but that just isn’t catchy enough. Once the seminar began, we were all broken into 2 large groups. My group went first. We were going to “experience” the 3 major disasters that Japan has to offer: Fires, Earthquakes, and typhoons…
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
Snorlax87: Pumpkin’ Around
Blogs, Uncategorized Comments Off on Snorlax87: Pumpkin’ Around
Joshua Small is a First Year JET currently living in Ikaruga-cho, Nara-ken and has been chronicling his experience on his blog Snorlax87.
Because midterms are next week, my JTE and I are taking it easy. I decided this week I would only give minor Conversation assignments and discuss Halloween. The students are FASCINATED by Halloween. In the first lesson, I reviewed Halloween’s origins and covered the traditions in America. The real fun started today when I did my second Halloween lesson…
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
Dear ABA Committee Chair, No, It’s Not That Complicated. Signed, The Legal Profession
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Dear ABA Committee Chair, No, It’s Not That Complicated. Signed, The Legal Profession
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
Just how powerless is the ABA in the face of a tuition bubble and legal labor oversupply? Not as much as it believes it is. Check out how it suffers from Stockholm Syndrome here.
Guest Post: A Few Humble Suggestions to Burst Your Bubble
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Guest Post: A Few Humble Suggestions to Burst Your Bubble
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
Everitt Henry relieves my workload and gives us three suggestions for dealing with lawyer oversupply and the tuition bubble.
Department of Education to the Rescue? Proposed CFR Changes to account for “Program Integrity” and “Gainful Employment”
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Department of Education to the Rescue? Proposed CFR Changes to account for “Program Integrity” and “Gainful Employment”
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
Unlike Japan, the United States has no trouble filling graduate degree programs, as this NYT article on Japanese higher education points out. The student debt situation in the U.S. is so dire that the Department of Education is adopting a new regulation to require some schools to demonstrate their graduates are employed and paying down their debts after graduation. Can this rule apply to the ever more expensive law schools?? Find out here.
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
Take a break, and listen to some Rock & Roll!
Reformers, Futile Gesturers, Blamers, and Loss-Cutters: Adventures in Anger, Personal Responsibility, and Positive Thinking
Academic, Advice, Blogs, Career, Graduate School Comments Off on Reformers, Futile Gesturers, Blamers, and Loss-Cutters: Adventures in Anger, Personal Responsibility, and Positive Thinking
**********
Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States. He also maintains the “Bankruptcy Legal Topics,” and, “Bankruptcy Billables,” sections for Steven Horowitz’s Bankruptcy Bill. For further reading regarding JETs and the law, he recommends JETs with J.D.s.
As the tuition bubble expands, so too does a cast of characters who discuss it–all with their own audiences and agendas. Read this to find out who’s who as the tuition bubble debate becomes more complicated.
