Profiling the chief law school placement officer: Implications for student development specialists in professional school settings

Journal of College Student Development, Jan/Feb 1998 by Murray, Joseph L

Measures of professional status were also explored in relation to institutional enrollment and control. For purposes of this study, three categories of institutional control were identified: public, church-affiliated, and private nonsectarian. Because enrollment and funding sources could potentially influence institutional support for placement services in a variety of ways, relationships between the aforementioned institutional characteristics and the status of the chief placement officer were expected.

The study was undertaken with the intent of providing nonlawyers with a basis upon which to realistically appraise their prospects for satisfaction and advancement as career planning and placement professionals within American law schools and to weigh the costs and benefits of pursuing legal education should they choose to follow such a career path. Comparisons between different types of law schools were intended to enable career planning and placement officers to make informed decisions concerning their own careers, regardless of their professional backgrounds.

METHOD

Participants

The participants in the study were drawn from the 1993 National Directory of Law Schools (National Association for Law Placement, 1993), a comprehensive listing of American law schools holding institutional membership in NALP. The individual identified as the chief placement officer at each of the law schools listed in the directory was mailed a questionnaire and asked to return it in a pre-addressed stamped envelope. Of the 170 individuals invited to participate in the study, 127 (75%) returned usable questionnaires.

Instrument

The questionnaire used in this study consisted primarily of a series of limited-response items related to the characteristics of the institution, the respondent's academic and professional background, and basic information about the position of chief law school placement officer. All items pertaining to institutional characteristics, such as enrollment and control, were presented in a multiple-choice format. Five enrollment categories, ranging from 449 or less to 1,000 or more were used. Items pertaining to the respondent's background were related to formal education, licensure, membership in professional organizations, and prior work experience. These items consisted of a combination of checklists and brief informational queries. Items related to the chief law school placement officer's position addressed four general aspects: title, immediate supervisor's title, salary, and areas of responsibility. Titles of both the chief law school placement officer and his or her supervisor were provided by the respondent in written form. Salary information was provided in response to a multiple-choice item, which included eight alternatives ranging from Less than $20,000 to $50, 000 or more. The item pertaining to areas of responsibility took the form of a checklist that included 19 common student affairs functions along with blank spaces in which other functional areas could be identified.