Law schools receive accreditation when they pass an extensive evaluation process conducted by the American Bar Association. As the largest voluntary association for lawyers in the United States--and the world--the ABA accredits American law schools and suggests standards for conduct in the legal profession. Accredited law schools, also known as "ABA-approved schools," meet the ABA's national standards for quality of legal education. As a result, non-accredited programs often do not enjoy the same prestige and respect enjoyed by accredited schools.
The process law schools must undergo to earn ABA-accreditation can take several years. When a law school seeks accreditation, the ABA appoints a site team that includes former or current law professors and deans from other institutions, law librarians, judges and practicing attorneys. The site team reviews materials submitted by the school, conducts campus visits and meets with the law school's administration and professors. The site team then writes an evaluation report to the Accreditation Committee. Non-accredited schools can apply for provisional approval and then gain full-approval after at least three years with provisional status. Fully-approved schools must undergo a full evaluation every seven years and continuously demonstrate that they meet ABA standards.
Non-accreditation can negatively impact an aspiring lawyer's career. Many state bar associations, which administer law licenses according to the laws of each U.S. state, will not allow graduates of non-accredited law schools to take their state bar exams. Bar exam passage is a requirement for obtaining a license to practice law. Not all states, however, prevent graduates of non-accredited law schools from sitting for the state bar exam. The California Bar Association admits qualified candidates from non-ABA-accredited programs and administers its own CBA-accreditation program for law schools in the state that do not have ABA approval. In 2008, Massachusetts allowed the graduate of a non-ABA-accredited law school to take the state bar exam, but emphasized that exceptions would only be made for "exemplary" professionals on a case by case basis.
As a law degree from a non-ABA-accredited law school may hinder an individual's career, prospective law students should research each possible school's accreditation status before deciding whether to apply or attend. Law school applicants can review a list of ABA-approved law schools on the ABA website. Prospective law students can also look at the information presented by each law school's brochures, websites or other marketing materials. Lastly, applicants might consider contacting the law school directly and asking for confirmation of ABA-accreditation if they are still unsure about the school's status.