St. Thomas College of Law found out of ABA accreditation compliance
The St. Thomas University College of Law in Florida has fallen out of compliance with a core accreditation standard titled “Nondiscrimination and Equality of Opportunity,” according to a memo from the council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
Standard 205 directs law schools to not discriminate, to treat people equally and to be fair in hiring, admissions and retention. The managing director’s Guidance Memo on Standard 205, which was revised in March, says schools should “provide the reasons—such as state or federal laws, other authorities, or university policy—which limit the inclusion of any specific group” during in their accreditation review. Standard 205 also states law schools can have a religious affiliation or purpose that influences admissions or employment as long as notice of these policies have been stated.
“We strongly believe that we are in compliance with all ABA requirements and are disappointed in the recent decision questioning our nondiscrimination and equal opportunity policies,” according to a statement to the ABA Journal. “This is particularly disheartening given the extensive academic freedom and nondiscrimination policy recently developed and adopted by our faculty to ensure clarity and fairness for our entire community.
“As we have always done, we will continue to work closely with the ABA to ensure that any concerns are fully addressed.”
Law school administrators can submit a report to the council by Oct. 20 that will be considered at the council’s November quarterly meeting, according to the memo, and administrators then must appear at the council’s February 2026 meeting.
Standard 205 differs from Standard 206, which is called “Diversity and Inclusion,” and requires law schools to show they are actively engaged in fostering diversity and inclusion, especially for underrepresented groups. That standard has been suspended until Aug. 31, 2026.
That move came in the wake of a several executive orders, including one on April 23 taking aim at higher education accreditors and specifically referencing the council, as well as the ABA’s pending litigation against the U.S. Department of Justice.
The latest action from the ABA follows notice in June that St. Thomas Law fell out of compliance with 202(b), which requires ABA-accredited law schools to “maintain a budget reflecting anticipated financial resources and expenses for the current and subsequent three fiscal years.”
As part of the process of returning to compliance with that standard, administrators must submit a report by Friday, and officials must attend the February 2026 council meeting.
Law schools that do not return to compliance face potential consequences such as further investigations, probation and possibly withdrawal of ABA accreditation.
The Miami Gardens, Florida, law school enrolled 820 students in fall 2024, according to the most recent information submitted to the ABA, and the class of 2022, the most recent year available, had a bar pass rate of 87.68%. Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $43,470, according to the school’s latest Standard 509 information report.
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St. Thomas College of Law falls out of compliance with ABA accreditation standard
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