Attending law school typically involves a level of risk, which can be amplified when opting for a non-accredited institution. The stakes are high – even with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, without accreditation, one cannot take the bar exam. However, students at Jacksonville University in Florida recently found themselves in a very fortunate position.
About 18 months since the start of their legal education journey, the law school of Jacksonville University has been granted provisional accreditation by the American Bar Association (ABA), the University reported recently.
The provisional accreditation has significant implications for graduates of the institution: they are now eligible to take the requisite bar exams, which in turn enables them to practice law, and they can now also be considered for positions that necessitate a degree certified by an accredited school, such as clerkships.
“This is a very important, if not crucial, milestone that we have achieved,” commented Dean Nicholas Allard of the law school. Yet, the approval is by no means the end of this journey. The fate of the accreditation ultimately hinges on the school’s performance over the next three to five years, based on their bar passage rates.
Therefore, students certainly face a powerful determining role – the future of the budding lawyers of Florida may well rely on their score on the bar exam. A significant piece of their future, and that of the school, remains contingent on these outcomes.