The Standards Committee of the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is proposing to revise law school accreditation standards to recognize alternative methods of licensing lawyers.

Standard 316 now requires that 75% of a law school’s graduates in a calendar year who took the bar exam must pass it within two years to meet accreditation standards. The proposed language would require “satisfactory completion of an assessment of competency for licensure, such as a bar exam or other assessment recognized in the jurisdiction.” [Emphasis added.]

The revised standard would recognize licensing regimes in Oregon, Washington, South Dakota, Utah, and Nevada that allow graduates from ABA-accredited law schools to become licensed through supervised practice or a combination of academic and work experience.

The change in accreditation standards could encourage other states to revise their licensing regimes.