Annual Report 2017
Table of Contents 1. A NEW BRAND OF COMMITMENT 2. ACCESSLEX CENTER FOR LEGAL EDUCATION EXCELLENCE 3. ACCESSLEX CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITY 4. ACCESSLEX IN THE NEWS 5. 2017 ANNUAL MEMBER SURVEY 6. BY THE NUMBERS 7. LOOKING AHEAD: THE 2025 PLAN 8. MEMBER LAW SCHOOLS 9. LEADERSHIP 10. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Christopher P. Chapman
Hannah R. Arterian
President and Chief Executive Officer AccessLex Institute
Board Chair Dean Emerita Syracuse University College of Law
Each year, writing the introduction to our Annual Report provides the opportunity to account for and reflect on the many activities and accomplishments of our organization over the past twelve months. It is always a satisfying exercise to take measure of how much we have done in the service of our mission to improve access, affordability and value in legal education. Still, this year feels especially gratifying. Because this year, we are reflecting for the first time on the success and momentum of AccessLex Institute. On March 1, 2017, we launched our new name and brand – AccessLex Institute. Although the name ‘Access Group’ carried with it a long and proud history as a nonprofit student loan provider, it no longer reflected our primary focus today – or for the future. Our new name borrows from the Latin word for “law” and conveys our decades-long service and ongoing commitment to law students. And the designation as an “institute” highlights our evolution as a thoughtleader in legal education and as a catalyst to empower the next generation of lawyers. With our new name came new centers of focus – the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence and the AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability.
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The AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence conducts research on the most critical issues facing legal education today and advocates for policies that make legal education work better for students and society alike. In collaboration with Gallup, Urban Institute and NACUBO, we have produced important research, and our #MakeTheCase advocacy campaign is leading the charge in galvanizing members of the law school community to take an active role in advocating for policies that benefit schools and students. The AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability offers on-campus and online financial education programming and resources to help students confidently manage their finances on their way to achieving personal and professional success. Through the work of this Center, we recently developed and launched MAX by AccessLexSM, a first-of-its-kind, multi-faceted personal finance program designed exclusively for law students. In an exciting year of change and growth, we are especially energized by the development of our 2025 Plan that outlines our organizational objectives through the middle of the next decade. Driving efforts to create an environment in which the demographics of J.D. graduating classes reflect the racial and economic diversity of the country and providing resources to help achieve a 70% first-time bar passage rate at all our Member law schools are just two of our goals. It is our belief, and the guiding principle at AccessLex Institute, that law school offers training and education that is unmatched in its quality, portability and flexibility, and creates the potential for a lifetime of personal and professional success for anyone with the motivation to achieve. Thank you for your continued support of our mission to strengthen the promise of legal education.
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A New Brand of Commitment AccessLex Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping talented, purpose-driven students find their path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled professional. In partnership with our nearly 200 Member law schools, improving access and positively influencing legal education have been at the heart of our mission since 1983. Through the work of the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence, we advocate for policies that make legal education work better for students and society alike, and we conduct research on the most critical issues facing legal education today: improving access for all students, with an emphasis on historically underrepresented minority students and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds; increasing affordability; and strengthening the value of a legal education. The AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability offers on-campus and online financial education programming and resources to help students confidently manage their finances on their way to achieving personal and professional success. This Center also provides professional development opportunities and guidance for school administrators working to improve financial education at their institutions.
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OUR PEOPLE Developing the strategy for and implementing new initiatives is the work of more than 80 employees who continue the long history of quality service for which AccessLex is known. The West Chester, Pennsylvania office is the core of the organization, with corporate operations, accounting, finance, loan operations, human resources, strategic engagement and technology services maintained and functioning from that location. It is also the administrative base for the AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability. The Center’s staff of accredited financial counselors (AFC®) are located throughout the United States. The Washington, D.C. office houses operations for the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence®.
