In November, a new proposition was brought forward during the meeting of the Council of the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. This proposal, which was open for notice and comment until January 8, places on the table the possibility of fully online law schools receiving provisional and complete ABA approval. It has overwhelmingly received support with nearly 30 comments—equivalent to 42 pages—uploaded to the ABA’s website. Excluding two exceptions, all commenters have shown approval for the plan.
At the meeting held on November 17, Daniel Thies, the vice-chair, expressed that this proposal would involve changes to standards 701 and 702 from the Strategic Review Committee. Details of these proposed changes were presented in a memorandum dating December 1.
When implemented, this proposal would signal a significant shift in how law education is delivered and received. It offers a new framework to accommodate the rise of digitalized education, which would allow more access to legal training and therefore potentially help bridge the gap in justice accessibility.
Despite the promise of potential adjustments on the horizon and the overwhelming support, the careful execution of these changes will be crucial. As ABA considers accrediting fully online law schools, grappling with issues like maintaining educational quality, dealing with potential inequalities due to varying access to technological resources, among other contingencies, will be prevalent issues to tackle.
Legal professionals, law aspirants, and educators alike, await what could be a significant change to legal education’s structure. The implications of this shift, notably its potential to democratize legal education, will be watched with interest.