National trends showing a decline in law school enrollment have colleges and universities like Loyola struggling to keep up their application numbers.

In 2013, first-year enrollment at law schools dropped 11 percent, a level not seen since the 1970s, according to the American Bar Association.

In Louisiana, Loyola University College of Law was the only school that saw an increase, rising from 237 students in 2012 to 240 last year. Tulane University saw a decline of 13 percent, while Louisiana State University saw a decline of 11 percent. Southern University Law Center experienced the largest drop of approximately 16 percent.

Forrest Stanford, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, said most schools like Loyola are beginning to make accommodations for smaller enrollment numbers.

Stanford said the level of legal education enrollments will not rise again because the jobs have not come back to the levels of the pre-recession era. Schools are continuing to downsize, class sizes are getting smaller and the staff is shrinking as people retire and move on, he said.

“We all have to deal with budgets and revenue,” Stanford said.

This year, there were approximately 25,000 legal jobs available, while the number of graduates re- mains at 50,000.

According to the American Bar Association, the average education debt for law graduates at private schools last year was nearly $125,000, a 17.6 percent increase from the prior year.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the average starting salary earned by lawyers in the public sector was $49,891. The starting pay of those in the private sector was $84,111, according to the National Association of Legal Career Professionals.

Chris Brehm, a law student who studies tax law and plans to graduate this month, said the decline in the economy did not affect his decision to go to law school at all. Brehm said he knew it was something he wanted to pursue, regard- less of the economy or lack of jobs.

Amelia Hoppe, a current law student hoping to be a juvenile attorney, said the job prospects are bleak, especially for someone who is interested in public interest law.

However, Hoppe plans to take the bar examination in July and in February, which she is confident will be able to secure her a position despite economic decline.

“If you really want to be an attorney, there is no reason that a faulty economy should hold you back. The world needs more good lawyers,” Hoppe said.

Maria Lopez, dean of the College of Law, said law schools will eventually stabilize.

“We still do need law schools and lawyers trying to help our system of justice,” Lopez said.