Judges & Lawyers From Non-ABA Law Schools

[sicyomimima]

In Alabama we have elected state court judges. Currently, we have 30 (out of 229) District and Circuit Court judges who are grads of Birmingham School of Law and a similar number from Jones School of Law. Jones also has an alumni on the court of Civil Appeals. Both schools are non-ABA schools and have over the years been predominately night schools.

Any similar stats in other jurisdictions?

That is something to think about before school bashing at the monthly bar luncheon or at the county court house. You never know where your next judge may have gone to school.

[ImpeptHoorm]

I wish Faulkner would get ABA-approved. It would solve some issues here and with me. Their legal assistant program received ABA-approval a while ago. Faulker is kind of like John Marshall in Atlanta - it comes when it comes (I guess).

Update about John Marshall - Take a look at this law forum post:

John Marshall-Atlanta Law School: Is It ABA Accredited and Approved?

Locke28 mentioned about John Marshall: "It's actually been ABA approved since 2005, albeit on a provisional basis."

[Alexopsd]

Unless you are sure you don't want to practice in Alabama, I would not over look Jones. I think they have a good program. They are well respected in the state. Very much so in Montgomery and South Alabama. If they get ABA approval, I think they will cut into Cumberland and Mississippi College's applicant pool.

They have a good first time bar passage rate that a lot of the bottom tier ABA schools would love to have. I would put them up against Barry, Whittier, Western States, Florida Coastal, Appalachian,or Cooley. If you were planning to stay in Alabama you would be better of with a Jones degree than any of the previous list.

[Tgemofak]

Do you guys know what Faulkner's bar passage rate is? I am not sure if I want to stay in Alabama or not. When I think of going to law school, I think of GOING to lawschool (moving). I have only lived in Montgomery for a year now. I just wish they would get their ABA-approval. They have been on the ten-year plan for quite a while now. The reason it is so appealing is that it is down the street from where I live, they have a part-time evening program, and I have a great job at the Civil Air Patrol at Maxwell Air Force Base.

My GPA is high and I take the LSAT soon. This will be the determining factor of where I apply. If I could get a scholarship of some sort with them, it would be appealing. Anyway, if you know their bar passing rate, please let me know.

[BlueneExtesee]

Do you guys know what Faulkner's bar passage rate is?

Look at the first time pass rates. The overall pass rates tend to be lower because the repeaters tend to fail at a high rate. Jones (Faulkner) tends to have a first time rate in the lower 70's. They have made some big improvements in that area over the past 10 years.

My biggest problem with Jones is the high tuition relative to other schools in the state. we have several BSL students who transferred from Jones because of the $9,000 per year difference.

Jones grads do well in South Alabama and they will probably have at least one if not two Justices on the Alabama Supreme Court after the November election. Patti Smith is almost a sure bet.

[NefutyDigy]

There are a few schools around the country that are not now, have not in the past, and probably never will recieve ABA accreditation. The graduates from those schools usually practice within the state where they went to law school. After years of practice and jumping through hoops they may get to practice in other states.

Examples of Non-ABA schools or Provisional ABA law schools: Birmigham School of Law, Nashville School of Law, New England School Of Law, John Marshall Law School (Atlanta). These schools and about 10 others have bar exam privileges in certain jurisdictions. There are other non-ABA schools that did not have ABA status before the first class graduate but got it before the grad ceremony. For instance, Charleston School of Law, Florida A&M, and Florida International.

The ABA has approved or provisionally aproved about 186 schools. Graduates from these schools cam sit for the bar in any jurisdiction.

Good discussion on Non-ABA schools in this thread as well:

Non ABA Law schools: What's Your Opinion?

[mika]

you dont have to really jump through hoops to sit for the bar in other states, or wait years. Maryland for one have just stated along with DC that if you pass the bar in one state you can sit for their as well without waiting for years. and some states Kentucky, Oregon, Texas, and Maine only wants you to wait three to five which is really not that long. You can also go to a non aba school and then go to an ABA school for your LLM and can sit anywhere for the bar.