Alaska Law Schools: Options for Aspiring Legal Professionals
Alaska Law Schools currently contains no law schools within the state, requiring aspiring attorneys to leave for their legal education before returning to start their professional careers. However, efforts exist to eventually establish formal Alaska-based programs, whether through private institutes or the University of Alaska system.
This article explores topics related to studying and practicing law in Alaska, including:
- Background on Legal Education in Alaska
- Attending Law School Outside the State
- Situating In Alaska After Earning a JD
- Prospects for an In-State Law School
- Supreme Court Law Clerk Programs
- Resources for Aspiring Alaska Legal Professionals
While requiring an extra challenge of out-of-state relocation, Alaska still provides opportunities for those passionate about law who wish to eventually work within the state’s unique legal landscape at the intersection of federal, state, and tribal jurisdictions.
Background on Legal Education in Alaska
- As the largest state by far in land area, yet one of the smallest in population, Alaska faces inherent barriers to sustaining professional graduate programs like law schools, which require significant enrollments and infrastructure.
- Still, demand exists for lawyers within Alaska across areas like criminal justice, oil and gas, tribal courts, family law, public interest, and more. Alaskan culture and legal frameworks hold many unique elements necessitating localized expertise.
- Historically the majority of law students and graduates aiming to practice in Alaska attended school in their home regions, whether in western states like California, across the Midwest, or along the East Coast if originally from that area. Over 75% of licensed Alaska attorneys today earned their JD degrees out-of-state.
- Without past support to situate an in-state option, working Alaskans needing flexible pathways into law remain underserved by the typical academic model requiring relocation for three years of full-time schooling first. However, the rise of distance education creates possibilities to overcome this geographic challenge.
Attending Alaska Law Schools Outside
- No singular “best” law school path exists for Alaska State. Aspiring attorneys weigh factors like program focus areas, location/cost of living, post-grad employment statistics, and practice type preferences when evaluating options nationwide.
- Schools like Seattle University and the University of Washington in the Pacific Northwest attract some Alaskans aiming to work across environmental or tribal law. Others attend higher-ranked programs farther afield before seeking jobs back home.
- Admissions prove highly competitive at the top 50 law schools, where median LSAT scores approach 165 (99th percentile) and undergraduate GPAs sit near 3.9.
- But dozens of additional accredited options exist across the country in major cities or smaller college towns welcoming qualified Alaskans if they align with geographic/financial fit and practice goals after completion.
Post-Grad Practice Situating in Alaska Law Schools
- Once earning a Juris Doctor (JD) law degree, prospective Alaska attorneys must still pass the state’s bar exam to gain licensure before they can provide legal services or counsel to any clients based locally.
- The Alaska Bar Association administers the bar exam each February and July, comprised of the standardized Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) and an Alaska law section. Additional character and fitness reviews also occur for admittance.
- With licensure secured, many new Alaska attorneys seek mentored positions like clerkships or junior associates alongside experienced legal professionals prior to independent work or partner track. Job prospects vary across legal practice areas and remote regions.
Prospects for an Alaska Law Schools
- As legal industry demand grows amidst Alaska’s ongoing economic development and population rise, stalled past efforts to establish an in-state law school hold renewed possibilities.
- The Alaska Law School Feasibility Study from 2011 outlined models assessing possible partnerships between the Alaska court system, private entities, and/or public universities to offer a juris doctor curriculum meeting American Bar Association accreditation standards.
- Distance learning advances ease geographic hurdles today. Bills proposed in the Alaska legislature focused on rural education access cite a law school as one target area that could adopt such technologies using lead faculty based in the state, supplemented by external adjuncts from national law networks.
- If launched, program costs, enrollment projections, graduate employment outcomes, and sustainability remain key questions and potential roadblocks needing resolution. However, the model allows Alaskans to advance their legal education closer to home.
Alaska Supreme Court Clerkship Programs
In the interim, the Alaska Supreme Court and Court of Appeals offer limited one-year clerkships for law graduates prior to bar admission, providing experience in research, writing, and aspects of the appellate process. Trial court intern options also exist.
These temporary placements permit new attorneys to gain exposure serving the state’s highest level judiciary in Anchorage before potentially entering into practice themselves or pursuing other career roles in the legal profession.
Resources for Aspiring Alaska Legal Professionals
Despite lacking an in-state law school currently, Alaska still provides informational programs, scholarship funds, and mentorship opportunities to assist residents pursuing legal careers. These include:
- Alaska Law Review Commission – Analyzes court rules and statutes for potential improvements
- Alaska Bar Association – Outreach to students/schools on the profession
- Alaska Legal Services Corporation – Summer law intern fellowships
- Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI) – Intro programs on studying/practicing law in Alaska
- American Indian Law School Scholarships – Financial aid for Alaska Native students
- Alaska Lawyers Making a Difference – High school mentoring initiative
Through these combined efforts, Alaska continues working to address legal industry needs and welcome qualified lawyers aiming to serve communities statewide.
Alaska Law Schools Conclusion
In summary, current options for Alaska residents pursuing professional legal education require out-of-state relocation and studies before returning home to enter into law practice ranging from firms to courts, non-profits, tribes, and more.
Past in-state law school proposals stalled lacking sustainable models and critical mass enrollment. However remote learning now renews possibilities of Alaska-based juris doctor pathways customized to state statutes and legal practice needs if still-significant challenges around costs and post-grad outcomes can be addressed.
Despite no centralized law degree programs currently, Alaska still actively encourages and supports aspiring resident attorneys through early outreach, financial assistance, and practical experience programs building a pipeline of legal talent prioritizing this environment.
