Supreme Court addressing attorney shortage in Indiana

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 3:07 AM

A 23-member Commission on Indiana’s Legal Future is now established by Supreme Court order.

The Commission is tasked with exploring options for addressing Indiana’s attorney shortage and presenting findings and recommendations to the Court on future actions.

Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush explained, “We currently have a critical shortage of lawyers, which is impacting access to justice in each of our 92 counties. It’s imperative that we address this issue now and act. But we must do so diligently and holistically. I am confident that this new commission will thoroughly examine potential solutions and come back to us with meaningful, transformative recommendations.”

The Commission will be chaired by Court of Appeals Judge Nancy Vaidik and Supreme Court Chief Administrative Officer Justin Forkner. It includes members from each branch of government, judges, lawyers from across the spectrum of practice, leaders from Indiana’s legal education institutions, and experts from the Office of Judicial Administration. Additionally, the Commission will launch five work groups, each having membership with a broad spectrum of relevant professional expertise. The work groups include:

Business & Licensure Models Pathways to Admission & Education Incentivizing Rural Practice Incentivizing Public Service Work Technology Applications

A written report is to be provided to the Court by July 1, 2025, and interim recommendations with legislative changes or funding recommendations are to be provided by August 1, 2024. For more information on the Commission, visit courts.in.gov/admin/legal-future/.