American Bar Association Approval

With very few exceptions, students must graduate from a law school approved by the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar if they wish to take a State bar exam and be an attorney.  Wilmington University School of Law will be seeking approval of the Council (ABA Approval).    

The initial level of approval that the Council awards to a law school is provisional approval.  From an accreditation perspective, a law school that is provisionally approved is entitled to all the rights of a fully approved law school. Similarly, from an ABA perspective, graduates of provisionally approved law schools are entitled to the same recognition that is accorded graduates of fully approved law schools.  Most States consider graduates of provisionally approved law schools as graduates of fully approved schools.  However, students should check individual State requirements.  ABA procedures require that a law school complete at least one academic year before applying for provisional approval.  Visit the ABA Guide to Schools Seeking Approval for a deeper explanation of the process.

 

Timeline for Application for ABA Provisional Approval

August 2023 - First class enrolls at WilmU Law

March 2024 - WilmU Law sends ABA notice of intent to apply for provisional approval

Summer 2024 - Submission to the ABA of application for provisional approval

Fall 2024 - ABA site team visits WilmU Law

Spring 2025 - Council decision concerning WilmU Law's application

If granted provisional approval, the law school must wait a minimum of two years before applying for full approval.