Future lawyers in Florida are no longer required to attend a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), ending the “highly partisan” organization’s chokehold on universities as the nation’s sole law school accreditor.
The Florida Supreme Court ruled on Jan. 15 that “it is not in Floridians’ best interest for the ABA to be the sole gatekeeper deciding which law school graduates are eligible to sit for the state’s General Bar Examination and become licensed attorneys in Florida.” ABA has been criticized for forcing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices on universities in order for them to maintain recognition, essentially requiring schools to adhere to racial quotas.
While ABA-accredited schools will remain recognized, the ruling opens opportunities for any agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to approve law schools in the state.
