Overview of the Law School Accreditation Process presented by Bill Adams Deputy Managing Director

The ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar 1879 ABA established the Standing Committee on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar as one of its first committees 1893 Section was established as first section of the ABA 1900 AALS created-Section played a major role 1952 Council of the Section approved by U.S. Department of Education as recognized national accrediting agency for first degree in law

Purpose of Accreditation To enable graduates of ABA approved law schools to sit for the bar Unified, national accrediting process ensuring consistency among 50 states, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and territories Law school need not certify their graduates in every jurisdiction in which they may wish to apply for admission

Council Structure 21 Voting Members No more than 10 may be law school deans or faculty members Members include judges, practicing lawyers, one law student, and at least three public members who are neither lawyers or employees of a law school

Accreditation Committee Structure 19 Members No more than 9 may be law school deans or faculty members Members include judges, practicing lawyers, and public members

Planning for the Visit at the School Sabbatical Review of Fully Approved Schools Every Seven Years Self Study Process in Preparation for Site Visit --Site Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ) --Self Assessment

Appointment of Site Team Chair The Site Visit Process Appointment of Site Team Chair Appointment of Other Site Team Members -Librarian -Clinician -Judge/Practitioner -Academic -Univ. Admin. -AALS Representative -Team Member Assignments -Organization of Visit

-Preparation for the Visit -Prior Site Visit History -Materials -Preparation for the Visit -Prior Site Visit History -SEQ -3 AQs --Interim Monitoring (where applicable) Site Report Template Site Visit -Team Meetings -Entrance Meeting -Interviews with Faculty, Administrators, Staff -Class Visits -Meeting(s) with Students -Exit Interview

Post-Visit Preparation of Site Report Template Office Review Review of Site Report and Response by School

Evaluation of Site Team -by Dean -by Chair -by Team Members -by Report Reviewer -by AC Monitor -RFI -12(a)(2), (a)(3),(a)(4)13(b) & 14 Consideration of Site Report by Accreditation Committee/Decision Letter

Report Back by School on Any RFI’s, 12(a)(2), (a)(3), 12(a)(4) & 14 “School Remains on List of Approved Law Schools”