A review of the Center for Law and Education (CLE) by the Law School and Ed School faculties will be held "in the near future," according to Albert M. Sacks, acting dean of the Law School.

Sacks said yesterday the review "will be unrestricted as to subject matter." In light of the recent dismissal of 5 of the Center's 11 staff lawyers and subsequent charges of poor leadership at the CLE, some examination of the Center's administration is a certainty.

The review board will be made up of the co-chairmen of the CLE's executive committee-Abram J. Chayes '43, professor of Law, and David K. Cohen, associate professor of Education-and two members each from the Law School and Ed School faculties who "know a certain amount about the Center but have not been involved in the specific issues being raised," Sacks said.

Just what those "specific issues" are is unclear. However, most of the troubles at the CLE seem to stem from differences between David L. Kirp, director of the Center, and members of his staff about how the Center should be run.

NEWS AN ALYSIS

Late in January, Kirp told five staff lawyers-Stuart R. Abelson '65, Stephen Arons, Jeffrey W. Kobrick, Carolyn R. Peck and Robert Pressman-that their contracts would not be renewed for 1971-72.

The dismissals left the staff of the two-year-old legal assistance center confused and unhappy. About the only person who seems to know the reason behind the dismissals is Kirp himself, and his explanations to staff members have been riddled with ambiguity.

Kirp told one lawyer in January that the dismissals were part of a shift of emphasis at the Center away from litigation and toward research. But Tuesday Kirp said, "I don't see this as an indication of any change in direction. It's just that these attorneys did not work out as I had hoped."

Poverty Issues

"One of the things we've learned is that we need lawyers who are aware of the poverty issues and are experienced in poverty law programs and litigation. We are going to bring in people who have been able to identify the issues and act on them individually," Kirp said.

Yet none of the five lawyers dismissed appears to deviate greatly from Kirp's model.

"They are all excellent lawyers and have experience in important litigation in the field of education reform," Robert Spangenberg, director of the Boston Legal Assistance Project, said yesterday.

Right Arm

"I am very much disturbed because I know how qualified these lawyers are. Most legal services projects would give their right arm to have any one of them. I can't help but wonder about the Center's future if the same caliber people are not brought in," he said.

One of the five lawyers, Arons, is a main proponent of the alternative schools program whereby state aid would be available to those who want to pursue an education outside the public school system.

Other soon-to-be-jobless CLE lawyers, along with Spangenberg's office, are presently challenging the legitimacy of the Boston school system's special classes for children classified as "mentally retarded."

"Our work in conjunction with the Center is extremely important," Spangenberg said. "We can't carry on cases that are underway without the Center's assistance, so I'm afraid that if these people leave, the cases may be forgotten."

Kirp sees certain advantages to personnel changes, however. "I don't think the Center should solidify. A constant infusion of new people and new ideas really makes sense, and is a healthy sign to me," he said.