Regarding Accreditation of Legal Education in Common Law Countries by the ABA Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar
Resolution 8: Regarding Accreditation of Legal Education in Common Law Countries by the ABA Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar
WHEREAS, there is a growing interest in transnational legal practice by both American lawyers and lawyers in other nations; and
WHEREAS, an increasing number of lawyers who received their legal education and who have been admitted to practice in other nations are applying to sit for the bar examination in states around the United States; and
WHEREAS, graduation from an ABA-accredited law school is now one of the requirements for admission to practice in most states; and
WHEREAS, some state supreme courts are not authorized to waive this requirement; and
WHEREAS, state supreme courts and state bar admissions committees are not able to easily assess the quality of the legal education provided by law schools in other nations, even those that share the common-law tradition with the United States; and
WHEREAS, the American Bar Association Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar has developed expertise and an effective and reliable procedure for assessing the quality of the legal education provided by law schools in the United States;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conference of Chief Justices urges the American Bar Association Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar to consider developing and implementing a program to certify the quality of the legal education offered by universities in other common-law countries.
Adopted as proposed by the International Agreements Committee of the Conference of Chief Justices on February 7, 2007.