Modest Proposals to Improve and Preserve the Law School Accreditation Process

Abstract

This article discusses the ABA accreditation of law schools in light of actions taken in the mid-1990's by the American Bar Association's Board of Governors, and the Department of Justice. The latter organization had embarked on an investigation of alleged antitrust violations in connection with the ABA's accreditation of law schools. The implications of the final consent decree arrived at by the two organizations and how it affects the accreditation process are the topics of this article.

Keywords: accreditation standards, law schools, ABA, American Bar Association, ABA Board of Governors, Department of Justice, site evaluation teams, antitrust violations, legal education, salary data, law school faculty, law school staff, compensation data

JEL Classification: I28, I29, K19, K39