Pittsburg State University and Washburn Law School announced a new partnership to fast-track students through law school. KRPS's Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
Citing a lack of lawyers in Kansas, specifically in rural parts of the state, PSU and Washburn University School of Law announced Monday that seniors majoring in pre-law would be able to transfer to Washburn starting next fall to begin their law degree a year early. Reducing what would typically be a seven-year process of earning a BA and law degree to six years.
Washburn alum and Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court Marla Luckert spoke on Monday about the new partnership's importance.
"We have a critical shortage of attorneys in the state of Kansas, especially in rural Kansas. Southeast Kansas has only one-fourth of the number of attorneys needed to meet that demand. And the judges, like the Chief Judge, come to us and say we don't have attorneys to represent these people."
Later this week, Chief Justice Luckert will launch the Kansas Rural Lawyer Initiative with a formal ceremony at the Kansas Supreme Court. For 89 9 KRPS, I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro
