The American Bar Association (ABA) has granted the Golden Gate University School of Law an extension to comply with Standard 316, which mandates a bar passage rate of at least 75% within two years. The law school has not achieved this standard since its class of 2017, with the latest figures for the class of 2020 revealing a pass rate of 62.71% and a first-time test-taker pass rate of 45.38% for 2022. However, the ABA did not impose sanctions and gave the school up to three years to show progress in carrying out a reliable plan to improve bar pass rates.
Golden Gate University’s dean, Colin Crawford, said the school had “worked aggressively” to implement a reliable plan to improve bar pass rates. He was confident that sustained efforts would achieve compliance before December 2026, as required by the council. Crawford pointed out that the law school’s July 2022 first-time pass rate was “17 points higher than the previous year.” According to the notice, six law schools, including Golden Gate University, have two-year bar pass rates below 75%.
In addition to Golden Gate University’s law school, Inter American University’s law school, Western Michigan University’s law school, and Pontifical Catholic University’s law school have also received extensions to comply with Standard 316.
Inter-American University‘s law school has a two-year bar pass rate of 58.58%, while Western Michigan University‘s law school has a two-year bar pass rate of 61%. The Appalachian School of Law, the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, and the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law have two-year bar pass rates of 71.43%, 71.43%, and 72.63%, respectively.
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Meanwhile, the University of Oregon School of Law has been found out of compliance with Standard 206(b), which addresses having a diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. The school has been asked to submit a report to the council by June 30, which will be considered when it meets in August. According to the notice, the compliance finding is regarding the law school’s part-time or adjunct faculty. According to the law school’s Standard 509 Information Report, it has 52 non-full-time faculty, with 23 men, 29 women, and nine people of color.
Bill Adams, managing director of ABA accreditation and legal education, said bar passage data is public for consumers and should not be seen as “a compliance report” for Standard 316. However, law schools are expected to achieve the standard, which is determined by the bar pass rate of the most recent graduating class. If a law school is out of compliance, the ABA can take various actions, including requiring the law school to submit a report, imposing sanctions, or revoking its accreditation.
The legal education system in the United States is subject to various accreditation standards to ensure the quality of education offered to law students. Compliance with these standards is essential for law schools to maintain accreditation and enable their graduates to practice law. The recent notices posted by the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar regarding Golden Gate University School of Law and the University of Oregon School of Law highlight the importance of maintaining compliance with these standards. While Golden Gate University School of Law has received an extension to comply with Standard 316, it has committed to implementing a reliable plan to improve its bar pass rates. On the other hand, the University of Oregon School of Law has been asked to submit a report on its progress toward achieving diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. Law schools must prioritize compliance with these standards to ensure that they provide high-quality legal education and foster an inclusive learning environment.