New Approach to Old Profession

  Legal education in America is in a state of crisis, according to the associate dean at Indiana Tech's new law school.  

 Access to legal council is simply inaccessible for the masses, and law graduates are largely underemployed and indebt. 

Legal education across the country is failing its students, presenting a unique challenge for Indiana Tech's new law school opening this August. 

"The truth is that there is a crisis in legal education.  I think legal education and the profession is at a crossroads," said andr douglas pond cummings. 

cummings is the associate dean of academic affairs for the new Indiana Tech Law School.  He says legal education needs to shift its focus to prepare law grads for the realities of practicing law in today's world. 

"There is a demonstrated need in both the middle class and those in poverty to have legal representation that they simply can't afford," said cummings. 

Nathaniel Hubley is a Fort Wayne attorney who does pro bono work.  He says it's the obligation of all lawyers to give legal advice to those who can't necessarily afford it. 

"It is not really affordable and I think there is a real disconnect between what the attorneys will charge and what the clients are able to pay," said Hubley. 

"The way we deliver legal services are no longer effective for the 21st century," said cummings.   

With the first day of classes quickly approaching, cummings says Indiana Tech is going to focus its curriculum on representing the lower and middle classes. 

"We hope our students come in with the clear understanding that there is an underserved population that we can practically prepare them to represent and serve," said cummings.