From the Managing Director
Jennifer Rosato Perea
Rituals and milestones provide a rich opportunity for celebration, reflection and change. I am just completing my first year as Managing Director, and have a few reflections to share as I commemorate this milestone.
This year, as part of my “listen and learn” tour, I have had conversations with over a dozen organizations that serve legal education, and have presented on panels alongside colleagues from many of these organizations. I celebrate all of their creative, dedicated, and persistent work to improve legal education in myriad ways, and to courageously face the challenges in legal and higher education, and the profession. I reflect on the need for these organizations and stakeholders to communicate and collaborate even more. For example, there are a number of organizations that gather and analyze data related to law schools, prospective and current law students, and graduates -- and I observe that we can do more to ensure that our data-gathering is efficient and accessible to those who need it, and that we can better complement each other’s work. More fundamentally and urgently, the law schools, Council, and state supreme courts (as bar accrediting authorities) need to better communicate and collaborate to strengthen the bridge from law school to bar admissions and practice. We have much to learn from each other.
This year I worked to communicate more regularly to different audiences that interface with the Council. Communication is the cornerstone to the success of our collective work in improving legal education. I celebrate the feedback that the Council has received through (for example) notice and comment, roundtables, and open sessions. This feedback has enhanced the Council’s transparency and approach to Standards revisions. I reflect on the need to continue to work on improving the Council’s processes and opportunities for input, so that our constituencies continue to gain confidence and trust in the Council’s work. This summer, the Council is already planning to host a town hall on reporting needs-based v. non-needs-based scholarships, and a roundtable on revisions to Standard 405. And until June 30, 2025, the Council welcomes comments on the experiential learning standards revisions and suggestions for Standards revisions/changes in 2025-2026.
In addition to listening and communicating, educating has been another key theme of my first year. I celebrate the ability to help enhance understanding of the Council’s membership, processes, separate and independent status from the larger ABA, and the principles and purposes undergirding the Council’s actions. I reflect on the important work of the Council -- from Standards revisions to accreditation of law schools to data collection – and the importance of making sure that everyone knows about the Council’s essential role as an accreditor. I have learned that many folks just don’t know what the Council has done to provide a fair, effective, and efficient accrediting system for American law schools for close to 100 years; and how the Council’s work as the accreditor approved throughout the United States for JD programs benefits everyone, from law students, to states, and to the public at large. And that this work is done economically, with 18 staff members, and over 200 volunteers a year engaged in this work.
We will continue to educate through our section activities. For example, related to learning outcomes, we will have web resources and workshops to help law schools comply with the new standards beginning in academic year 2026-2027. We will continue to provide law students and recent grads with information about financial aid and loan repayment, and related issues of interest. Let us know where you need more resources or programming.
This year’s theme has been to “listen and learn,” and it follows that next year’s theme will be to “listen and do.” Do more collaboration with affiliate organizations. Do more outreach with state courts. Do more reporting of collected data. Do more explaining about the meaning of the Council’s work. Do our work with greater transparency and purpose. To that end, we welcome the opportunity to share information about the work the Council does to promote quality legal education in the United States that produces competent and ethical lawyers.
Thanks to Chair David Brennen for his excellent and impactful leadership, the Council members, and the staff for their diligent and hard work. And thanks to the Section members for all your support as I look forward to the year ahead!