ABA poised to say ‘buh-bye’ to LSAT
A longstanding requirement of law school admission – taking the LSAT – could be eliminated under a proposal being considered by the American Bar Association.
American Bar Association
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Two from Indiana join ABA Day in Congress
American Bar Association members are on Capitol Hill Wednesday and Thursday to advocate that lawmakers fund legal aid services and continue the student loan forgiveness program.
Eye on the Profession: Young lawyers, join a bar. Firms, support them
To my friends who run law firms and businesses that employ young lawyers … invest in them! You are penny-wise and pound-foolish if you are not supporting young lawyer membership in bar associations.
Indiana law schools post 2-year bar passage rates
Calling it a “comprehensive report,” the American Bar Association released a series of spreadsheets March 22 which presented the ultimate two-year bar passage rate for 2015 graduates as well as the bar passage rates for first-time takers in 2016 and 2017 from each accredited law school.
ABA proposal would allow law schools to offer more classes online
Under the current Standard 306, law schools may not grant more than 15 credit hours from online courses toward a J.D. degree, and may not enroll any first-year students in distance education. The proposed new rule would permit law schools to offer up to one-third of the credits for a J.D. degree online, and first-year students would be able to take up to 10 credits online.
Indiana law schools post 2-year bar passage rates
Calling it a “comprehensive report,” the American Bar Association released a series of spreadsheets Thursday which presented the ultimate two-year bar passage rate for 2015 graduates as well as the bar passage rates for first-time takers in 2016 and 2017 from each accredited law school.
Valpo dean’s resignation latest of troubled law school’s woes
The notice of dean Andrea Lyon’s impending resignation is the first announcement from Valparaiso Law School since the 138-year-old institution disclosed last year that it is struggling financially and looking for an alternative to continue operating.
Center for Victim and Human Rights marks milestone, continues to grow
The staff are celebrating the organization’s growth into an eight-person operation serving nearly 800 people in the Indianapolis area annually, with their sights set on continued expansion.
Valparaiso law dean Andrea Lyon announces resignation
Valparaiso Law School dean Andrea Lyon is resigning effective June 1, 2018, but will be remaining on the faculty as a research professor at the institution that last year acknowledged its future operations are uncertain.
ABA approves ‘privacy law specialist’ designation
With the near-constant turnover in popular technologies and ever-changing security practices, privacy law is one of the hottest and most fluid practice areas in today’s legal market. Attorneys who can keep up with the shifting nature of privacy law will soon be able to market themselves as experts in their field, now that the American Bar Association has approved a privacy law specialist designation.
Legal education still struggles to increase student diversity
The lack of racial and ethnic diversity continues to frustrate law schools and the entire legal profession. Within Indiana, the students at the four law schools remain primarily white and male, according to the American Bar Association’s 2017 Standard 509 reports.
Indiana law schools remain predominantly white but women are gaining ground
Three of Indiana’s four law schools have shrunk in recent years but the gender and racial profiles have remained fairly steady since 2015, according to the recently released in the Fall 2017 Standard 509 Reports from the American Bar Association.
Indiana law schools post decline in enrollment
Although nationally the number of 1L students starting law school in the 2017 fall semester increased, the 2017 first-year class enrolled Indiana’s four law schools declined by nearly 100 students compared to the class that began in 2016.
Legal community seeks answers for law schools’ woes
With the closing of Indiana Tech School of Law and an uncertain future for Valparaiso University School of Law, experts say there are no easy answers for the pressures facing legal education.
ABA president launches initiative to study why women leave law
Women, particularly those in their 40s and 50s, leave the legal profession at a much higher rate than their male counterparts. ABA President Hilarie Bass has launched an initiative to explore the reasons and improve prospects for long-term careers for women in the law.
Valpo Law seeks new way forward amid ‘severe financial challenges’
With a 138-year history, Valparaiso Law School is not the only legal education institution getting crushed by declining enrollment and falling revenue, but it is likely the oldest to publicly announce its future is uncertain.
Valpo Law to meet with ABA, says it’s committed to students
Valparaiso University president Mark Heckler emphasized the law school is not closing after it announced Thursday it would suspend admission of students in 2018. However, the American Bar Association still may want a teach-out plan as is required of law schools that are ceasing operations.
Valpo Law School halts admissions for 2018, explores options
Valparaiso Law School is denying a newspaper report that it is planning to cease enrolling students and close. However, “severe financial challenges” are forcing the northwestern Indiana law school to suspend admission of students for the fall of 2018.
ABA removes Valparaiso Law School censure
Valparaiso Law School is no longer under censure by the American Bar Association, according to a notice from the council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
ABA withdrawing approval for Indiana Tech Law School
Roughly four months after Indiana Tech closed its law school, the American Bar Association is poised to withdraw provisional accreditation of the legal education program.