Northwestern State University seeking to establish law school to begin in Fall 2026

[Cajunrunner]

Northwestern State is in the process of establishing a law school. Currently, there are only four law schools in the state, none of which are in North Louisiana. Executive Vice President and Provost Greg Handel says people in the region want a law school in North Louisiana.

“We have probably 20 or 22 letters of support from attorneys and law firms and legislative delegations really getting behind the fact that this really is needed in this part of the state,” Handel said.

The idea started picking up steam when the school hired NSU graduate and former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice James Genovese as its new president last year. Handel says there are many steps that need to happen before the university can officially launch its law school.

“We would get some approvals this summer, this fall, and we would be able to go ahead and hire a few faculty staff and a founding dean to do some recruiting, to write accreditation documents, to write that curriculum and get all of that approved,” Handel explained.

Handel says they hope to welcome the first students in the fall of 2026.

“There will be some barriers along the way, but if we do our best on the front end to submit a strong proposal, we feel those barriers are surmountable for us,” Handel said.

https://louisianaradionetwork.com/2025/04/17/41805/

[60swerethebest]

Wonderful. More lawyers. We have a surplus now. Medical students we need.

[Cajunrunner]

Wonderful. More lawyers. We have a surplus now. Medical students we need.

Yeah...that was one main thing in the article that caught my eye. The description of "only" four law schools, in a small state with a population about 40% less than just Greater Houston (city and burbs) alone.

[Policarp]

Harris County alone is ~300k larger than the entire population of Louisiana. By 2035 it'll be >1M

[Louisiana84]

Hard NO!

[UL_Cajuns]

Wow. As if it is not easy enough to become a lawyer now. Time for this to end and make a law degree and the BAR harder to pass. Too many dumb money hungry lazy lawyers in this state.

[Duggie35]

Rather than adding more colleges and/or schools, Louisiana needs to start closing or consolidating some.

[CajunSaint08]

Wonderful. More lawyers. We have a surplus now. Medical students we need.

I always remember a statement my 8th grade teacher said back in the late 70's, the United States had approximately 6% of the world population, but we had 90% of all the lawyers in the world practicing in the US. And you wonder why the economy is the way it is

Sorry to all my lawyer friends out there.

[Turbine]

I would take a law school at Louisiana in a heart beat.