Many law firms may choose to employ only people who attended a school with ABA accreditation. Accredited colleges have minimum standards set by the ABA to ensure a sufficient education. Non-accredited schools may promise an adequate education. But, there is no guarantee. Other than the ABA, however, another universally accepted organization that sets educational standards for law schools doesn't exist.
ABA-accredited law programs are recognized by all the states. Students attending those schools can sit for the bar exam after receiving their Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Some states may accept bar-exam candidates from non-ABA law schools. Rigorous standards may apply. In Maryland, for example, an attorney may petition to practice in Maryland if the bar exam was passed in another state. He must also be a member of the Bar Association of that state in good standing. In addition, the Bar must examine the candidate and agree that the candidate has either the education or the expertise to pass the Maryland bar examination.
All correspondence or distance-education law programs are non-ABA accredited schools. At the time of publication, the ABA has not approved a JD degree that be completed entirely through distance education. Students, however, can meet some of their degree requirements using the Internet and other correspondence courses. According to the ABA, a correspondence law degree may not adequately prepare students to sit for the bar exam.
The ABA accreditation process is a long process. Non-accredited schools may apply for provisional status, which lasts for three years or longer. At the end of the provisional status period, the ABA evaluates the program. Students who attend provisionally approved schools are considered students of an ABA-accredited program by the American Bar Association. At the time of publication, there is only one provisionally approved program, which is the University of California Irvine's School of Law.
People seeking a JD and want to be a practicing attorney may benefit from pursuing an ABA-accredited degree. This ensures that the student can sit for his state's bar examination without complications. Those who want a legal education but don't wish to practice law may benefit from pursuing a degree from a non-ABA-accredited school.