Commissioner of Higher Education, Kim Hunter Reed
A study commissioned by Louisiana’s Board of Regents indicates there is a lack of evidence to warrant the establishment of a law school in Shreveport. Higher Ed Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says the study came as the result of two legislative resolutions wanting the board to explore how to expand legal education in north Louisiana.
“The report from the independent consultant came back and said we do not see the need for a standalone law school. What you see is a distribution problem. We heard the same conversation around dental,” said Reed.
The decision comes just weeks after the board struck down the idea of a dental school in the area.
Reed says the hurdle is people are just not choosing to locate in the Shreveport-Bossier area. There were a number of scenarios offered from the report showing how to address that issue.
“We’ve asked the Southern University Law Center, the Southern system, the Caddo Commission, and other stakeholders to review the report and come back to us with any ideas or suggestions,” said Reed.
Reed says a deeper analysis of academic and educational training needs is needed in the area.
“We have agreed to certainly engage in that conversation to make sure that we are focused on the most important and the highest needs for that community,” said Reed.
