In order to receive a Juris Doctor (J.D.) a student must attend an accredited law school which meets specific standards set forth by the American Bar Association (ABA).  The United Stated Department of Education is the ultimate overhead in the accreditation process and has certain parameters and expectations of a program, ensuring any student under that University’s system will receive a satisfactory education that prepares them for both the bar exam and the legal field.  The ABA acts on these parameters and ensures their enforcement.

A Council has been created to run this portion of the ABA and it is a mix of academics, judges, practicing lawyers, members of the general public and at least one current J.D. student.  These 21 one members preside over the approval process of a school by examining notes and information collected from an accreditors that visit, examine, and evaluate both new and old universities.

The accreditation process is long and must be taken seriously.  If accreditation were to be lost, the program would essentially be shut down and its students would no longer receive what would be considered a valid diploma or degree.  Universities must prove they are capable of providing a sound education through a variety of means.  The dean and faculty must first perform a self-study, evaluating their own program, highlighting its strengths, weaknesses, mission, goals, and what it is implementing to reach those goals.

The mechanics of the physical location and program are examined asking questions like, does it have the infrastructure needed to support students growth and education, does it have a fair and ethical governance. They examine the admissions process, libraries and facilities, faculty members and student services. If a school meets all requirements for ABA accreditation it is no small feat and it is valued highly. Even in populous areas and large states like Texas there are only a few places that hold onto this honor.

The American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools in Texas are as follows: St. Mary’s University School of Law (San Antonio); Baylor University Schoolof Law (Waco); University of Houston Law Center (Houston);  SMU  Dedman School of Law (Dallas); South Texas College of Law (Houston); The University of Texas School of Law (Austin); Texas Tech University School of Law (Lubbock); Texas Southern University—Thurgood Marshall School of Law (Houston);  and Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (Fort Worth).

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