Legal Education News
- The ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar voted to eliminate its law school diversity, equity, and inclusion accreditation requirement in an attempt to preserve its status as national accreditor amid pressure from the federal government. The US Department of Education recently released a recommendation to remove the ABA as the sole national accreditor for law schools and has voiced disapproval of the ABA’s rules on diversity. (Reuters)
- The national average score for the July 2026 multistate bar exam fell for the first time since 2022. The decrease in score could be a result of many states moving to the NextGen Bar Exam resulting in fewer overall test takers. (ABA Journal)
- Other legal education stories from the week include:
- Justice Department alleges that UC Berkeley Law illegally weighed race in admissions. (LA Times)
- A look at the law schools that produce the most law professors. (ABA Journal)
- Washington hosts successful retake of NextGen Bar Exam after cancelling the initial test. (ABA Journal)
- Melissa Hoffer appointed president of Vermont Law and Graduate School. (VTDigger)
- The first graduates of Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s prison education program earn law degrees. (Reuters)
Higher Education News
- Universities start institutional lending programs to combat changes to federal student loans. (Politico)
- A look at the future of online education in a post-COVID era. (Inside Higher Ed)
- How colleges can use competency-based education to help nontraditional students. (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Legal Profession News
- California State Bar considers implementing restrictions on AI use for lawyers. (Law.com)
- How the increasing use of AI for lawyers is shaping the future of the legal profession. (Houston Business Journal)
- Opinion: How threats against judges endanger independence. (Bloomberg Law News)
Law School News
- UC Berkeley Law launches new Life Sciences & Policy Center. (UC Berkeley Law)
- Fordham Law launches Federal Habeas Clinic to provide access to justice for incarcerated people. (Fordham Law News)
- A look at the University of Miami Law Environmental Justice Clinic. (University of Miami School of Law)
- Vanderbilt Law offers students an AI-powered deposition simulator. (Vanderbilt University)
TaxProf Blog
- July MBE Scores Fall, Portending Declines in July 2026 Bar Exam Pass Rates, Despite Higher LSATs and UGPAs — Are AI and Increased Law School Exam Accommodations to Blame? by Paul Caron
- Are Many Universities Truly Experiencing a Budget Crisis? by Kevin R. Johnson
- Women and People of Color as Deans: The Other Side of the Glass Cliff by Kevin R. Johnson
- Article: Disbarment Disparities: How Law School Prestige Affects Disbarment Rates by Kevin R. Johnson