LawyerMetrix LawyerMetrix® is a subsidiary of AccessLex that specializes in data collection and analysis. LawyerMetrix helps law firms and legal departments create data-driven strategies to address numerous complex and competitive issues including diversity, human capital management, employee engagement, lateral partner hires and market segmentation. Its Ph.D. statisticians are experts at taking the guesswork out of business strategy and human capital management to improve service delivery, profitability and efficiency. With their expansive and proprietary database, LawyerMetrix produces rigorously vetted solutions that give its clients the confidence to make tough strategic decisions. LawyerMetrix.net
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Located in our nation’s capital, the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence is the hub of our efforts to increase access, affordability and value. The Center’s focus areas include:
Actionable Data Developing and disseminating analyses, training and online tools that equip school leaders and administrators, policymakers, students and graduates to be data-informed in their decision making
Strategic Research Collecting data and conducting primary and secondary research in support of the Center’s research priorities
Outcome-driven Grantmaking Funding projects that have the potential to “move the needle” in legal education
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Programs for Diversity and Success Working to expand access to legal education for historically underrepresented minority students and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds
Policy Analysis and Issue Advocacy Identifying, analyzing and informing on policy issues that impact graduate and professional degree students and schools, and taking action accordingly
CENTER FOR LEGAL EDUCATION EXCELLENCE
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Research and Publications In 2017, the Center released reports focusing on enrollment trends, pricing, and the perceived value of legal education specifically, and graduate and professional education more broadly. The research was performed internally and in collaboration with external experts and organizations. In January, the Center released a joint research brief with the Urban Institute summarizing data on graduate school enrollment and completion over time and across a number of academic and demographic variables such as age, race/ethnicity, gender, and type of degree program. The report, Who Goes to Graduate School and Who Succeeds? is one in a series of briefs commissioned by the Center to examine issues and available data related to graduate and professional education. The 2017 Legal Education Data Deck includes the latest available data on law school admission, enrollment and bar passage. First released in April, the Data Deck’s September update features data on employment outcomes of Class of 2016 law school graduates, including employment rates, job placement by sector and type of employment and annual salaries. Since that latest release, the Data Deck is listed on two Top Ten download lists on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN): Education Research and the Law Educator e-journal. In June, the Center published a second joint research brief with the Urban Institute examining graduate and professional school prices, financial aid, enrollment and attainment. The report, “The Price of Graduate and Professional School: How Much Students Pay” looks at tuition and fees across graduate and professional degree programs, and presents graphical displays of trends over time and price variation across degree programs and school sectors. The brief also distinguishes between sticker and net prices, and describes differences in institutional grant aid across degree programs. The 2016 NACUBO/AccessLex Tuition Discounting Study of Private Law Schools was commissioned by AccessLex Institute in part to provide more recent information on tuition discounting practices at law schools, and to measure the effects of discounting on law schools’ finances. The use of institutional grant aid to attract and retain law students has become even more important, as many programs have had to grapple with declines in their numbers of applicants and enrollments. This challenging context has prompted law schools to implement a variety of practices and policies to raise their enrollments, including increasing their financial aid expenditures. The results provide compelling data for discussion of tuition discounting and other financial aid practices at law schools and present a foundation for future discussion and research efforts.
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To learn more about how the value of a law degree is currently perceived, AccessLex Institute commissioned Gallup to conduct a study of law school graduates at various stages of their careers, as well as graduates in other disciplines. The Gallup-AccessLex Institute study of Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree holders provides important insights for educators, employers, law school alumni and prospective students about the factors that contribute to great jobs, lives and experiences for law school graduates. The study builds on our Life After Law School report, by drawing from a more nationally representative sample of graduate and professional degree holders.
AccessLex believes that legal education data should be actionable and easy to use to enable schools and students to make informed decisions. To this end, the Center launched its data tools website in December 2015, providing law school data in an easily accessible format and enabling legal education stakeholders to more readily analyze, research and compare law schools. The Center rebranded these resources as Analytix by AccessLexSM in March 2017. The Center aims to continuously update and improve the Analytix tools to encourage data sharing and use among the legal education community. Most recently, the Center introduced a new social media sharing feature, allowing Analytix users to share their charts and graphs to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Analytix by AccessLex comprises four tools:
Trend Report
Download Dataset
Generates downloadable graphs and charts to display trends for a customized set of figures for one law school or in comparison to a customized group of institutions
Allows you to select and download a set of variables for multiple years in CSV and Excel formats to create your own dataset with information for all law schools
Peer Group Comparison
Side-by-Side Comparison
Produces a downloadable report comparing one law school to a customizable group of institutions across a set of figures
Creates a downloadable report comparing up to five law schools, side-by-side, across a customized set of figures
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Policy and Advocacy Improving access to legal education begins with improving education policy. That’s why our policy experts routinely meet with lawmakers, policy advocates and other influencers on behalf of law students specifically, and in the interest of legal education overall. AccessLex believes that the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) presents an opportunity to strengthen graduate and professional education to help students better manage its expense and succeed in their chosen careers. Developing and advocating for our position on key HEA components is a priority.
BANKRUPTCY AccessLex supports amending the current bankruptcy code to ease the discharge of student loans in bankruptcy proceedings.
DATA AND ACCOUNTABILITY AccessLex supports improving comprehensive higher education data for stakeholders who need this information to make crucial decisions. Students and their families need better data to help them choose the right college and program that best fits their needs. Institutions need current and robust data to effectively serve students. Policymakers need data to inform decisions related to accountability and funding.
FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM The federal student loan program should be reformed to improve access and opportunity for aspiring graduate and professional students from underrepresented minority groups and economically disadvantaged backgrounds while simultaneously promoting greater affordability for all graduate and professional students. • Congress should establish a student loan cost structure that seeks to operate in a cost-neutral manner, providing for neither profit nor loss for the federal government. • Graduate and professional students whose undergraduate degree was obtained no greater than five years prior and who have not used their maximum Pell Grant amount as undergraduates should be allowed to use the remainder of their Pell funds for graduate or professional school. • The costs associated with preparing for the test required for professional licensure should be included as a component of the cost of attendance and therefore should be eligible to be funded by the federal student loan program. • Eligibility for subsidized Stafford Loans should be reinstated for graduate and professional students from the neediest backgrounds.
