Reviews for Free but Regulated: Conflicting Traditions in Media Law - Daniel L. Brenner - Hardcover

The average rating for Free but Regulated: Conflicting Traditions in Media Law - Daniel L. Brenner - Hardcover based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-06-11 00:00:00 William Patt Instead of reading this book, you might be better off reading Robert W. Gordon's review of it. It's called BARGAINING WITH THE DEVIL and was published in the Harvard Law Review. A quick google search will take you there. You'll still get the major points, the overall narrative, but you'll also get some historical perspective and suggested articles and books for further reading on points that might interest you. The book itself is a bit tedious because it's mainly just a list of all the classes he took and all the job interviews he went to during law school. Kahlenberg doesn't bring a lot of research or insight into the themes he discusses. Instead, he tends to whine a lot about things. It can become pretty annoying to read. So just read Gordon's review. I don't think you'll miss out on anything. Well, actually, you won't get the interesting transcription of a voicemail his friend George left him. This is at the beginning of chapter 10. He asks his friend, a lawyer at big firm, which areas of big law practice are most enjoyable. His friend leaves him a message that explains that every practice area in big law is just a different way for corporations to take money from workers. It's a clear, enlightening, and pithy message. George ends the message by saying, "I think they're all enjoyable, you fascist pig. Bye-bye." Beyond the book being tedious, it's often just immature. At first, his frustration with his world and the attitudes of faculty and students is compelling and understandable, but when he begins to whine over how studying the law is boring and too detail-oriented, it's like yeah I get you hate this environment, so why did you go to HLS? Why didn't you go to the Kennedy school if that's what you wanted to do? He argues against corporate law practice, but then he also dismisses a lot of non-corporate law jobs as being no better than social work. The book loses credibility once he says that since his whole argument is that there are not many non-corporate jobs for lawyers fresh out of law school. There are. He just thinks these jobs are beneath him. Instead of getting a law degree and thinking how he can help people with it, he gets a law degree and says, who's gonna pay me to sit around all day and write about my opinions on politics? This book has decent insights here and there, but for the most part, it is dull and immature and probably not worth your time.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-09-30 00:00:00 Delmer Sloan What an enjoyable and timely read! My brother suggested this book to me after meeting Kahlenberg's daughter at school. He was telling her about the need to convince his older brother, me, to avoid the corporate law path and stick to both his and my ideals of using a legal education for the public interest. She suggested to him that I take a look at 'Broken Contracts,' her father's memoir about his battle with the seemingly inextricable pull of big salaries, prestigious positions and corporate comfort that confront law students at every turn. Kahlenberg denies trying to persuade or lure anyone into public service, but rather puts his experience forth to show the struggle that many law students face, and to assure them that they are not, or will not be, alone. From his first day of class to accepting his firth post-grad job, Kahlenberg does just that. Condensing three years of legal education down to a readable 200 or so pages would be no easy feat. Nevertheless, 'Broken Contracts' is interesting, exciting and relevant the whole way through. Kahlenberg invites readers into each of his classes and, more importantly, into the numerous job fairs, lectures, presentations and club meetings that guide his, and many other law students' career decisions. The issues that Kahlenberg faces are clearly trying and understandably confusing. How can a law professor who has never worked outside of a firm or academia preach the values of public service? How come the majority of law students speak of obtaining a legal education for use in the public sphere yet only three years later, almost all of them have committed to serving the interest of the corporate elites, taking a fat paycheck in exchange for meaningful work? 'Broken Contract' is a wonderfully honest picture of what to expect at law school and a primmer for the challenges that a student will face, not necessarily in the classroom but in the back of one's own mind!