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Standards Archives

History

In 1921, the American Bar Association promulgated its first Standards for Legal Education. At the same time, the ABA began to publish a list of ABA-approved law schools that met the ABA Standards. From 1926 to 1935, this information was published as A Review of Legal Education by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement and Teaching and edited by Afred Z. Reed. In 1935, the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar undertook responsibility for the publication with data collection provided by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The Review of Legal Education continued to be published in that format until 1973 when the Standards were published separately in the ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure.

Review of Legal Education

1926-1927            1944            1959

1928                    1947            1960

1929                    1948            1961

1930                    1949            1962

1931                    1950            1963

1933                    1951            1964

1934                    1952            1965  

1935                    1953            1966

1936                    1954            1967

1937                    1955            1968

1938                    1956            1969

1939                    1957            1970

1942                    1958            1971

 

Standards and Rules by Year

1969

1973

1977            

1978                             

1979                  

1981           

1983                                  

1984            

1985                     

1986           

1987           

1988                   

1988 supplement                                                    

1989                        

1990

1991                     

1992                  

1993                  

1994

1995            

1996            

1997            

1998

1999

2000

2001-2002

2002-2003

2003-2004

2004-4005

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

2016-2017

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

2020-2021

2021-2022

2022-2023

Standards Updates

2022-2023

Revisions Effective September 2022

2021-2022

Revisions Effective February 2022
Revisons Effective August 2022

2020-2021

Revisions to the Print Edition

2019-2020

Revisions to the 2019-2020 Edition as of June 2020

Changes to the Bylaws

Revisions to the 2019-2020 Edition as of February 2020

Changes to the Standards

Changes to the Rules

Revisions to the 2019-2020 Edition as of November 2019

Changes to Internal Operating Practices Required by New Department of Education Regulations

Revisions to the 2019-2020 Edition as of August 2019

Criteria for Programs Offered by ABA-Approved Law Schools in a Location Outside the United States

Criteria for Programs Offered by ABA-Approved Law Schools in a Location Outside the United States - REDLINED

Notice Regarding Criteria for Programs Offered by ABA-Approved Law Schools in a Location Outside the United States

2019
Revised Standard 316

2018
Adoption and Implementation of Revised ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools

2017
Adoption and Implementation of Revised ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools

2016
Adoption and Implementation of Revised Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools

2015
Explanation of 2015 Revisions to the Standards

2014
Implementation of New Standards and Rules for Approval of Law Schools

Revised Memo on Compliance with Standard 509 (July 2014)

Council Acts on ABA Law School Approval Standards

2013

Compliance with Revised Standard 509

2012

Standard 509 (Consumer Information), Rule 16 (Sanctions) and Foreign Program Criteria (August 2012)

Information on New Standard 509

2011

Standards 105, 306, 512 and Rules 20, 24 (August 2011)

Changes Approved for Statement of Ethical Practices in the Process of Law School Accreditation(March 2011)

Standard 509, Rules 10, 22, 24 (February 2011)

2010

Revisions to Criteria for Approval of Study Abroad Programs Approved (August 2010)