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INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT Federal Direct Loan borrowers entering repayment should be eligible for a single income-driven repayment plan. Five discrete federal income-driven repayment plans, which tie a borrower’s monthly loan payment amount to their income and forgive any remaining balance after a set number of years, currently exist to help federal student loan borrowers better manage their loan repayment obligations. For example, a borrower in the Pay As You Earn plan would pay 10 percent of their discretionary income per month, and have their balance forgiven upon making 20 years of payments. While AccessLex Institute supports the intent of these plans – to ease the financial burden of borrowers – the number and details of the plans create unnecessary complexity and often lead to undue confusion for borrowers.
LOAN COUNSELING AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION Financial aid administrators at graduate and professional schools should be able to use their professional judgment to require additional loan counseling for students. The levels of borrowing incurred by many graduate and professional school students creates an imperative that they have sufficient information to make the best financial decisions.
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS AccessLex supports preserving the original intent of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and ensuring that graduate and professional students continue to receive fair treatment and ultimate forgiveness of their education debt. PSLF allows eligible borrowers who work full-time for the government or a public service employer to have the remainder of their federal Direct Loans forgiven after making 120 monthly payments. With most new lawyers carrying six-figure student loan balances at graduation, not only would employment as a public interest lawyer be less attractive without PSLF, it would not even be a consideration for many. PSLF makes it possible for law school graduates to work in public service without sacrificing their financial security and stability. Cutting PSLF would exacerbate an already overburdened system and could have a devastating effect on the communities that rely on critical services provided by PSLF recipients.
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On October 4th, President and Chief Executive Officer of AccessLex Institute, Christopher P. Chapman addressed the Department of Education directly to advocate for changes to the regulation on required student loan counseling: Since 1983, AccessLex Institute has been committed to the pursuit of these tenets on behalf of the aspiring professionals who attend our nearly 200 nonprofit and state-affiliated ABA-approved Member law schools. Our Center for Education and Financial Capability, based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, offers best-in-class financial education programming and resources to students, all free of charge. And our Center for Legal Education Excellence, based here in Washington, DC, conducts research and advocates for policies that make legal education work better for students and society alike. This mission is what brings me here today, and I thank you for this opportunity to address the Department on a matter that we find especially important. As I noted in my September 11th letter to the Department, AccessLex Institute believes that the federal regulations which limit institutions of higher education from expanding required counseling for federal student loan borrowers beyond the narrowlyscoped entrance and exit counseling requirements in the Higher Education Act is detrimental on a broad scale and should be modified to provide schools with the ability to require additional financial counseling for students. The rising cost of higher education and increased levels of student borrowing create an imperative that students have the necessary information to make the best financial decisions, and for many students, the minimum counseling requirements are simply not enough. Graduate and professional students, who as a group hold the largest loan balances upon graduation, especially need more comprehensive, frequent and customized counseling. Forty percent of the $1 trillion federal student loan debt in this country is attributable to the financing of graduate and professional degrees, with average balances substantially higher than those of undergraduates. And while these debt levels alone could warrant additional counseling, students themselves are asking for more and better financial education. In a 2017 AccessLex survey of nearly 5,000 law school students, 98% of respondents indicated an interest in having a personal finance program offered to them; 85% self-reported a grade of a B- or lower as it related to their own personal finance knowledge; and 75% are worried about their student loan debt. And that last number increases to 84% among those who have interest in pursuing public service careers. So, we know that students want and recognize the need for additional loan counseling, but the regulation as currently interpreted creates a barrier for schools to effectively provide it. Removing this barrier would allow schools to offer sufficient and timely information to borrowers – and this would not have to result in an increased burden to schools.
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Options are available to schools that include online loan counseling or partnerships with outside organizations. For example, AccessLex provides free financial education to student borrowers on topics such as financing legal education, loan repayment and budgeting.
‘‘
Most recently, we launched Max by AccessLex, a free personal finance program exclusively for law students that complements the work that schools are already doing to educate students on borrowing and loan repayment. As of today, 120 out of the 199 eligible law schools adopted this program in its first year, clearly showing that the schools also want and recognize the need for financial education. What’s more, this is also a taxpayer issue.
Among other required elements currently required under law, loan counseling must “emphasize to the borrower the seriousness and importance of the repayment obligation [that] the student borrower is assuming.” A recent Brookings Institute study found that about half of all first-year college students underestimate how much student debt they have and 14 percent of those who have student loans do not think they have any student debt at all.
Schools need the flexibility to require students to participate in loan counseling as a way to show students their cumulative debt amount and to explain their revised estimated monthly payments. This is the most obvious and direct way to emphasize and remind student borrowers of the seriousness and importance of repayment. And it is serious and important, both to borrowers for whom loan repayment affects their future financial health and security, and the nation – because unpaid student loan debt ultimately becomes taxpayer debt. While we are hopeful that Congress will consider the importance of financial literate federal loan borrowers during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and adopt changes to realign loan counseling requirements with the economic realities of the day, the substance and timing of any such changes are unknown at this point and in any case, would only occur well into the future. However, the Department has the ability act quickly to provide a simple improvement that will benefit schools, student and the American taxpayer alike. We strongly urge you to do so.
