Summary: The American Bar Association has stated that it will not review Concordia University School of Law’s application for accreditation until June, causing many students to graduate later than anticipated.
According to JRN.com, Concordia University School of Law students received an unnerving email while on their Thanksgiving break from classes: The American Bar Association will not discuss the law school’s application for accreditation until the end of the academic school year. The school is located in Boise, Idaho.
Here’s an article about the accreditation process at Concordia University School of Law.
In May, the first class at Concordia University School of Law will graduate, eager to take the bar exam and start life as an attorney. However, Idaho state law requires that all candidates who wish to take the bar exam must have graduated from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association—which could mean big trouble for Concordia students.
Here is another article from August about Concordia’s quest to become accredited.
Some students are shifting their schedules around to postpone their graduations. For example, Blake Echols, who was on track to graduate in May 2015, plans to hold off on taking one course, so that he will complete his coursework when the law school hopefully becomes accredited.
Echols acknowledged that he knew this was a risk when he accepted a slot at an unaccredited law school. He noted that school administrators have worked diligently over the past three years as they seek accreditation.
The ABA is changing its accreditation requirements.
The ABA stated that Concordia’s application will be reviewed in the first week of June. If the ABA decides to grant provisional accreditation, students may be able to graduate in the fall and take the February 2016 bar exam in Idaho.
The law school had previously applied to the Idaho Supreme Court for a waiver so that its students could sit for the bar exam, but that request was denied in August. Many students ended up filing for transfers to other law schools.
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