#20 Learning Through Disruption: How Access Lex is Reshaping Legal Education
David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline speaks with Chris Chapman, CEO of Access Lex Institute, a nonprofit with a billion-dollar endowment focused on legal education. Chris details how Access Lex grew from a student loan provider to an organization that now runs multiple programs supporting law students and schools. He explains their bar prep platform Helix, which has helped reduce market prices by $1000 dollars, and discusses the significant changes coming with the 2026 Next Gen bar exam - a shift from memorization-based testing to practical legal skills assessment.
The conversation examines the structural challenges driving high law school costs, including federal loan policies and accreditation requirements. Chris shares insights on potential solutions, from expanding online education to allowing non-JD professionals to provide certain legal services. He also discusses Access Lex's MAX program, which provides financial education to law students across 200 law schools, and addresses how AI and market changes may reshape legal education and bar preparation in the coming years.
The episode covers key developments affecting the future of legal education, bar preparation, and the broader legal services market.