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To formalize our advocacy efforts and to provide an engagement resource for the schools and students who are most affected by these policies, the Center launched a new advocacy campaign – #MakeTheCase – to promote policy priorities related to increasing access, affordability and the value of legal education. This campaign enables Member institutions and students to take an active role in advocating for policies that would benefit law schools and their students. The campaign, which started in May, includes a suite of resources that will aid Members in their advocacy efforts, including fact sheets, tips on effective advocacy, webinars, promotional videos and a social media toolkit. More resources are forthcoming, including an interactive map that will allow users to download state-specific data that will be useful in undertaking advocacy efforts. The Center engaged in various other policy and advocacy efforts, including: • Hosted the bipartisan Road to Repayment event for
• Released white papers analyzing key higher
congressional staff on Capitol Hill about the need
education policy issues, including the loss of the
for more and better consumer information for student
in-school interest subsidy on law students.
loan borrowers. • Publicly supported bills addressing issues analyzed
• Provided public comment on crucial federal higher education activities, such as the collection of federal
by AccessLex, including simplification of income-
student loan data and the need to modify existing
driven repayment plans, greater data transparency,
loan counseling regulations.
and increased affordability for graduate and professional students.
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Outcome-Driven Grantmaking The Center takes an outcome-driven approach to grantmaking, focusing on funding projects that have the potential to “move the needle� in legal education. Therefore, our grant programs aim to fund proposals that address our funding priorities at the national level or that encompass more localized efforts that may be efficiently scaled across institutions and regions for greater impact. Measurement and evaluation are essential components for demonstrating the effectiveness and scalability of interventions, and therefore are key factors when deciding what grants we make. The Center operates four grant programs: Directed Grant Program; Diversity Pipeline Grant Program; Unsolicited Grants Program; and Research and Dissertation Fellows Program. These programs have awarded a total of nearly $5,000,000 through 44 grants since 2014.
Directed
Legal Diversity Pipeline
Ongoing, by invitation only
Annually
The Directed Grant Program is a proactive approach to our grantmaking strategy. The program supports research and projects that are highly aligned with the Center’s most pressing research priorities and strategic goals. These projects tend to have the ability to leverage other funding sources in order to have the highest level of impact.
The Legal Education Diversity Pipeline Grant Program annually awards grants to programs that conduct effective interventions and approaches to enhance access to legal education for students from diverse backgrounds, specifically historically underrepresented minority students and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Research and Dissertation Fellows
Unsolicited
Annually
Semi-annually
Launched in November 2015, the Center partnered with the Association for Institutional Research to sponsor the Research and Dissertation Fellows Program. The annual grant competition awards up to $50,000 to scholars and $25,000 to doctoral students to support year-long research projects on issues related to access, affordability and value of legal education specifically, and graduate and professional education more broadly.
The Unsolicited Grant Program allows the Center to become aware of new and innovative projects and research related to its priorities of access, affordability and the value of legal education.
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2017 Grantee Spotlight AccessLex Institute’s 2017 grant recipients include, but are not limited to, these research initiatives:
DIRECTED GRANT PROGRAM Grant Recipient
Amount
Description
University of Pennsylvania
$137,500
The Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education received a grant to support the extension of their previous market analysis of the contracting admissions market for U.S. law schools. The researchers will build upon a previous market analysis they performed.
UNSOLICITED GRANT PROGRAM Grant Recipient
Amount
Description
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
$125,000
The Indiana University Maurer School of Law will complete an analysis of data from the Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) to determine ways in which feelings of social belonging influence law student engagement and success. This grant will also support the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions aimed at increasing bar exam success among graduates sitting for the California bar exam in July 2018.
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
$95,000
The University of California, Hastings College of the Law will complete a study examining the viability of a post-baccalaureate program aimed at better preparing students from disadvantaged academic, social and economic backgrounds for law school.
