A "Mean Hard Place"? Law Students Tell it as it is

Abstract

Empirical research carried out in the US in the last 10-15 years reveals that law students are generally dissatisfied with their experiences there. The negative effects of legal education are particularly marked for female students. This study, carried out at Victoria University of Wellington in late 2004 seeks to replicate earlier United States studies and queries whether the influx of female students into law school in the past ten years has effected any change in how law school is experienced. It asks: how comfortable are students with lecturer interactions inside and outside the classroom? with student interactions? how attached are they to their law school? why did they come to law school and how do they feel about their performance while there?