By American Bar Association
The Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the national accreditor of law schools, has announced the appointment of a Special Advisory Committee to assist in reviewing the Council’s Standards for the Approval of Law Schools.
Among those named to the committee is Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan K. Cavanagh.
“This committee will be guided by our recently adopted Core Principles and Values,” said Daniel Thies, council chair, “and will focus on ensuring that the Council’s standards enable law schools to innovate and provide a quality legal education without imposing needless burdens or costs.”
The committee will assist the Council in its work by gathering information from key constituencies providing counsel on what changes to the standards are appropriate.
“The Council cannot do its work of accrediting law schools alone,” said Thies. “The wisdom and insight from this distinguished group of state supreme court justices, law school deans and others prominent in their fields will shape our deliberations and ensure that our system operates effectively and efficiently in service of clients and the public.”
Besides Cavanagh, the newly appointed members of the advisory committee include:
Dean Kerry Abrams, Duke University School of Law
Dean Anthony W. Crowell, New York Law School
Chief Justice Matthew Fader, Supreme Court of Maryland
Justice Rebeca A. Huddle, Supreme Court of Texas
Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen, South Dakota Supreme Court
Dean David H. Moore, Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School
Dean Cynthia Nance, University of Arkansas School of Law
Dean Erin O’Hara O’Connor, Florida State University College of Law
Prof. Jerry Organ, University of St. Thomas (MN) School of Law
Justice David Overstreet, Supreme Court of Illinois
Augustin “Augie” Rivera, Jr., chair, Texas Board of Law Examiners and General Counsel, Del Mar College District
Professor Kevin K. Washburn, University of California-Berkeley School of Law
Prof. David Yellen, University of Miami School of Law
Over the next year, the committee will meet regularly with the Council’s Standards Committee to prioritize which standards should be reviewed, guided by the Council’s Core Principles and Values.
This process will be augmented by outreach to other constituencies, in a variety of formats. A few other members may be added to the committee in early 2026.
Thies said this greater inclusion and transparency in standards revisions will enhance the Council’s valuable work in helping to ensure that state courts admit graduates who are prepared to be effective, ethical and responsible members of the legal profession.
The Council of the ABA Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar (the Council) is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) as the national accrediting agency for programs leading to the J.D.
As the national accreditor, the Council is separate and independent from the ABA and works on a non-profit basis for the betterment of legal education at a national level.
The Council’s work ensures a national standard of quality for legal education across every U.S. jurisdiction so that graduates’ law degrees are portable among states.
The Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the national accreditor of law schools, has announced the appointment of a Special Advisory Committee to assist in reviewing the Council’s Standards for the Approval of Law Schools.
Among those named to the committee is Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Megan K. Cavanagh.
“This committee will be guided by our recently adopted Core Principles and Values,” said Daniel Thies, council chair, “and will focus on ensuring that the Council’s standards enable law schools to innovate and provide a quality legal education without imposing needless burdens or costs.”
The committee will assist the Council in its work by gathering information from key constituencies providing counsel on what changes to the standards are appropriate.
“The Council cannot do its work of accrediting law schools alone,” said Thies. “The wisdom and insight from this distinguished group of state supreme court justices, law school deans and others prominent in their fields will shape our deliberations and ensure that our system operates effectively and efficiently in service of clients and the public.”
Besides Cavanagh, the newly appointed members of the advisory committee include:
Dean Kerry Abrams, Duke University School of Law
Dean Anthony W. Crowell, New York Law School
Chief Justice Matthew Fader, Supreme Court of Maryland
Justice Rebeca A. Huddle, Supreme Court of Texas
Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen, South Dakota Supreme Court
Dean David H. Moore, Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School
Dean Cynthia Nance, University of Arkansas School of Law
Dean Erin O’Hara O’Connor, Florida State University College of Law
Prof. Jerry Organ, University of St. Thomas (MN) School of Law
Justice David Overstreet, Supreme Court of Illinois
Augustin “Augie” Rivera, Jr., chair, Texas Board of Law Examiners and General Counsel, Del Mar College District
Professor Kevin K. Washburn, University of California-Berkeley School of Law
Prof. David Yellen, University of Miami School of Law
Over the next year, the committee will meet regularly with the Council’s Standards Committee to prioritize which standards should be reviewed, guided by the Council’s Core Principles and Values.
This process will be augmented by outreach to other constituencies, in a variety of formats. A few other members may be added to the committee in early 2026.
Thies said this greater inclusion and transparency in standards revisions will enhance the Council’s valuable work in helping to ensure that state courts admit graduates who are prepared to be effective, ethical and responsible members of the legal profession.
The Council of the ABA Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar (the Council) is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) as the national accrediting agency for programs leading to the J.D.
As the national accreditor, the Council is separate and independent from the ABA and works on a non-profit basis for the betterment of legal education at a national level.
The Council’s work ensures a national standard of quality for legal education across every U.S. jurisdiction so that graduates’ law degrees are portable among states.
