Butler University and the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law will create the “Butler University Law Scholar,” a partnership that will allow Butler to nominate one student each year to enroll in the law school and receive a minimum half-tuition scholarship.

 

Graduating seniors and alumni—who often take a gap year or two before applying to law school—will be eligible for the scholarship. The first scholar will be named in time for the 2016 fall semester.

Applicants will apply to both the McKinney School and the Center for High Achievement and Scholarly Engagement (CHASE) office at Butler. CHASE Director Rusty Jones and pre-Law adviser Jim McKneight will vet the applications and recommend several candidates to be considered by McKinney for the Butler University Law Scholar honor.

The Butler University Law Scholar also will be guaranteed an experiential learning opportunity, either an externship or a paid research assistantship, after he or she completes 31 hours of coursework.

“Our new partnership provides a wonderful opportunity for our students while at the same time raising the profile of the McKinney School of Law among law school-bound students at Butler,” Butler Provost Kate Morris said.

Jones said the McKinney School, which has scholar arrangements with other private universities in Indiana, approached Butler about creating the partnership. U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson ’79, who earned her law degree from McKinney in 1983 and is a member of the Butler Board of Trustees, encouraged the establishment of the partnership.

“This is a nice opportunity,” Jones said. “Since I took over as CHASE Director this fall, I’ve tried to think of ways to give opportunities to the pre-law students, and this is a really great one.”

Roughly 25-30 Butler graduates go to law school in an average year, Jones said. Last year, six went to McKinney.

“I am delighted by the news of our partnership with Butler University,” said Dean Andrew R. Klein of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. “Our alumni from Butler have gone on to do many great things in the legal profession, in business, and in community service. I’m confident the Butler grads who attend IU McKinney through this partnership also will go on to do wonderful things that will make both institutions incredibly proud.”

 

Media contact:
Marc Allan
mallan@butler.edu
317-940-9822