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- The March 2013 announcement was about a leadership role in law school accreditation
- The title change signaled an emphasis on accreditation as a regulatory function
- ABA accreditation sits in a federal recognition system while states control bar admission
- The Managing Director’s office is described as running the day to day administration of accreditation
- It is easy to confuse what accreditation does and does not decide
- Public information about ABA accreditation often appears in official announcements and reports
- Sources
Key Facts
- Federal and state: Law school accreditation can have practical effects because many jurisdictions tie bar exam eligibility to graduation from an accredited law school.
- Federal level: The Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is recognized as an accrediting agency for J.D. programs by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Federal and state: In March 2013, the American Bar Association publicly named Barry Currier as Managing Director of Accreditation and Legal Education for the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
- Federal and state: Reporting described the appointment as following a nationwide search and being announced by ABA leadership and Section leadership.
- Federal and state: The Managing Director title replaced the older title “Consultant on Legal Education” and was described as reflecting the Section’s expanded regulatory role.
- Federal and state: ABA materials from the 2012–2013 year described a transition in administrative leadership from Hulett Askew to Barry Currier in this role.
- Federal and state: The ABA describes the Managing Director’s office as administering accreditation functions such as site team work and collection and dissemination of law school data under the Standards.
- Federal and state: The ABA states that guidance from the Managing Director’s office on compliance is not binding on accreditation decisions made by the Council.
The March 2013 announcement was about a leadership role in law school accreditation
In March 2013, reporting by the ABA Journal described the American Bar Association naming Barry Currier as the new Managing Director of Accreditation and Legal Education for the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
That coverage described the role as connected to the accreditation and regulation of law school programs, and it also noted that the title was new, replacing the prior “Consultant on Legal Education” title.
The title change signaled an emphasis on accreditation as a regulatory function
ABA materials from the same period described the title change as an attempt to better match the work, emphasizing that the Section’s primary role is operating as an accreditor for law schools rather than acting as an outside advisor.
Those materials also described the 2012–2013 year as including a leadership transition in the office responsible for this accreditation administration.
ABA accreditation sits in a federal recognition system while states control bar admission
Accreditation in the United States often has both federal and state consequences, and legal education is a good example of that split.
On the federal side, the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is listed as a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency for J.D. programs.
On the state side, bar admission is governed by each jurisdiction, and many jurisdictions rely on graduation from an accredited law school as part of bar exam eligibility rules.
The Managing Director’s office is described as running the day to day administration of accreditation
The ABA’s accreditation overview describes the Office of the Managing Director of Accreditation and Legal Education as administering the accreditation project for law schools.
It is easy to confuse what accreditation does and does not decide
Accreditation and licensure are often discussed together, but they are not the same thing.
Accreditation generally focuses on whether an educational program meets standards set by a recognized accreditor, while admission to practice law is handled through a jurisdiction’s bar admission system.
Because the ABA’s law school accrediting work is widely relied on, leadership changes in the accreditation office can draw attention even though the legal authority to license lawyers remains with states and other jurisdictions.
Public information about ABA accreditation often appears in official announcements and reports
When the ABA communicates about accreditation leadership and accreditation administration, that information often appears in official ABA news coverage, Section materials, and annual reports describing the Section’s work.
Separate from news coverage, the ABA also publishes process descriptions explaining how accreditation administration is organized and what the Managing Director’s office does.
