(Source: Yale Law School)Everyone who's read One L or seen The Paper Chase on TV knows that the first year of law school is grueling. Year two gets a bit easier, largely because students have learned the lingo and know how to dissect cases. Year three? Some think it's a waste of time, a way for law schools to bilk students out of more tuition, while others favor adding rigor to that final year.



So as some schools (not elite ones) are experimenting with a two-year law degree, most in the legal establishment have other thoughts. Consider:

...there are also signs the third year is as entrenched as ever. The ABA's requirements are still stringent. The legal profession wants to keep quality --- and in some critics' eyes, salaries --- high, so it doesn't want to make it too easy to become an attorney. Also, the legal recruiting process is built around a three-year schedule; summers are when law students earn money and take the internships that lead to jobs, so many will be reluctant to give them up.For now, then, you're still looking at three years to earn that J.D., even though year three remains the target of further debate.