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Indiana continues to struggle with attorney shortages 

Noon Edition airs on Fridays at noon on WFIU.

Indiana and other states continue to struggle with a shortage of attorneys, leading to concerns about how effective their justice system will be with lack of resources.   

READ MORE: Rush says Indiana must examine future of legal profession amid attorney shortage 

Rural areas are suffering the most from lack of attorneys, particularly due to lower financial opportunities. Strategies to incentivize new lawyers are currently being considered, such as “scaling” licensure which would operate like the nursing structure.  

READ MORE: Attorney shortages in Indiana create 'access to justice problem' 

However, the problem goes beyond money, as younger attorneys are not replacing older ones at an appropriate pace according to state court leaders. The latest annual report from the Indiana Supreme Court shows that the bar passage rate declined by 8 percent since 2021.  

This week on Noon Edition, we will talk with guests about the shortage of attorneys and the future of the legal profession in Indiana.  

You can follow us on Twitter at @NoonEdition or join us on the air by calling 812-855-0811 or toll-free at 1-877-285-9348. You can also send questions for the show to news@indianapublicmedia.org. 

Guests

Anne McFadden — Dean of Students and Assistant Dean of Student Services for the Maurer School of Law

Steve Sanders — Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at IU’s Maurer School of Law and Val Nolan Faculty Fellow    

Judge Kelsey Hanlon — Owen County Circuit Court II (Spencer, Ind.)

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Nathan Moore is a producer for Noon Edition for WFIU. He previously was a programming director for WIUX and an Investigative Reporter for Indiana’s Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism. He is studying Broadcast Journalism and Marketing at Indiana University and will graduate this upcoming fall.