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UNSOLICITED GRANT PROGRAM Grant Recipient
Title
Affiliation
Project Title
Amount
Erdal Tekin
Professor
American University
The Relative Efficacy of Adjunct Faculty in Law School Classrooms
$50,000
Hirano Okahana
Researcher
Council of Graduate Schools
A Place in Between: An Even History Analysis of Graduate and Professional Education Without a Degree Attainment and its Implications
$50,000
Gregory Wolniak
Associate Professor and Director
New York University
Strengthening the Graduate Education Pipeline Through Diversity: Examining Factors that Influence Aspirations, Enrollment, and Completion
$49,862
Robert Kelchen
Assistant Professor
Seton Hall University
Response to Federal Loan Policy Changes: Examination of the Bennett Hypothesis in Professional School Prices
$32,322
Amy Farley
Assistant Professor
University of Cincinnati
Law Student Success and Supports: Examining Bar Passage and Factors that Contribute to Student Performance
$50,000
Amy Li
Assistant Professor
University of Northern Colorado
Dollars and Sense: Student Price Sensitivity to Law School Tuition Costs
$49,423
Xueli Wang
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin
The Role of Community College Attendance in Shaping Baccalaureate Recipients’ Access to Graduate and Professional Education
$49,999
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AccessLex Legal Education Research Symposium In November, AccessLex Institute hosted its 3rd Annual Legal Education Research Symposium. Each year, the Symposium offers law school deans, administrators, faculty and researchers opportunities to engage in thought-provoking discussions about issues and developments in legal education, network with colleagues from across the nation, and meet scholars producing the latest research in the field. Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, President of University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMBC), delivered this year’s opening keynote and discussed the societal impact of American higher education over the past 50 years. Deborah Jones Merritt, the John Deaver DrinkoBaker & Hostetler Chair in Law at The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, delivered the closing keynote and addressed the responsibility of law schools to promote access, affordability and value of legal education. The Symposium is held annually in conjunction with the AccessLex Graduate and Professional Financial Aid Conference. The 2018 event will be held November 11-12 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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AccessLex Institute recognizes that challenges related to legal education and subsequent professional success aren’t just about academics. Rising law school costs, increasing student loan debt (now at an average of $140k including undergraduate and law school debt) and stagnant salary levels impact access to legal education on the front end and important job decisions on the back end. A primary component of our mission is to improve access to law school for all students, with an emphasis on historically underrepresented minority students and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, because when those students go to law school and become lawyers, they not only can succeed personally and professionally, but can add needed diversity and first-hand understanding to communities under-served by the legal profession. In that spirit, this year we launched our signature personal finance program, MAX by AccessLex, a first-of-its-kind, multi-faceted tool designed exclusively for law students to drive the knowledge gain and behavior change that is essential to their financial well-being.
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CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITY
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To ensure that MAX would truly engage students and increase their financial knowledge and decision-making skills, AccessLex Institute initiated a pilot program to test specific program elements and delivery mechanisms. Beginning in the fall of 2016, we collaborated with law school administrators and students to build an outcome-based program to increase the financial capability of the law school student community. By April 2017, more than 5,000 law students and administrators at over 40 law schools had participated in the pilot program’s focus groups and surveys. Participants generously offered their insight on everything from financial knowledge and current financial behaviors to what schools and students want–and need–in a personal finance program. The feedback was outstanding — and very revealing. Of the students surveyed: • 26% don’t budget or track their spending
• 70% feel stressed about personal finance finances
• 40% worry about being able to pay for their monthly expenses
• 77% are worried about their student debt growing
• 49% leave a balance on their credit card(s) each month
• 85% give themselves a B- or lower grade on their personal financial knowledge
Overall, a staggering 98% of student respondents saw benefit in a personal finance program–and would be thankful to have their institution provide one for them. With this information–and much more from students and administrators about specific elements that would be impactful and engaging in a personal finance program–the pilot provided clear confirmation of the need for a program that would help to build financial capability and how best to develop it.
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Much of the MAX curriculum is delivered online, which is necessary to provide learning opportunities on-the-go and in short, manageable segments. But research indicates, and the responses from the MAX pilot program confirmed, that meaningful knowledge gain and behavior change are more likely to occur when learning is supported through multiple channels and with varied touchpoints. For this reason, MAX includes:
MAX In-Person Workshops
MAX Online
Fall and Spring workshops highlight topics covered in the Fall/Spring online learning paths. MAX Coaches work with school administrators to select the best opportunities on campus for these workshops, even customizing multiple sessions to address different student demographic needs.
MAX Online is the personal finance curriculum and resource center. This interactive environment allows students to personalize their experience and track their progress throughout the program.
MAX Talks These high-energy webinars and podcasts focus on single topics (foundational, special interest and hot topic tracks). MAX Talks appear on the calendar and in MAX paths online for easy sign-up and viewing.
MAX Coaching Students can access one-on-one financial coaching with our AFC® -accredited MAX Coaches. MAX Coaching sessions are offered virtually or onsite in conjunction with MAX Workshops–or at other prescheduled times throughout the year.
MAX Monthly This monthly newsletter reinforces MAX content and encourages relevant and timely actions toward specific personal financial goals. MAX by AccessLex for first-year law students (1Ls) was made available for registration to Member law schools in the summer of 2017– and currently, 120 law schools and their students are using the program successfully. MAX for second- and third-year law students will launch in Fall 2018 and Fall 2019, respectively. 1Ls participating in the 2017-2018 program will move on to the curriculum customized for 2Ls beginning in Fall 2018 as a new cohort of 1Ls are introduced to MAX. Fall 2019 will mark the first full iteration of the 1L-2L-3L track with the first MAX students graduating in Spring 2020. First-year law students (1L) participating in the 2017-2018 program will move on to the curriculum customized for 2Ls beginning in Fall 2018 as a new cohort of 1Ls are introduced to MAX. Fall 2019 will mark the first full iteration of the 1L-2L-3L track with the first MAX students graduating in Spring 2020.
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Publications, Products and Services
AccessLex has been offering a free student loan helpline, AccessConnex by AccessLexSM, since 2014. The AccessConnex service is available via a toll-free call-in line, email or live chat and beginning in 2017, by appointment as well. Students can choose the day, time and specific coach they would like to speak with up to one month in advance. Coaching calls cover a variety of topics – from budgeting to credit to student loan repayment vs. investment decisions. Staffed by our Education Services team, who all hold their Accredited Financial Counselor (AFCŽ) designations, these valuable conversations focus on individual needs and strategies to meet personal goals.
