Here are a few of the most important news stories you need to know from the past two weeks.
For the last decade, AALS has kept the legal academy and supporters informed with our weekly Legal Education News Digest and Blogs Digest. These digests track important developments in legal education, the legal profession, and higher education on the federal level. They also highlight new programs, collaborations between schools, milestones, faculty accomplishments, awards, clinical activities, and special events. Sign up to receive these digests by email.
Law schools can share news and updates with the editors of the weekly digest here.
AALS Legal Education News Digest – Two Weeks Ending August 15, 2025
AALS Legal Education Blogs Digest – Two Weeks Ending August 15, 2025
Top stories from the past two weeks include:
- A budget bill passed in US congress has limited the amount of federal loans students can borrow annually. Law students are capped at $50,000 a year or $200,000 over a lifetime. Experts worry that the cap is too low to cover a law degree and could force low-income students to turn away from attending law school. AALS President and UC Irvine Law dean Austen Parrish says it is still important to encourage applicants to apply and pursue scholarship opportunities and that law schools should do their best to adapt to support low-income students. (Marketplace)
- AALS has acquired Rosenblatt’s Deans database from Jim Rosenblatt, dean emeritus of Mississippi College School of Law. The database tracks the tenure of law school deans as well as gender, ethnicity, educational background, and biographical details of incoming and outgoing deans. The acquisition will help AALS track trends and provide up-to-date information on law school deanship. (Law.com)
- California law deans urge the California State Bar to adopt the NextGen Bar Exam in 2028. Deans view the new version of the bar exam as the best way to ensure fair, reliable examinations for law graduates. Their letter comes following issues with the release of a California-specific bar exam in February, creating concerns over alternative bar exams. (Cal Lawyer)
- LSAC is facing a class action lawsuit accusing them of overcharging thousands in application fees. The lawsuit alleges that the organization conspired with member schools to keep prices high and eliminate competition in the application process. A spokesperson for LSAC commented that they strongly disagree with the allegations and are committed to access in legal education. (Reuters)
- A National Association for Law Placement (NALP) study showed that 2024 law graduates had the highest ever employment rate in bar-admission required jobs, though experts warn there’s more to read from the data. NALP executive director Nikia L. Gray says that while the data is good for recent graduates, it could mean a decrease in available jobs for future graduates as the market becomes oversaturated. (ABA Journal)
Higher Education
- The White House is requiring colleges and universities to submit expanded admissions data to the US Department of Education. This is the most recent in a series of escalations targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, and intends to reveal if schools may be using proxy indicators other than academic performance to preference race in admissions. Higher education experts say this data will difficult to decode, as universities have always considered variables beyond academic performance in admissions. (NPR)
- The White House has cleared a Department of Homeland Security proposal to restrict the duration of foreign student visas in the US. Under the new regulations, students’ stay in the US will be limited to a fixed period which could end before they complete their studies. (Bloomberg Law News)
- UCLA and the state of California have challenged the federal government over elimination of federal funding and demands to pay a $1 billion fine to resolve allegations of antisemitism, use of race in admissions, and policies allowing transgender athletes to compete. California governor Gavin Newsom responded saying that the state will sue the federal government claiming that they have overstepped in attacking academic freedom. (The Los Angeles Times)
Law School Programs, Clinics and Milestones
- Case Western Reserve Law receives endowment for Canada-United States Law Institute. (Case Western Reserve University)
- University of Chicago Law launches Artificial Intelligence Lab course. (The University of Chicago)
- Duke Law Health Justice Clinic works to end discrimination against people in recovery. (Duke Law News)
- Harvard Law Institutional Data Initiative partners with Boston Public Library for OpenAI project. (Amicus Libris)
- University of Minnesota Law Name, Image and Likeness Clinic assists college athletes. (University of Minnesota News and Events)
- University of New Mexico Law partners with Brown University for national institute on trustworthy AI assistants. (The University of New Mexico)
- Oklahoma City University Law Tenant Rights Clinic offers pro bono services to the community. (Yahoo! News)
- USC Gould Law unveils Center for Sports, Entertainment, Media & Technology Law. (USC Gould School of Law)
- Widener Commonwealth Law expands LSAT prep program for first-generation students. (Widener University Commonwealth Law)
Law School Dean Moves and Hires
- Brian Ray and Carolyn Broering-Jacobs named co-interim-deans of Cleveland State Law. (Cleveland Jewish News)