The Berkeley Center for Law, Business and the Economy will be hosting “The Economic Value of a Law Degree” on Thursday, September 12th at 12:45p. The event is co-sponsored by the Berkeley Business Law Journal and will take place at the Boalt Hall School of Law. Registration is suggested (sign up here).
How much is a law degree worth? Prof. Simkovic will present his research into the market value of a law degree. His study, co-authored with Frank McIntyre, is one of the first to examine the issue since the financial crisis. Through US Census data and statistical techniques from labor economics, Simkovic will present his conclusions on the average lifetime earnings of a law degree compared to a bachelor’s degree. Simkovic’s methods have generated significant controversy, and an ongoing battle in the press and the academy.
Simkovic’s paper is available here, and the powerpoint presentation from the American Law & Economics Association Conference is available here. The debate between Simkovic & McIntyre and their critics can be followed on Brian Leiter’s Law School Reports.