Here are a few of the most important news stories you need to know from the past week.
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 conferences/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 – Week Ending March 20, 2026
AALS Legal Education Blogs Digest – Week Ending March 20, 2026
Top stories from the past week include:
- California is considering requiring law schools to train students in the use of AI as part of their six credits of practice‑based skills training. The proposal would only apply to state-accredited and non-accredited schools, not those accredited by the ABA. (Reuters)
- Law professors are creating AI‑powered teaching tools to give students practice with oral argument, evidentiary objections, witness examinations, and more—and sharing advice about building these tools without any coding experience. (Thomson Reuters)
- Several states have implemented alternative licensure pathways through supervised practice and practical skills rather than through the bar exam. Oregon, South Dakota, and Arizona have reported high applicant interest and strong performance from candidates. While they are still fine-tuning the requirements, these states report that alternative licensure has been successful. (ABA Journal)
- Other legal education stories:
- AALS study examines the experiences of women attorneys in higher education leadership positions. (Law Week Colorado)
- Candidates in some states who failed the bar exam will have to retake using the new NextGen Bar Exam. (ABA Journal)
- Schools see increased bar pass rates for the 2025 exam. (Law.com)
- US Department of Justice to allow hiring of prosecutors directly out of law school. (Bloomberg Law News)
- High Point Law gains provisional accreditation; NIU Law approved for part‑time JD in suburban Chicago. (ABA Journal)
Higher Education
- Enrollment at very small colleges has declined since 2011, while very large universities have grown nearly 24%. A 2025 survey found that although most prospective students say politics influence where they apply, it does not impact whether they attend a large or small university. Experts state that small colleges must pursue strategies like carving out niches, considering mergers, and planning for sustainability in order to stay open. (Higher Ed Dive)
- Mental illness among college students is far higher than in the general adult population despite colleges increasingly offering mental health services. College students cite academic stress, financial pressures, and social media as factors in their mental struggles. Experts say that campuses need to create more preventive systems that include peer support and early screening. (The Hill)
- Higher education leaders are warning Congress that the Pell Grant program is facing a massive funding crisis. Congress must allocate about $40 billion for the program, which is essential for access to education allowing those from all socioeconomic backgrounds to attend college, to maintain its stability. (Inside Higher Ed)
Law School Programs, Clinics and Milestones
- A look at amicus briefs filed by UC Berkeley Law Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice advocacy. (UC Berkeley Law)
- UC Law San Francisco announces new online forum for legal scholarship on constitutional democracy, civil rights, and the rule of law. (UC Law San Francisco)
- Columbia Law launches new AI course. (Above the Law)
- Jacksonville University Law students volunteer at estate planning clinic. (Jax Daily Record)
- NYU Law Rule of Law Lab publishes report on Hungary’s repression of independent media. (NYU School of Law)
- University of North Carolina Law students provide free legal assistance at Women’s Resource Center. (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
- Yale Law Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy Clinic advocates against data center expansion. (Yale Law School)