Accreditation & Standards

138 ABA Journal Accreditation & Standards articles.

ABA Legal Ed council rejects Golden Gate University’s plan to end its JD program

After years of struggling to meet the ABA’s accreditation standards and financial woes, Golden Gate University School of Law announced it will discontinue its juris doctorate program when this academic year ends. However, the ABA Legal Ed council rejected the plan because it “did not include sufficient detail relating to the operation of a teach-out.”

Dec 1, 2023 1:50 PM CST

Legal Ed council votes to send academic freedom proposal to ABA House of Delegates

Also at the Friday meeting in Dallas, the council voted to move a proposal regarding online library standards to the House, and it approved for public notice and comment proposed revisions to loosen accreditation standards for new online-only law schools.

Nov 20, 2023 12:33 PM CST

Indiana Supreme Court releases proposal allowing grads of nonaccredited law schools to take the bar

The Indiana Supreme Court is now seeking comment on a proposed amendment allowing graduates of non-American Bar Association-accredited law schools to sit for the Indiana bar exam.

Nov 16, 2023 3:53 PM CST

University of Akron School of Law offers guaranteed admission for qualified Ohioans

The University of Akron School of Law will guarantee admission to Ohio residents who meet or exceed an LSAT score of 151 and an undergraduate grade-point average of 3.4, officials said this week.

Oct 19, 2023 9:06 AM CDT

Southwestern Law School will accept applications to first-of-its-kind online JD program

Students who want to attend law school online and full time now have an option.

Oct 6, 2023 10:18 AM CDT

New law school targeting part-time students planned for Charlotte, North Carolina

Elon University plans to open a part-time, in-person law school in Charlotte, North Carolina, after the only other law school operating in the city was forced to shut down in 2017.

Sep 21, 2023 8:53 AM CDT

Oregon and Kentucky law schools are back in compliance, ABA Legal Ed Section says

The University of Oregon School of Law and the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law have demonstrated compliance with accreditation standards, according to the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Sep 8, 2023 1:47 PM CDT

Up to $2.1 million in student aid improperly disbursed for LLMs, Education Department says

Five stand-alone, ABA-accredited law schools recently entered settlement agreements with the U.S. Department of Education for disbursing federal aid to LLM students without the necessary accreditation.

Aug 31, 2023 1:35 PM CDT

If law schools prohibit ChatGPT in writing, can they back it up?

Using artificial intelligence to write admissions essays now comes with significant risks at the University of Michigan Law School, which recently asked applicants to certify that they did not use the technology for drafting purposes.

Aug 31, 2023 10:32 AM CDT

1 of 3 law schools dinged for diversity standard demonstrates compliance

The Baylor University School of Law has demonstrated compliance with an accreditation standard requiring that schools demonstrate “concrete action” showing a commitment to having a diverse and inclusive faculty and staff, according to an ABA notice posted Tuesday.

Aug 30, 2023 11:47 AM CDT

New law school launches with small class but big expectations

The Wilmington University School of Law, the nation’s newest law school, started classes Monday with just 20 students.

Aug 24, 2023 10:13 AM CDT

To what extent could law school libraries be digital? ABA Legal Ed Section seeks public comment

Proposed revisions to law school library accreditation standards, including language stating that physical books might not be necessary, were approved for notice and comment Friday by the council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Aug 18, 2023 5:20 PM CDT

Professors, administrators and counsel applaud proposed ABA standard on academic freedom

Following various controversies around campus speech and a U.S. House of Representatives committee request to investigate a Stanford Law School incident, the Strategic Review Committee of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has proposed a new accreditation standard focused on guidance for academic freedom policies.

Aug 16, 2023 10:02 AM CDT

Bar admission should not be denied just on basis of immigration status, ABA House urges

On Monday, the ABA House of Delegates at the ABA Annual Meeting in Denver approved Resolution 519, which urges legislative bodies to ensure that bar admission is not denied solely because of immigration status.

Aug 8, 2023 11:43 AM CDT

ABA executive described as ‘accessible’ and ‘real resource’ for law deans set to retire next spring

Bill Adams, a former attorney for the Legal Services Corp. and a law school dean who helped guide schools through the COVID-19 pandemic, has announced that he will be retiring as the ABA’s managing director for accreditation and legal education.

Jul 20, 2023 1:46 PM CDT

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