An Open Letter on the American Bar Association's Policy on Foreign Studies: A Barrier to the Development of Legal Education
Hamline Law Review, Vol. 18, p. 1, 1994
7 Pages Posted: 1 Dec 2011
Date Written: January 1, 1994
Abstract
Through its accreditation processes, the American Bar Association determines which American law schools may carry the “ABA approved” stamp. Theoretically, the accreditation process ensures that the schools offer the highest quality of legal education available in America. However, the criteria currently the ABA uses in evaluating and approving foreign study in fact hinders the efforts of American law schools to prepare their students for the future. The writers of this letter have a first-hand experience of the importance of foreign study, from the perspective of both teacher and student. In this letter, we address the experience of Hamline University School of Law with ABA approval of foreign study programs. This article discusses the problems associated with ABA approval procedures. By this letter, the authors pose a challenge to all members of ABA-approved law schools to join together to work for change in the ABA foreign study accreditation.
Keywords: American Bar Association accreditation, foreign study, legal education, law school, ABA-approved law schools
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