Indiana Supreme Court decision moves Purdue Global Law School forward

Ruling allows Purdue Global Law School grads to apply for waivers to sit for Indiana bar exam 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Indiana Supreme Court has approved an amendment to Admission & Discipline Rule 13 that creates a path for Purdue Global Law School graduates to become eligible for the state’s bar exam.

The ruling, issued Thursday (Feb. 15), allows graduates of schools not accredited by the American Bar Association to petition for a waiver to take the Indiana bar exam. The ABA has long required a physical campus for accreditation. Now the state’s rules will allow a law school graduate who did not attend an ABA-approved school to apply for admission to the Indiana bar.   

Indiana becomes the second state, after California, in which Purdue Global law graduates will be eligible, following a waiver application, for the bar exam immediately upon graduating. 

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“We’re excited that there’s now a path for our students to become licensed lawyers in Indiana,” said Martin Pritikin, dean and vice president of Purdue Global Law School. “The ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court is a measure that will help the state, law students and schools like Purdue Global Law School in many ways. This is a big step for us and for others. For example, this would allow lawyers who completed their law studies internationally to apply for the bar exam waiver. Indiana is facing a lawyer shortage, particularly in rural areas, and this new rule can help address that.”

The new rule goes into effect July 1, 2024. The February 2025 bar exam marks the first time applicants will be eligible to petition for a waiver under Section 4 of the new rule.

This decision provides momentum for Purdue Global as the American Bar Association considers eliminating the requirement of a physical campus and allowing fully online law schools like Purdue Global to apply for provisional and then full ABA approval.

“It is clear that the pandemic was a watershed moment in the recognition of the power of online learning,” Pritikin said. “When done right, online law school can be just as good as — or better than — an in-person program in many respects.”

Currently, 24 Indiana residents are enrolled in Purdue Global Law School, and 20 graduates live in the state.

Launched in 1998, Purdue Global Law School was founded as the nation’s first fully online school. The online option provides students the flexibility to balance classes, work and family while being able to stay in their communities. Because Purdue Global Law School does not incur the costs of maintaining a physical campus, it is able to offer total program tuition for approximately one-third of the cost of traditional law schools. 

About Purdue Global Law School

Purdue Global Law School is part of Purdue Global, the public, nonprofit, online school for working adults backed by Purdue University. Founded in 1998, Purdue Global Law School was the first to offer students a traditional law school program in an affordable, online format. For more information, please visit PurdueGlobalLawSchool.edu. 

Writer: Adam Bartels, adam.bartels@purdueglobal.edu

Source: Martin Pritikin