UNFILLED VACANCIES IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND THE CHOICE OF LAW SCHOOL: A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF LAW

Abstract

This article analyzes the phenomenon of unfilled vacancies in Brazilian public universities from the perspective of the Economic Analysis of Law, investigating whether the perception of increased competitiveness in the legal market may influence the demand for Law degree programs. The study is based on the premise that the decision to pursue higher education constitutes a rational choice guided by economic incentives, expected returns, and opportunity costs. A qualitative and exploratory study was conducted using the deductive method, based on bibliographical and documentary research, complemented by the analysis of official data. The findings demonstrate that the decline in the occupancy rate of vacancies at federal universities occurred alongside the expansion of legal education and the growth of the legal profession. Although no causal relationship can be established between these phenomena, the evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that perceptions regarding career opportunities and the economic returns of a legal career may influence the demand for Law degree programs. It is concluded that the Economic Analysis of Law provides an appropriate theoretical framework for understanding this phenomenon, contributing to the debate on the efficiency of public higher education policies and offering a complementary explanatory hypothesis for unfilled vacancies.