Allaroundtheworld,lawyersgeneratemorehostilitythanthemembersofanyotherprofession---withthepossibleexceptionofjournalism.ButtherearefewplaceswhereclientshavemoregroundsforcomplaintthanAmerica.
Duringthedecadebeforetheeconomiccrisis,spendingonlegalservicesinAmericagrewtwiceasfastasinflation.Thebestlawyersmadeskyscrapers-fullofmoney,temptingevermorestudentstopileintolawschools.Butmostlawgraduatesnevergetabig-firmjob.Manyoftheminsteadbecomethekindofnuisance-lawsuitfilerthatmakesthetortsystemacostlynightmare.
Therearemanyreasonsforthis.Oneistheexcessivecostsofalegaleducation.ThereisjustonepathforalawyerinmostAmericanstates:afour-yearundergraduatedegreeinsomeunrelatedsubject,thenathree-yearlawdegreeatoneof200lawschoolsauthorizedbytheAmericanBarAssociationandanexpensivepreparationforthebarexam.Thisleavestoday’saveragelaw-schoolgraduatewith$100,000ofdebtontopofundergraduatedebts.Law-schooldebtmeansthattheyhavetoworkfearsomelyhard.
Reformingthesystemwouldhelpbothlawyersandtheircustomers.Sensibleideashavebeenaroundforalongtime,butthestate-levelbodiesthatgoverntheprofessionhavebeentooconservativetoimplementthem.Oneideaistoallowpeopletostudylawasanundergraduatedegree.Anotheristoletstudentssitforthebarafteronlytwoyearsoflawschool.Ifthebarexamistrulyasternenoughtestforawould-belawyer,thosewhocansititearliershouldbeallowedtodoso.Studentswhodonotneedtheextratrainingcouldcuttheirdebtmountainbyathird.Theotherreasonwhycostsaresohighistherestrictiveguild-likeownershipstructureofthebusiness.ExceptintheDistrictofColumbia,non-lawyersmaynotownanyshareofalawfirm.Thiskeepsfeeshighandinnovationslow.Thereispressureforchangefromwithintheprofession,butopponentsofchangeamongtheregulatorsinsistthatkeepingoutsidersoutofalawfirmisolateslawyersfromthepressuretomakemoneyratherthanserveclientsethically.