Legal Commentary

Speaking of Wealthy Organizations that Benefit from Unnecessary Rules...

By David Bernstein

According to the National Law Journal, the ABA is considering dropping its requirement that law school applicants take the LSAT. Loyola Chicago Dean David Yellin, a member of the relevant ABA committee, notes that

committee members have also questioned whether the ABA should be making rules that financially benefit the Law School Admission Council?the organization that administers the LSAT.

?It?s a wealthy institution,? Yellen said. ?So many people take the LSAT. Why is the ABA ensuring its future success??

Hmm. The ABA is a wealthy institution. For no good reason, law schools can?t get accredited, and in most states their students can?t take the bar, unless they meet a host of expensive and sometimes arbitrary ABA requirements. So,

?David Bernstein questions whether state legislatures and supreme courts should be making rules that financially benefit the ABA?the organization that has a monopoly over law school accreditation. ?It?s a wealthy institution, that exists to benefit its members at the expense of the public,? Bernstein said. ?Superfluous ABA rules add dramatically to the cost of a legal education. Why are state governments ensuring its future success??

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on January 13, 2011 (boomark / email).