The ABA is requesting Comments - ALDA deans will probably speak

The reason for all these requests for comments is that the consent decree that binds the ABA accreditation of law schools expires by its own terms on June 25, 2006. The Council on Legal Education met in February to discuss what to do when the consent decree expires, and pretty much agreed to keep things as they are. However, they agreed to seek broad input on the issues they face. John Siebert, current Consultant on Legal Education for the ABA section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, has issued a request for Comments of his own. See the memo at the link above. The memo was posted Feb. 27...

This memorandum sets forth the decisions in principle that the Council took at its February 11, 2006 meeting concerning the post-consent decree issues, along with some matters of governance and committee structure that are closely related to the Consent Decree. Copies of the Consent Decree and its subsequent modification are attached to this memorandum.

We solicit comments on these issues, by letter or e-mail, or by appearance at a hearing that will be held on these issues. Written comments should be addressed to John A. Sebert, Consultant on Legal Education, American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610; 312-988-6746; or sebertj@staff.abanet.org. The hearing will be held during the American Law Institute Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2006, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., at the Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. At that hearing, comments also will be received concerning proposed revisions to Chapters 2, 5 and 8 of the Standards that have previously been circulated for comment.

Written comments must be received by May 10, 2006. All comments will be reviewed by the Post-Consent Decree Committee as it develops its final recommendations for consideration by the Council. The Council expects to take final action on these matters at its meeting of June 9 – 11, 2006.

There are a lot of thought-provoking comments in the memo, and I recommend you read it in detail. I will not post more here. There are not hyper-super-scary things about tenure in there, as there were with the ALDA deans' memo (whew!), and, unless I am missing things in my first read, there are not things that will make most people's hair stand on end. But go and read it for yourself.