Whither 3L?

"Some Question Third Year of Law School ." Count me among them. The conventional wisdom in the law school community is as follows:

• In the first year they scare you to death.
• In the second year they work you to death.
• In the third year they bore you to death.

By the end of the second year, law students are trained to a point where they could easily learn more on the job than in classroom, and can actually contribute something of value.

So why doesn't the ABA support the elimination of the third year? My hardly original theory is that an extended degree program keeps the demand for legal education down a bit. This in turn limits the supply of attorneys, helping to protect their prestige and income.