Although helping law students succeed has always been at the core of our mission, we believe that guiding students before they make the decision to pursue their law school degree is key. Providing resources and support for undergraduate students and advisors, and presenting workshops at pre-law fairs and for other student groups, is part of our expanding effort to ensure that students have the information they need to make that transition. Our growing suite of resources covers the student life cycle from pre-enrollment into the professional transition. This includes popular options for pre-law students such as Financing Your Legal Education as well as tips for helping graduating students focus on their student loan options in Road to Zero: A Strategic Approach to Student Loan Repayment.
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ACCESSLEX GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL AID CONFERENCE AccessLex Institute celebrated the 30th anniversary of its flagship Graduate and Professional Financial Aid Conference in November. This engaging professional development event gathers administrators in graduate and professional financial aid, admissions, and career and student services. From financial aid regulations to personal finance and student success, the Conference continues to burnish its distinct legacy as a unique opportunity for administrators from all graduate and professional school disciplines to network with peers and colleagues from across the country and to learn from national and regional experts in the field. The 2018 Annual Conference is scheduled for November 12-14 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
AND
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AccessLex In The News AccessLex Institute garnered press coverage from a number of reputable sources in 2017, asserting itself as a prestigious organization within the industry. These publications include national news outlets and top-tier law journals.
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Proposals to rein in federal spending should balance cost savings with the need to invest in critically important aspects of our society. In a democracy, access to financial resources should not be a prerequisite of access to justice — or health care, or high-quality education. - Christopher P. Chapman, President and Chief Executive Officer, AccessLex Institute - “Scrapping Loan Forgiveness For Public Servants Hurts Our Democracy,” The Hill (November 1, 2017)
For disadvantaged students, higher education is the surest path to socioeconomic advancement, but the path is fraught with risks. These students must essentially gamble on themselves and on the chances that they will be able to repay their loans and reap worthwhile payoffs beyond their obligations. Student loan forgiveness provisions are intended to spread some of these risks across society, given the reams of data confirming the broad public benefits of an educated citizenry. - Aaron N. Taylor, Executive Director, AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence - “Why Student Loan Forgiveness is a Social Justice Issue,” The National Jurist (June 5, 2017)
Taking the stress of having to pay for law school off the table can help you focus on your academics and pursue maximum success. That’s definitely worth a lot, but it’s always worth looking at the bigger picture. Check bar-passage rates, employment rates, areas of legal specialization, internship opportunities and the state you want to practice in. - Lyssa Thaden, Managing Director, AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability - “Crush Student Debt (before it crushes you)”, PreLaw Magazine (Fall 2017)
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NBC NEWS
NATIONAL JURIST
Harvard Law School Accepting the GRE Could Lead to Sweeping Changes
Why Student Loan Forgiveness is a Social Justice Issue
By Safia Samee Ali | March 11, 2017
By Aaron Taylor | June 5, 2017
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT
NATIONAL JURIST
Infographic: Compare Different Types of Law School Loans
New AccessLex Program Seeks To Help Law Students Stressed About Finances
By Farran Powell | March 30, 2017
By Tyler Roberts | June 16, 2017
ABOVE THE LAW
ABA JOURNAL
Trump White House Lawyers: How Much Are They Worth?
Charlotte School Of Law Receives State License Restrictions...
By David Lat | April 4, 2017
By Stephanie Francis Ward | June 22, 2017
LAW.COM
CNBC
Forget Torts. New Nationwide Program Teaches Law Students About Personal Finance
Student Loan Services Might Give You Wrong Information About This Federal Benefit
By Karen Sloan | May 11, 2017
By Tom Anderson | June 25, 2017
NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
Trump’s Bid To Axe Public Service Loan Forgiveness Would Sever Lifeline...
How To Go To Law School For Free
By Karen Sloan | May 24, 2017
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By Ilana Kowarski | June 28, 2017
FORBES
ABA JOURNAL
Millennials Are Changing The Legal Profession In An Unexpected Way
Is Department of Education Data on Student Loan Defaults an Accurate Reflection of Law Schools
By Wes Gay | June 28, 2017
By Stephanie Francis Ward | October 2, 2017
LAW.COM
LAW TECHNOLOGY TODAY
It’s a Stretch, But Law Students Could Get Subsidized Loans Again
Five Tips To Help Conquer Law School Debt By Lyssa Thaden | October 3, 2017
By Karen Sloan | June 29, 2017
ABOVE THE LAW
LAW 360
STEM Majors Who Excel on the LSAT Have No Interest In Law School
Time to Lift Student Loan Counseling Restrictions By Christopher P. Chapman | October 13, 2017
By Staci Zaretsky | July 20, 2017
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
LAW 360
Less Competitive Law School Admissions a Boon for Applicants
Law Schools Support Tuition Discounts Despite Revenue Drop
By Ilana Kowarski | August 8, 2017
By Adam Rhodes | October 26, 2017
PRELAW MAGAZINE
THE HILL
Crush Student Debt (before it crushes you)
Scrapping Loan Forgiveness For Public Servants Hurts Our Democracy
By Tyler Roberts | Fall 2017
By Christopher P. Chapman | November 1, 2017
AccessLex.org 31
2017 Annual Member Survey Since 2014, AccessLex has conducted an annual survey of our Member law schools to measure familiarity with our organization and its history; awareness of our current service offerings; and perception of our strengths and opportunities for improvement. The survey is administered by the National Business Research Institute (NBRI), an independent research company. For the second consecutive year, AccessLex showed significant statistical increases in satisfaction in all areas surveyed, including:
32 AccessLex Institute
• Company Image
• Product/Service Performance
• Communications
• Customer Loyalty
This continued improvement and progress once again earned AccessLex Institute the NBRI Circle of Excellence Award, bestowed upon companies that score at or above the 75th percentile in performance levels, and that have shown improvement of five or more benchmarking percentiles in total Company score over the previous survey. This prestigious award is tangible evidence of the organization’s dedication to the highest levels of employee engagement and customer satisfaction. With the data and free-form comments adding perspective to discussions related to AccessLex Institute’s planned activities for the future, this annual survey has become an increasingly important tool for us to understand the needs of our constituencies and value of our services.
