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My contribution to this symposium is clear: to advocate for the establishment of an Alaskan law school. As the only state in the nation without one Alaska keenly suffers the repercussions of this absence. The resulting void creates shortages of legal professionals, reduces opportunities for continuing legal education, cultural and community disconnection, and contributes to brain drain. Further, it undermines the state's legal infrastructure and limits access to justice. Despite significant logistical and financial hurdles, including the high costs of establishment and sustainability concerns, the need for a local legal institution is undeniable, and this need will only grow more acute. In this paper, I explore the history of efforts to establish an Alaskan law school, then advance to an evaluation of the broad spectrum of legal needs in Alaska, before concluding that the absence of a law school affects the administration of justice through a forced reliance on foreign legal education institutions that disadvantages Alaskans. Following that, I address counterarguments and recommend proceeding with a feasibility study. Finally, I advocate a strategic path forward, focusing on methods to secure funding and accreditation while discussing the impact on interested, affected, and relevant parties.
Kathrine Coonjohn, Glacial Progress: Thawing the Path to a Law School
in Alaska, 41 Alaska Law Review 189-230 (2024)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/alr/vol41/iss1/8
