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Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar

Welcome

Section Chair, Leo P. Martinez

Chair's Message

It is my honor to welcome you to the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the ABA’s first Section. You are now part of an exceptional network of over 14,000 lawyers, legal professionals, judges, law students, and legal educators, that strives to improve legal education and lawyer licensing.

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About the Section

As the first Section of the ABA, the Section brings together legal educators, practitioners and judges and provides leadership and services to those involved in legal education and admissions to the bar through workshops, conferences and publications. The Section's Council is the national accrediting body for American legal education.

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Law School Accreditation

The Section's Council is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) as the national accrediting agency for programs leading to the J.D. In this function, the Council and the Section are independent of the ABA, as required by DOE regulations. All state supreme courts recognize ABA-approved law schools as meeting the legal education requirements to qualify for the bar examination; forty-six states limit eligibility for bar admission to graduates of ABA-approved schools.

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Council Meetings

The Section's Council meets four times per year. Visit the Council Meeting page for dates, locations, and open session materials.

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Membership

Membership in the Section offers opportunities to increase your knowledge, develop your career, expand your professional community, and shape the future of legal education.

Practice Forward Amid COVID-19

Move your practice and the legal profession forward during the pandemic and beyond with continually updated tools and resources.

Contact Us

Questions or Comments? Please fill out the contact form and someone from the Section staff will respond promptly.