During a meeting on November 17, the Council of the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar proposed a new policy that would allow fully online law schools to apply for and possibly earn provisional and full ABA-approval. This proposal is now out for notice and comment, with a 30-day period ending on January 8, as detailed in a memorandum published on December 1.
Steven C. Bahls, president emeritus, voiced his approval of the proposal, stating, “It’s something that other professional creditors have done some time ago.” He further pointed out that the American Bar Association has been an outlier in this respect and went on to express his support for the potential cost reductions in legal education this proposal may bring. “I am particularly attracted by your argument that this creates an opportunity for some to reduce the cost of legal education and may enable some rural areas without access for law schools to enter the profession to serve our underserved areas.”
Further details about the ABA’s proposed policy can be found here.