ABA to consider accrediting foreign law schools

Aug 24th, 2010 by Michelle Lore

Taj Mahal

The American Bar Association is considering a proposal to accredit foreign law schools.

The recommendation was made by a committee of law professors, lawyers, judges and law deans set up in June to examine whether foreign law schools should be allowed to seek ABA accreditation. In December, the ABA’s Council of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar will consider the committee’s recommendation — that overseas schools that follow a comparable model to the United States should be able to receive ABA accreditation.

Some in the legal community are concerned that if the proposal goes through, it will mean more would-be lawyers will be sitting for the bar in states throughout the country — and therefore even more lawyers looking for an already scarce number of jobs. Is now the time to be considering such a proposal? Or in our increasing globalized society, is it simply inevitable?