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As dean of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, I have the privilege of witnessing firsthand how transformative legal education can be—not only for individual students, but also for the communities and institutions they go on to serve.
But there’s a problem: many promising undergraduate students have been told, explicitly or implicitly, that law school isn’t for them. Some don’t have anyone to turn to for advice and guidance.
Some have been discouraged from considering legal education because their backgrounds don’t fit the traditional mold of what society envisions an attorney to be. Maybe they are first-generation students and have never met a lawyer, or their family’s finances are such that the sticker price makes law school feel out of reach.
Whatever the reason, many undergraduates have a hard time seeing a lighted path to law school.
When these students seek guidance, they are traditionally referred to pre-law advising—an important resource, but one that may not fully meet their needs.
Often they’re seeking connection: to see and hear from people who shared their experiences and succeeded in the legal profession. From that recognition, the Maurer Vision Program, or MVP, was born last year.
What began as informal conversations between law students and undergraduates quickly evolved into a robust initiative, now led by Assistant Dean Dr. Gabriel Escobedo.
Interest spread rapidly, leading to workshops, panels, and immersive experiences—each designed to demystify the law school experience and the practice of law.
In fall 2024, we launched the Maurer Vision Workshop Series as a formal pilot program with a clear mission: to make law school accessible to every student who might envision themselves as a lawyer.
Over the past year, MVP has hosted more than a dozen engagement opportunities, including sessions with alumni, faculty and representatives from the Law School Admission Council.
Students observed moot court arguments, sat in on classes and heard directly from practitioners.
Importantly, the program is entirely free and not a direct recruitment pipeline to Maurer.
Of course we’re thrilled if an MVP student chooses to study here in Bloomington, but our objective is broader—to cultivate future lawyers wherever they choose to study, and to ensure that those who once felt excluded now see a place for themselves in our profession.
Those students who participated in the program’s inaugural year requested more personalized guidance, and this fall we responded with the MVP
Scholars Program.
This mentorship initiative pairs Maurer law students with undergraduates for individualized advising on LSAT preparation, application strategy, legal writing and professional development.
Six Maurer students currently serve as mentors to 24 undergraduates. These mentors are demonstrating that law school—and a career in law—is both attainable and meaningful.
The program’s growth has been remarkable. Engagement has more than doubled—from roughly 80 students last year to 180 this fall—and enthusiasm continues to build. Several participants have already identified Maurer as their top choice for law school and are preparing applications.
Our long-term vision extends beyond the Bloomington campus.
It is no secret that Indiana faces significant access to justice issues. Entire communities, particularly in rural and underserved regions, lack access to legal professionals. The state ranks among the lowest nationally in attorneys per capita, and that shortage has real consequences for access to justice and civic life.
Addressing this challenge requires cultivating a new generation of lawyers grounded in service and representation.
To that end, we aim to expand MVP into a statewide program—one that begins earlier and reaches further. Our plans include:
• Developing K–12 outreach partnerships to introduce young students to the legal profession as early as fifth grade.
• Establishing a summer institute for rising high school seniors, focused on preparing students for college and, ultimately, for law school.
• Building collaborations with IU campus partners to deliver hybrid workshops and mentoring that reach students across Indiana. IU Northwest will be our partner in piloting this initiative.
This growth will require sustained investment. We are actively seeking grants and philanthropic support to ensure the program’s long-term viability, including the creation of a dedicated MVP Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance for students who complete the program and choose to attend Maurer.
Such support—covering books, transportation or living expenses—sends a clear message that their commitment and potential are valued.
My own journey as a first-generation student has made me acutely aware of the power of a single mentor or advocate. Programs like MVP exist to be that catalyst—to offer the moment of belief that changes a student’s trajectory. For some, it’s a mentor. For others, it’s a class visit or a conversation that helps them realize: I belong in law.
The future of legal education in Indiana depends on broadening access to the profession. When we open the door to students who might otherwise have turned away, we not only strengthen the legal community but also fortify the democratic ideals our system of justice depends upon.
Accessible. Inclusive. Transformative. That is the vision guiding the Maurer School of Law—and the future we are working to build together.•
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Christiana Ochoa is the dean and Herman B Wells Endowed Professor at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
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