THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS — Last week, the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law announced it received full accreditation by the American Bar Association. ABA accreditation is a critical win and affirms that UNT-Dallas College of Law is delivering on its promise to provide quality, accessible and affordable legal education that expands access to justice for all Texans.  William Shakespeare wrote in Henry VI, “Let’s kill all the lawyers,” and more than a few Texans might think he was onto something. But in a society built on the rule of law, the legal profession is essential for defending the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Notwithstanding the perception that Texas had too many lawyers, when UNT-Dallas College of Law was created in 2009, the reality was our state did not have enough attorneys. Between 1969 and 2009, Texas’ population boomed from 11 million to 25 million and demand for legal services rose. However, in those 40 years, the state of Texas did not create a single new ABA-accredited law school. North Texas grew to become the nation’s largest metropolitan area without a public law school. The bill analysis noted that Texas-trained attorneys were in such short supply that local law firms imported one-third of their lawyers from out-of-state law schools. Moreover, 75% of Texas families who sought legal aid were turned away and 90% of Texans’ civil needs were not being met, according to Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.