December 4th: ABA votes on accreditation of law schools outside the U.S.

30 November 2010 —  As we previously reported (but which we reluctantly have not continually followed) over the summer an ABA committee recommended that the ABA consider the accreditation of law schools outside U.S. borders.  Must be an issue because there are just not enough lawyers and too many legal jobs unfilled, right?

The ABA had solicited comments (the comment period closed October 15th) and the designated committee takes its vote on December 4, 2010.  But … comments may still be accepted and if you want to have your say email legaled@staff.abanet.org and title them “Foreign Law Schools.”

The pros/cons were outlined by the ABA (for a link click here)  but let’s focus on the cons:

(1) This development could result in enlarging practice opportunities for foreign lawyers in the United States because graduates of foreign ABA approved schools then would be eligible to sit for a bar exam without any reciprocity or parallel opportunities provided by other countries for U.S. lawyers.

(2) If the foreign school is government-sponsored, political difficulties could arise if the Council failed to approve an application for accreditation and, depending on the issues presented, this could create problems or pressures both within the larger ABA and potentially with the Department of State.

(3) Foreign students who never spend any time studying in the United States will not have the benefit of the acculturation process that naturally occurs when study is accomplished here and that provides context for understanding the development of U.S. law and professional ethics.

Fo our other coverage of this issue click here.