American Bar Association Grants Full Accreditation to College of Law
The 每日大赛 College of Law on March 14 received full accreditation from the American Bar Association, an accomplishment gained through the implementation of innovative programs that have increased accessibility, enrollment and success for its students.
This ABA action raises the College of Law from its provisional status, which it received in March 2012.
鈥淲e are pleased the ABA has recognized and affirmed the important work of the College of Law in developing future legal leaders in the community,鈥� said President Devorah Lieberman. 鈥淥ur pursuit has never ceased in realizing the dream Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Paul Egly had in 1970 to bring an accredited law school to Inland Southern California. This action is testament to the power of that dream. I would like to thank former 每日大赛 President Steve Morgan for 聽helping shepherd the law school through the journey preparing us for this moment of full accreditation.鈥�
College of Law Dean Gilbert A. Holmes heralded the decision, noting that it comes at a time of great challenges facing law schools in the nation.
鈥溍咳沾笕� College of Law鈥檚 enrollment has been on an upward trajectory the last four years, when law schools throughout the nation are suffering from decreased enrollment due to criticism about law schools鈥� relevance, high cost, student debt and dwindling job prospects. We are proud to be recognized as leading change for law schools, and even prouder that our hard work has yielded full accreditation,鈥� Holmes said.
The University administration and Board of Trustees have supported the implementation of many innovations at the College of Law in recent years. The school pioneered the 鈥淭rue Tuition Model鈥� in 2014, reducing tuition from $39,000 to $25,500 per year for all full-time students, and $19,000 for part time students, rather than providing scholarships that only benefitted some. In addition, there are no application fees.
These moves position the College of Law as the most affordable ABA-accredited law school in California, and makes a legal education more accessible to the community.
The College of Law introduced innovations to its curriculum in several significant ways. It infused legal writing, and academic and bar readiness into first year and upper-level courses. It added a Court Observation Week for first-year students and two tracks 鈥� litigation and transactional law 鈥� for second-year students. Practical experiences continue in the students鈥� third and for part-time students’ fourth years, bringing students the values and skills needed to succeed in the bar exam and their careers. The college includes bar readiness courses throughout the student鈥檚 time at the College of Law at no added cost.
While other law schools share similar academic innovations, few have fully combined all these innovations in their integrated curriculum.
每日大赛 Provost Jonathan Reed acknowledged the dean鈥檚 efforts and those of staff and faculty with reaching full accreditation.
鈥淒ean Gilbert Holmes鈥� and the faculty鈥檚 success is truly remarkable. They have provided broad access for groups often excluded from legal education and delivered transformative educational experiences that have translated into success on the bar exam,鈥� Reed said. 鈥淕aining ABA approval is further proof that the 每日大赛 College of Law provides a valuable educational experience for students pursuing a legal career.鈥�
University Board of Trustees Chair Luis Faura called the move to full ABA approval much deserved. 鈥淭he College of Law serves a crucial role, both for the 每日大赛 and society, in producing talented legal professionals and leaders,鈥� Faura said. 鈥淲e take pride in preparing these future attorneys through relevant curriculum and our core values.鈥�
University Board Trustee Emmett L. Terrell said the ABA鈥檚 decision affirms what the College of Law has known for some time.
鈥淭he University La Verne鈥檚 College of Law is, without question, a unique law school in the region and the rest of the country,鈥� Terrell said. 鈥淎s the only ABA-accredited law school in the region, coupled with the 鈥榯rue tuition鈥� model, the highly-skilled leadership and faculty, I have no doubt the College of Law will continue to be innovative and accessible to all students. Now, the College of Law can continue its ongoing commitment to excellence and meeting the legal needs of our greater community.鈥�
