bob tarantino

Facebook Friends

The posts at Volokh and at PrawfsBlawg about the "ethics" of law professors (and academics more generally) being "Facebook friends" with their students has prompted long strands of commentary at both sites.  One matter of the debate which seems not to have been articulated is that Facebook is simply a platform for relationships - not a new relationship in and of itself.  To the extent that there are "ethical" or other professional concerns with relationships between professors and students, they apply in exactly the same fashion whether the relationship exists on Facebook or not.  If a friendship or relationship would be inappropriate when taking place in the student lounge, then that same friendship or relationship would inappropriate, and to the exact same extent, if it takes place on Facebook.  I think there's decent reasons for professors and students to preserve their social interactions at some distance, but Facebook has no bearing on that conclusion.

"this course is unique"

Jeremy de Beer offers a look at the kind of innovation which can be unleashed when a motivated prof meets enabling technology.  Looks awesome.  What's particularly interesting is that the course he is offering ("Global Intellectual Property Policy and Social Justice") is a first year course, part of "an innovative curriculum reform at the University of Ottawa" - whereas traditionally first year course offerings are limited to "black letter" law (e.g., contracts, torts, criminal, etc.), it looks like Ottawa is trying to broaden the palette.  It will be interesting to see how that works out (assuming any kind of programmatic review is being undertaken).

Choosing a Law School

Olaf, he of The Prairie Wrangler, has options to attend at a slew of law schools, prompting the question(s):

I need to know which one is better.  In particular, would obtaining a degree from one or the other help smooth my transition into furthering my education?  So, if I wanted to apply to Harvard or Oxford three years down the road, would it make any difference whatsoever which of the two Canadian schools I chose?  Conversely, I’ve gotten a bunch of fee waivers from some US top 14 law schools: which would be considered more prestigious/substantial in an international setting: a University of Michigan or Northwestern JD degree, or a University of Toronto Degree?  Would it even make any difference?  And so on.

A flood of comments, including one from me, ensues.  A number of pertinent considerations are raised by a variety of commenters, so for anyone who is in a similar position, i.e., trying to decide amongst which law schools to attend - or graduate schools more generally, it's well worth a gander.