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By The Numbers Prudent financial management is a core operating principle at AccessLex Institute, ensuring the continuous funding of our mission-based activities and the retention of resources for future strategic endeavors. In practice, this means that our assets are managed in a manner that increases available capital, provides sufficient liquidity and preserves the flexibility to adapt to current and future challenges. In this way, AccessLex Institute can maximize the resources available to support our philanthropic activities.
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CASH & INVESTMENTS (unrestricted)
NET ASSETS
$10B $9B $8B $7B $6B $5B $4B
$8.8B
$8.2B $7.2B
$7.7B
$
$6.3B
$6.8B $5.7B
$5.1B
$6.3B
$5.7B
$4.5B
$5.1B
$4.6B
$3.9B
$3B $2B $1B 0
NET STUDENT LOANS OUTSTANDING
TOTAL ASSETS
AccessLex.org 35
Looking Ahead: The 2025 Plan To most efficiently and successfully move our priorities forward, AccessLex has developed its 2025 Plan. This plan focuses the strategic vision into actionable and measurable objectives, goals and strategies, creating pathways and waypoints to ensure AccessLex Institute remains on track to succeed in its pursuit.
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By defining our goals through the middle of the next decade, this roadmap will inform our top level and departmental activities and our financial outlays on an annual basis over the next several years as we embark on a quest to materially and measurably increase:
• Access to legal education and levels of success for minorities and economically disadvantaged populations; • First-time bar exam passage among all law students; • Availability and use of data to further legal education’s value; and • The financial capability and success of law students.
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Reaching New Heights With funding committed to this effort, representing a magnitude and consistency never before endeavored in legal education, AccessLex Institute will strive to achieve the following objectives:
Bar Success 70% first-time bar passage rate at each member law school.
Diversity J.D. graduating classes reflect the racial and economic diversity of the country.
Actionable Data All data necessary to effectively inform empirical research relating to legal education and decision-making by schools, students, policymakers and other stakeholders are centralized, cogently organized and accessible.
Financial Education All prospective and current law students are offered best-in-class resources to maximize their financial capability and success.
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INSTRUMENTS FOR PLAN SUCCESS 1. Research, both internal and commissioned 2. Public policy development and issue advocacy 3. Data and information clearinghouse operations 4. Grant programs and competitions 5. Convening, professional development and partnerships 6. Public education and communication
These ambitious goals reflect the intended reach of our mission and formalize our resolve towards real-world impact in the legal education community. With this plan, AccessLex will put extensive resources, both financial and reputational, behind our drive to lead an ever-evolving industry into the years and decades ahead.
AccessLex.org 39
8 40 AccessLex Institute
AccessLex Institute Member Law Schools AccessLex Institute is uniquely poised and unreservedly dedicated to helping our Member schools find effective ways to support students and enrich the value of the education they provide.
