How Critical Legal Studies Transformed Law Schools with Rebecca Roiphe | Ep 28

What happens when the principles of law clash with evolving ideologies in academia? Join us today as we delve into the transformative journey of legal education with Rebecca Roiphe, a lawyer, visiting fellow at the Siegel Center for Academic Pluralism, and author of the upcoming book, "The Devil's Advocate: How Law Schools Abandoned the Law."

In this compelling episode, Rebecca Roiphe outlines the transformative shifts within legal education over the past fifty years, moving from a focus on rigorous professional training to a mission oriented towards achieving social justice through law. This transformation is significantly influenced by the Critical Legal Studies (CLS) movement, which posits that law is not a neutral framework but rather a tool manipulable by those in power. Rebecca provides a nuanced exploration of how CLS morphed from an intellectual movement into a dominant force in contemporary legal education and its broader implications on the legal profession and democracy.

In This Episode:
💥 The transformation of legal education over the past fifty years
💥 Impact of the Critical Legal Studies (CLS) movement on law schools
💥 The evolving mission of law schools from professional training to social justice
💥 Intellectual origins and key figures in CLS
💥 Challenges within the legal profession due to ideological siloing
💥 Implications for the rule of law and democracy

About Rebecca:
Rebecca Roiphe is a Trustee Professor of Law at New York Law School, focusing on the history and ethics of the legal profession. She has clerked for the First Circuit US Court of Appeals and served as a prosecutor in Manhattan. Her research examines the recent history of law school curricula, particularly how legal education has fostered viewpoint homogeneity.

Her upcoming book, The Devil's Advocate: How Law Schools Abandon the Law, will trace changes in American legal education over the past fifty years, highlighting the shift from rigorous training for a service profession to promoting a social justice agenda. Rebecca argues that law schools have moved away from open debate and professional training, contributing to a decline in democratic principles and individual liberty. Her opinion pieces appear in various outlets, and she is a sought-after expert on legal ethics and criminal justice.

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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:19 Transformation of Legal Education
02:46 Rise of Critical Legal Studies
05:09 Main Ideas of Critical Legal Studies
07:10 American Legal Realism Prelude
10:40 CLS's Radical Intellectual Roots
14:42 CLS and Legal Education Culture
24:54 Implications for Legal Profession
28:52 Law Schools and Social Justice
37:46 Broader Impact on Democracy
43:28 Optimism for the Future of Law Schools