This Week in Legal Education News

Over the last decade, AALS has kept law school leadership, faculty, and staff informed with its weekly Legal Education News Digest and Blogs Digest. Sign up to receive these digests by email. 

To keep law school faculty and staff up to date with the latest legal education news, we collect articles on new programs, collaborations with other schools, faculty accomplishments, awards, clinical activities, and special events. You can share news and updates with the editors of the weekly digest here. With the launch of our online platform AALS LENS, we will be sharing a weekly roundup of legal education news, highlighting the most important stories.  

AALS Legal Education News Digest – Week Ending May 2, 2025
AALS Legal Education Blogs Digest – Week Ending May 2, 2025   

Here are a few articles of note from the past week: 

• AALS has released an illustrated history book chronicling the last 125 years of the association. Co-authored by former AALS ED and CEO Judy Areen, she discusses how the book highlights the historical importance of legal education and the rule of law in the US. The book is one of many initiatives to celebrate the association’s 125^th anniversary including specialized programming planned for the 2026 AALS Annual Meeting and the creation of an archive of past Journal of Legal Education issues. (Law.com) 
• Law students across the country have created a database to follow law firms’ responses to executive orders that targeted firms for their representation of clients who were political opponents of the current administration. The White House struck deals with several law firms to provide pro bono services in support of conservative causes to avoid federal scrutiny, but many students and recent graduates have criticized those moves. Students from more than 120 law schools also signed a joint letter calling for law firms to stand up against federal overreach to protect the rule of law. (Inside Higher Ed) (American Constitution Society)  
• AccessLex Institute released a legal education data deck with a focus on access and affordability in legal education. The data explores racial and gender disparities in admissions and scholarships. (FOX 8) (ABA Journal)  

Law School Programs and Clinics

• Boston College Law Entrepreneurship & Innovation Clinic helps client with publishing negotiations. (BC Law)  
• Florida State University Law highlights efforts to promote well-being in legal education. (Florida State Bar)  
• Quinnipiac Law program offers post-graduate support for taking the bar exam. (Quinnipiac Today)  

Higher Education

• The federal government has frozen approximately $11 billion in research funding causing concern for university officials who believe this deficit cannot be made up by other sources. American research universities have been pivotal to scientific developments and experts worry that federal funding cuts will have a massive impact on scientific progress and innovation and the country’s standing in the global research landscape. (NPR) 
• The federal government has restored some international student records that were initially terminated for minor infractions. The restoration of status occurred following dozens of lawsuits claiming the cancellations were unconstitutional. (Inside Higher Ed)