HLS Graduate Criticizes School

Richard D. Kahlenberg '85, the author of Broken Contract: A Memoir of Harvard Law School, criticized the Law School for steering students toward corporate law instead of public service in a speech at Pound Hall last night.

"Many first-year law students enter wanting to be Atticus Finch and leave wanting to be Arnie Becker," Kahlenberg said, referring to the idealistic lawyer in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and the materialistic lawyer in NBC's "L.A. Law."

Although Kahlenberg, who graduated from the Law School in 1989, admits that money is a big factor in the lure of large law firms, he holds the Law School at least partly responsible.

"Despite reforms in legal education, Harvard Law still makes students feel insecure," Kahlenberg said.

"This insecurity leaves students more open to wooing from corporate firms that make you feel wonderful," he said.

A Stone Wall

Kahlenberg also complained about Law School professors' use of the Socratic teaching method, in which teachers elucidate concepts by questioning students. Kahlenberg said this practice made him "uneasy" about coming to class when he was a law student.

In addition, he said that there is far too little interaction between students and faculty at the Law School. "I felt like I was running against a stone wall," he said.

Kahlenberg suggested several reforms of the school's educational approach, including de-emphasizing grades by adopting a policy similar to that of Yale Law School, which does not count first-semester grades.

He also called on professors to assign more interesting readings in more manageable amounts.

Kahlenberg also advocated surcharges for large law firms that recruit on campus and greater support from the school for students interested in public service careers.