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On Aug. 13, Indiana Supreme Court Justice Christopher Goff administered the oath of professionalism to Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law’s incoming fall class.
Swearing this solemn oath before faculty, staff, peers and family members served as the culmination of three intense days of orientation. For these new students, it marked their official entry into the legal profession. As dean, standing before this energized cohort reminded me of a classic pop-culture archetype: the initiation of new padawans — the eager apprentices of “Star Wars” lore who step onto a demanding path of mentorship, rigorous discipline and ethical stewardship. Similar to those apprentices beginning their training to uphold order and justice in a complex galaxy, our incoming students are taking their first steps into a noble, highly principled tradition designed to serve the public good.
This new class emerges from one of the most competitive admissions seasons in recent memory. According to the Law School Admission Council, the 2025-26 season saw a remarkable 18% year-over-year surge in law school applicants. This momentum builds on a sustained national trend: American Bar Association data shows that law schools nationwide enrolled more than 120,000 J.D. students in fall 2025 — a 7.9% increase from the preceding fall 2024 class.
For those of us who are passionate about the transformative power of legal education, this rising tide of interest is deeply gratifying. It is equally welcome news to civic leaders and practicing attorneys. Across the nation and throughout Indiana, expanding legal cohorts offer vital reinforcement to underserved urban hubs and rural “legal deserts” that desperately lack adequate access to legal representation.
To what factors should we attribute this surge in demand? Primarily, today’s prospective students recognize that a law degree continues to offer both a reliable path to professional opportunity and a powerful platform for long-term societal impact.
Historically, legal studies have drawn individuals who seek to understand and actively shape the world around them — especially during periods of societal, economic and political transition. Today, we are living through an era of profound change. Previously settled constitutional questions have been reopened, creating evolving impacts on the balance of power among the judicial, the legislative and the executive branches. At the same time, rapid shifts are reshaping international trade, immigration, free speech, environmental policy and digital privacy. Students who wish to participate meaningfully in these crucial policy debates view legal training as the essential pathway to leadership. They seek the life of the law out of a genuine desire to serve their neighbors, communities, businesses and government institutions as they navigate turbulent waters.
Economic uncertainty also heavily influences this shift. For college graduates entering today’s job market, the nature of work itself is subject to seemingly ever-escalating change. In particular, the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence has altered the calculus for young people and their families. Many understandably wonder whether traditional career tracks will withstand the disruptive forces of AI tools, or if the roles for which they hoped to train will even exist a decade from now.
Graduate study has long served as a safe harbor during turbulent economic periods. Yet, the sheer scale of the AI revolution — paired with broader public debates over the value of higher education — makes the study of law uniquely compelling. The legal field touches virtually every arena of human endeavor. Whether considering health care, banking, athletics, housing stability or environmental protection, the law sets default rules, assigns rights and resolves disputes. As technological and economic forces reshape society, human judgment, ethical reasoning and legal expertise remain entirely irreplaceable.
This brings us back to our incoming legal padawans. Their decision to pursue the law is more than a personal career choice; it is a commitment to mastering a discipline that safeguards the rule of law itself.
As an institution, our core mission is not merely to teach doctrines and case precedent, but to mentor these apprentices as they cultivate the intellectual rigor, analytical clarity and moral compass required for effective advocacy. In an era marked by rapid technological disruption and institutional shift, our commitment to preparing thoughtful, ethical legal leaders has never been more vital for our students, for our state and for the future of our society.•
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Bravo is the dean of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.
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