Legal News & Trends

Minority, female law school enrollment climbs as overall enrollment drops

Despite a decrease in the number of law students attending accredited law schools, the number of female and minority students increased in the fall of 1998, according to statistics released by the American Bar Association (ABA) Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar Section.

Overall enrollment for juris doctor degrees dropped slightly, from 125,886 in 1997 to 125,627 in 1998. This drop came despite the addition of three schools to the list of ABA-approved institutions; there are now 181 ABA-approved law schools.

At 53.9 percent of J.D. enrollment, men still constitute the majority of law students. Women, however, continue to gain ground and now make up 46.1 percent of enrollment, up from 45.2 percent in 1997 and 44.4 percent in 1996.

Minorities now constitute 20.1 percent of all J.D. students, compared to 19.6 percent in 1997.

And although overall J.D. enrollment decreased, the total number of first-year law students increased 1.5 percent, from 42,186 in 1997 to 42,804 in 1998. Minority and female first-year enrollment mirrored that increase, with first-year women law student enrollment up 4.7 percent from one year ago, and first-year minority enrollment up 6.9 percent. Male first-year enrollment dropped 1.3 percent.

The statistics also reveal that the vast majority of law students attend school full time. Currently, 82 percent attend full time; 82.3 percent attended full time last year.

Techno Tips

Preventive maintenance can keep your computer running smoothly

At the State Bar's Annual Convention in June, the seminar "60 Legal PC and Management Tips in 60 Minutes" provided attendees with just that - straightforward, easy-to-understand tips, tricks, and suggestions to maximize your computer's efficiency while minimizing your effort.

MicroLaw's Ross Kodner offered some common-sense suggestions on preventive maintenance you can perform on your PC to keep it running smoothly:

• Empty your recycle bin - it can be a real space hog.
• Update your anti-virus software by downloading new virus databases or signature files from your software's Web site. Do this at least monthly in order to detect and kill the latest damaging viruses that might infest your system.
• Test your data backup system at least once a month. Backup systems that aren't working properly have the insidious characteristic of looking like they're working just fine. Select a few documents and restore them to the system (move the originals first to a safe folder or a floppy so that you have an empty area to restore to) and then see if you can access them - that is, pull up a WordPefect document in WordPerfect.
• Keep your PCs and printers clean. Dust, paper particles, and other miscellaneous PC-hostile gunk can trash PCs and cripple laser printers. Use a can of compressed air that you can get at any office supply store to blow out the crud from inside your laser printer. Take the covers off your PCs and clean out their insides as well.

On the Web

Currency converter provides timely exchanges rates

The Universal Currency Converter™ contains exchange rate information on more than 175 currencies, including the Euro, gold, platinum, and silver. Need to know how many South Korean Wons there are in a U.S. dollar? Simply highlight the two currencies on the extensive list, click "Perform Currency Conversion," and you'll get the current exchange rate - rates are updated every minute. The Interactive Currency Converter™ allows you to plug in any date from Jan. 1, 1995, forward and view the exchange rate for that date.

The site also offers the Currency Update Service, which sends free daily currency rate updates via email, in the base currency of your choice.

Pamphlet helps legal service consumers make informed choices

Should I hire a lawyer? How do I find one? What services can I expect and how will I be charged? Not knowing the answers to these questions may prevent potential consumers of legal services from contacting a lawyer - even when it is in their best interest to do so. The State Bar Consumer Protection Committee's new pamphlet, "Hiring and Working With a Lawyer," answers these questions and more.

Thomas Zilavy, Consumer Protection Committee chair, says the committee saw a distinct need for this information. "So many people don't know the basics of engaging a lawyer. They also don't realize that they have recourse if they work with a lawyer and he or she performs poorly or unethically. This pamphlet allays their fears and lets them know what to expect."

Written by attorneys Mitchell Hagopian, Andrew Chevrez, and William Slate the publication explains: when you should consult a lawyer; how to find the best lawyer for your case; how lawyers set fees; what you should expect from your lawyer and what your lawyer will expect from you; and what happens if you disagree with your lawyer's bill or have questions about the lawyer's conduct.

"Hiring and Working with a Lawyer" joins the State Bar's 17-pamphlet consumer pamphlet series, which gives attorneys a low-cost way to dispense basic legal information to clients and the public. Titles are available in packages of 50 and are $18 for State Bar members, $20 for nonmembers.

For more information, contact the State Bar at (608) 257-3838 or (800) 728-7788.

Office Tips

Save money, time and the environment
by recycling toner cartridges

With all the document printing that goes on, many offices run through toner cartridges for their printers and copiers faster than you can say "Control-P."

Did you know you can refill and re-use your old cartridges, rather than buying new ones? According to Milwaukee attorney Diane Loftus, a company called Environmental Innovations at (414) 358-7760 not only picks up the empty cartridges and delivers filled ones, but does so for about 2/3 the price of new cartridges.

For companies in your area that recycle toner cartridges, check your phone book under "Computers - Computer Equipment - Service and Repair."

Supreme court seeks volunteers for BBE/BAPR

The Wisconsin Supreme Court seeks lawyers and nonlawyers to serve on the Board of Bar Examiners (BBE), the court agency responsible for managing admission to the practice of law, monitoring Wisconsin-licensed attorneys' CLE compliance, and approving courses for CLE credit.

In accordance with SCR 30.01, five slots on the BBE's nine-member board are filled by lawyers, the other four by judges, law school faculty, and the public. BBE members serve a maximum of two three-year terms. There currently are two openings for lawyers.

The court also seeks lawyers and nonlawyers to serve on the Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility (BAPR), the court agency that investigates grievances involving possible attorney misconduct or medical incapacity. The BAPR board and staff also participate in efforts to educate attorneys on professional responsibility.

BAPR is composed of eight lawyers and four public members; each member serves a maximum of two three-year terms. Currently, there are openings for one lawyer and one public member. BAPR meets in various locations around the state approximately every six weeks.

Applicants interested in either agency should send a cover letter and resume to the Clerk of the Supreme Court, P.O. Box 1688, Madison, WI 53701-1688. Applications will be reviewed for current openings and kept on file for future consideration.

Wisconsin Lawyer