Texas Supreme Court cuts ties with ABA Legal Ed council to handle law school accreditation
The Texas Supreme Court has officially cut ties with the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar as its law school accreditor.
The order follows the state supreme court’s September preliminary approval of a plan to become independent of the nation’s sole law school accreditor. That plan received the blessing of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission last month.
The biggest sticking point for a breakaway accreditor is the portability of law degrees because most states require bar applicants to be graduates of an ABA-accredited law school.
The Jan. 6 order addresses that, noting that the state supreme court will make sure that portability remains in place, and that the new system will not impose additional burdens on law schools. In September, the Texas Supreme Court released a list of approved law schools that mirrors the ABA council’s list of 197 approved schools.
The order also states that the Texas Supreme Court is open to a different multistate accreditor “should a suitable entity become available.”
The ABA council, a separate and independent entity from the bar association, is recognized by the Department of Education as the sole accrediting body for U.S. law schools. It has served as Texas’ sole accreditor since 1983. There are 10 ABA-approved law schools in Texas.
In a statement, Jennifer L. Rosato Perea, the managing director accreditation and legal education for the ABA, noted that the council has assisted state supreme courts in ensuring that lawyers meet standards to protect the public.
“The Texas order does not alter that role, as it reinforces the authority that the Supreme Court of Texas has always had over the licensure of JD graduates,” she wrote. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Texas Supreme Court—and all other state supreme courts and bar admitting authorities—to help preserve the portability of law school degrees throughout the country.”
The state supreme courts of Florida, Tennessee and Ohio are currently reevaluating ABA accreditation.
The states’ moves follow the Trump administration’s April 2025 executive order aimed at higher education accreditors—specifically referencing the council—that mandates the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts or risk federal funding cuts.
After that, the council suspended Standard 206 until Aug. 31, 2026, and discussed entirely eliminating the standard as it launched a comprehensive review of its standards at its quarterly meeting in November.
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