The University of Akron School of Law The University of Alabama School of Law Albany Law School American University Washington College of Law Appalachian School of Law The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School Brooklyn Law School
University of Chicago Law School University of Cincinnati College of Law
University at Buffalo School of Law
The City University of New York School of Law
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
University of California, Davis School of Law
University of Colorado Law School
University of California, Hastings School of Law
Columbia Law School Concordia University School of Law
University of Arkansas School of Law
University of California, Irvine School of Law
University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law
University of California, Los Angeles School Of Law
Creighton University School of Law
Ave Maria School of Law
California Western School of Law
University of Dayton School of Law
University of Baltimore School of Law
Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law
University of Denver Sturm College of Law
Capital University Law School
DePaul University College of Law
Case Western Reserve University Franklin T. Backus School of Law
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law
University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law
Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law
Drake University Law School
Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law Baylor Law School Belmont University College of Law Boston College Law School Boston University School of Law
University of Connecticut School of Law Cornell Law School
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Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
Georgia State University College of Law
Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law
Duke University School of Law
Golden Gate University School of Law
The University of Iowa College of Law
Duquesne University School of Law
Gonzaga University School of Law
The John Marshall Law School
Elon University School of Law
Harvard Law School
University of Kansas School of Law
Emory University School of Law
University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law
University of Kentucky College of Law
Faulkner University Thomas Goode Jones School of Law
University of La Verne College of Law
Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law
Lewis & Clark Law School
University of Houston Law Center
Liberty University School of Law
Florida A&M University College of Law
Howard University School of Law
Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law
Florida International University College of Law
University of Idaho College of Law
University of Florida Frederic G. Levin College of Law
Florida State University College of Law Fordham University School of Law George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School The George Washington University Law School Georgetown University Law Center University of Georgia School of Law
42 AccessLex Institute
Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Law
Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Indiana University Robert C. McKinney School of Law
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law University of Maine School of Law
Marquette University Law School
University of Nebraska College of Law
Notre Dame Law School
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
University of Nevada Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law
University of Massachusetts School of Law – Dartmouth
New England Law | Boston
Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law
The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
University of New Hampshire School of Law
Mercer University School of Law
University of New Mexico School of Law
University of Miami School of Law
New York Law School
University of Michigan Law School
New York University School of Law
Michigan State University College of Law
University of North Carolina School of Law
University of Minnesota Law School
North Carolina Central University School of Law
Mississippi College School of Law
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law University of Oklahoma College of Law Oklahoma City University School of Law University of Oregon School of Law Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
University of Mississippi School of Law
University of North Dakota School of Law
University of Missouri School of Law
Northeastern University School of Law
Penn State Dickinson Law
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
Northern Illinois University College of Law
University of Pennsylvania Law School
Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Northern Kentucky University Chase College of Law
University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
Penn State Law
Pepperdine University School of Law University of Pittsburgh School of Law Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law
AccessLex.org 43
University of Puerto Rico School of Law Quinnipiac University School of Law Regent University School of Law University of Richmond School of Law Roger Williams University School of Law
University of Southern California Gould School of Law Southern Illinois University School of Law Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law Southern University Law Center
University of Texas School Of Law Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law Texas Tech University School of Law Thomas Jefferson School of Law The University of Toledo College of Law
Rutgers Law School
Southwestern Law School
Saint Louis University School of Law
St. John’s University School of Law
Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
Samford University Cumberland School of Law
St. Mary’s University School of Law
Tulane University Law School
St. Thomas University School of Law
The University of Tulsa College of Law
University of San Diego School of Law University of San Francisco School of Law
University of St. Thomas School of Law Stanford Law School
The University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law
Santa Clara University School of Law
Stetson University College of Law
Valparaiso University Law School
Seattle University School of Law
Suffolk University Law School
Vanderbilt University Law School
Seton Hall University School of Law
Syracuse University College of Law
Vermont Law School
University of South Carolina School of Law
Temple University Beasley School of Law
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
University of South Dakota School of Law
University of Tennessee College of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
Texas A&M University School of Law
Wake Forest University School of Law
South Texas College of Law Houston
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Washburn University School of Law
Yale Law School
Washington University School of Law
Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
University of Washington School of Law Washington and Lee School of Law Wayne State University Law School West Virginia University College of Law Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School Western New England University School of Law Western State College of Law Whittier Law School Widener University Commonwealth Law School Widener University Delaware Law School Willamette University College of Law William & Mary Law School University of Wisconsin Law School University of Wyoming College of Law
AccessLex.org 45
Leadership
46 AccessLex Institute
Executive Management Christopher P. Chapman President and Chief Executive Officer
Aaron N. Taylor
Executive Director, AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence Â
Charles Albano
Cynthia Cassity
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Vice President Education and Strategic Engagement
Debra C. Swartz
James Cassity
Senior Vice President General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
David Getty
Vice President Risk Management and Financial Analysis
David Ramage
Vice President Investments and Corporate Development
Vice President Information Technology
AccessLex.org 47
Board Of Directors
48 AccessLex Institute
Hannah R. Arterian Board Chair Dean Emerita Syracuse University College of Law
W.H. Knight, Jr. Board Vice Chair Distinguished Academic in Residence Seattle University School of Law
Robert K. Rasmussen Board Secretary and Treasurer J. Thomas McCarthy Trustee Chair in Law and Political Science University of Southern California Gould School of Law
David A. Brennen
Dean and Professor of Law University of Kentucky College of Law
Christopher P. Chapman
Mary Crossley
Austen L. Parrish
Mark C. Dawkins
Ralph D. Sinsheimer
Professor of Law University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Dean and Professor of Accountancy University of North Florida Coggin College of Business
Dean and James H. Rudy Professor of Law Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Co-founder and Managing Director of The Solaris Group LLC
William K.S. Wang
Chris Guthrie
Dean and John Wade-Kent Syverud Professor of Law Vanderbilt Law School
Emeritus Honorable Raymond Sullivan Professor of Law University of California Hastings College of the Law
The Hon. Clarine Nardi Riddle
Counsel at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP
Maureen A. O’Rourke
Dean and Professor of Law Michaels Faculty Research Scholar Boston University School of Law
President and Chief Executive Officer AccessLex Institute
AccessLex.org 49
10 North High Street, Suite 400, West Chester, PA 19380 440 First Street NW, Suite 550, Washington, D.C. 20001 AccessLex.org