Not directly assessment-related, but I thought I would share that Jennifer Bard (Cincinnati) and I have an op-ed in the Washington Post about access-to-justice. Drawing on an analogy to medicine, we argue:

Professionals must first acknowledge that not every legal task must be performed by a licensed lawyer. Instead, we need to adopt a tiered system of legal-services delivery that allows for lower barriers to entry. Just as a pharmacist can administer vaccines and a nurse practitioner can be on the front line of diagnosing and treating ailments, we should have legal practitioners who can also exercise independent judgment within the scope of their training. Such a change would expand the preparation and independence of the existing network of paralegals, secretaries and investigators already assisting lawyers.

This creates greater, not fewer, opportunities for law schools, which should provide a range of educational opportunities, from short programs for limited license holders to Ph.D.’s for those interested in academic research.

Enjoy the article!