In the complaint, Alaburda is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation and the violation of several California statutes.
Specifically, according to the June 1st courthousenews.com article, ''Class Action Blasts San Diego's Thomas Jefferson School of Law'', the complaint states: ''After reviewing the 2003 edition of U.S. News & World Report 'Best Graduate Schools,' among others, as well as TJSL's marketing brochures and website, she decided to enroll at TJSL. Plaintiff relied on representations made by TJSL concerning its post-graduation employment rates, including a representation made in the 2003 edition of U.S. News & World Report 'Best Graduate Schools,' indicating that 80.1 percent of students were 'employed nine months after graduation.' Plaintiff reasonably interpreted these figures to mean that the vast majority of TJSL graduates would find employment as full-time attorneys.''
After sending out over 150 resumes, Alaburda said she only received one offer of employment ''which was less favorable than non-law-related jobs that were available to her'', according to the courthousenews.com article. Currently, she works part-time reviewing documents for attorneys.
''It's just sort of bewildering: that is the best word I can come up with,'' Beth Kransberger, associate dean for student affairs at Thomas Jefferson, was quoted as saying about Alaburda’s lawsuit in the June 3rd 760kfmb.com article, ''Local law school grad sues her alma mater for $50 million''.
In the same article, career counselor Judy Kaplan Baron was quoted as saying: ''It is the responsibility of the person who is paying so much for an education to figure out what they're going to be able to do with it. That is going in with your eyes open: I guess it's a very expensive life lesson.''
One final note: perhaps biting the hand that might potentially feed you isn’t the best strategy, legal or otherwise, for a future career in law, or otherwise.
