It’s been 20 years since I started law school. Seems like not much has changed in the law school curriculum. First-year students still take the same courses in a competitive setting.
But I have noticed two notable changes. First are the prices of law school casebooks. When I went to law school, new casebooks cost $60 to $80 per course, and some of them required you to purchase supplements which cost $20 to $30. Optional study aids also cost extra. It wasn’t too bad for my first year because some of the books lasted the entire year. But the rest required a casebook for a one-semester class and, in most cases, we didn’t use the whole book.
Today, law school casebooks cost, on average, $250 per course. You can easily spend $1,500 per year on books alone. But unlike in my time, books can also be rented (usually for 50% to 70% of the purchase price), which makes me wonder if the cost reduction is worth it, especially if you are expected to keep the book clean and unmarked.
The second change is the wealth of information available on the internet. Twenty years ago, it was difficult to find a case brief or course outline on the internet. And the few that were available probably weren’t compatible with your classes. Also, there was no social media like Facebook and Twitter/X, so people couldn’t have discussions online. Instead, they had to have respectful conversations in person.
Today, there are a variety of course outlines and case briefs available on the web. Some professors and law schools even provide them on their websites. For those who want a supplemental lecture on a topic, they might be able to find it on YouTube. If some people are really stumped, they can go to social media or dedicated discussion websites like Reddit where others can provide additional help.
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https://abovethelaw.com/2023/09/do-law-school-casebooks-have-a-future/
