Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

Title 4. Admissions and Educational Standards

Division 2. Accredited Law School Rules

Adopted by The Committee of Bar Examiners

January 1, 2009 with Approved Amendments

Effective April 23, 2021

Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

Table of Contents

GUIDELINES FOR ACCREDITED LAW SCHOOL RULES PREAMBLE........................ 8 Division 1. General Provisions ........................................................................................ 9

1.1 Provisional Accreditation, Accreditation, and Degree-Granting Authority .............. 9 (A) General Provision ............................................................................................... 9 (B) Transition of Registered Law Schools ................................................................ 9 (C) Site Visit ........................................................................................................... 10 (D) Program Transition........................................................................................... 10

1.2 Maintaining Provisional Accreditation, Accreditation and Degree-Granting Authority .................................................................................................................... 11 1.3 Restrictions on Issuance of Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree ....................................... 11 1.4 Student Complaints ............................................................................................. 11 1.5 Schedule of Charges and Deadlines ................................................................... 11 1.6 Compliance with Other Laws ............................................................................... 11 1.7 Primary Administrative Office, Classroom, and Law Library Facilities Location and Hours; Availability of Records .................................................................................... 11 1.8 California Bar Examination Review or Preparation Courses................................ 12 Division 2. Honesty and Integrity ................................................................................... 12 2.1 Honesty and Integrity ........................................................................................... 12 2.2 Honesty Regarding Finances .............................................................................. 12

(A) Honesty and Integrity ....................................................................................... 12 (B) Honesty in Financial Dealings with Prospective Students, Applicants, and Students; Refund Policy ......................................................................................... 12 (C) Financial Safeguards ....................................................................................... 13 2.3 Honesty in Communications ................................................................................ 13 (A) Honesty in Communications Generally ............................................................ 13 (B) Honesty in Communications with Students ...................................................... 13 (C) Honesty in Communications with Prospective Students and Applicants .......... 13 (D) Required Disclosures ....................................................................................... 13

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Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

(E) Reference to Provisional Accreditation and Accreditation; Reference to Other Accreditations, Approvals and Memberships ......................................................... 15 2.4 Forms of Ownership ............................................................................................ 15 2.5 Compensation Based on Number of Applicants, Enrollment, and Students Prohibited .................................................................................................................. 16 2.6 Fairness in Student Discipline ............................................................................. 16 2.7 Fairness in Academic Standards and Student Assessment ................................ 17 (A) Academic Standards Policy.............................................................................. 17 (B) Written Statement on Basis for Final Grade. .................................................... 17 (C) Authenticity of Student Work. ........................................................................... 18 (D) Examination and Final Grades. ........................................................................ 18 (E) Right to Inspect and Copy Examination Questions and Answers..................... 18 (F) Grade Review Committee................................................................................. 18 (G) Grade Review Procedures. .............................................................................. 18 2.8 Protection of Student Privacy and Confidentiality of Student Communications and Records ..................................................................................................................... 19 2.9 Security and Backup Systems ............................................................................. 19 2.10 Statement of Provided Student Services, Experiences, and Activities; Adequate Support and Resources for Provided Services, Experiences, and Activities ............. 19 Division 3. Governance ................................................................................................. 20 3.1 Governance Requirement.................................................................................... 20 3.2 Governing Board.................................................................................................. 20 3.3 Optional Board of Visitors .................................................................................... 20 Division 4. Dean, Full-Time Administrator, and Faculty................................................. 20 4.1 Law School Dean; Full-Time Administrator; Registrar Duties .............................. 20 4.2 Faculty Participation in Formulation, Implementation, and Administration of Academic and Non-Academic Policies and Programs............................................... 21 4.3 Faculty and Student-Faculty Ratio....................................................................... 22 4.4 Course Loads of Instructors; Availability of Instructors for Student Counseling ... 22 4.5 Faculty Credentials .............................................................................................. 22 4.6 Duty of Instructors to Continuously Improve Teaching Skills and Substantive Expertise.................................................................................................................... 22

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Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

4.7 Evaluation of Instructors ...................................................................................... 23 4.8 Basis of Instructor Evaluations............................................................................. 24 4.9 Academic Freedom Policy ................................................................................... 24 4.10 Notice of Changes Not Covered by Rule 4.165 (Major Changes)...................... 24 Division 5. Admissions .................................................................................................. 25 5.1 Admissions Policy................................................................................................ 25 5.2 Review of Pre-Legal Study .................................................................................. 25 5.3 Official Transcripts Required within Forty-Five Days of Beginning of Term ......... 25 5.4 Applications Must Ask About Prior Law School Attendance ................................ 25 5.5 Special Students.................................................................................................. 25 5.6 Admission or Readmission of Applicants Previously Disqualified for Academic Reasons .................................................................................................................... 26 5.7 Credit Allowed for Admission or Readmission after Disqualification for Academic Reasons .................................................................................................................... 27 5.8 Credit for Prior Study in the Absence of Prior Disqualification for Academic Reasons .................................................................................................................... 28 5.9 Credit for Resident Study outside the United States............................................ 28 Division 6. Academic Program ...................................................................................... 29 6.1 Academic Program .............................................................................................. 29 6.2 Criteria for Determining Compliance with Guideline 6.1 ...................................... 29 6.3 Minimum Requirements for Award of Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree ........................ 30 6.4 Evaluation of Pre-Legal Education and Law Study Contemplated or Completed 30 6.5 Quantitative Academic Requirements.................................................................. 30

(A) Minimum Requirements for the Juris Doctor Degree; Time Requirements for Completion of Course of Study .............................................................................. 30 (B) Academic Engagement .................................................................................... 30 (C) Attendance ....................................................................................................... 31 (D) Curriculum........................................................................................................ 31 (E) Full-time Students ............................................................................................ 32 (F) Part-time Students............................................................................................ 32 (G) Combining Study at Accredited and Registered Unaccredited Law Schools ... 32

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Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

(H) Graduates of Accredited Law Schools Who Completed Portion of Legal Studies at Registered Unaccredited Law Schools .............................................................. 32 (I) Proportionate Credit........................................................................................... 33 (J) Range of Course Load for Full-time and Part-time Students; Exceptions ......... 33 (K) Required Course Books ................................................................................... 33 (L) Course Outlines or Syllabi ................................................................................ 33 (M) Instructional Formats ....................................................................................... 34 (N) Class Size ........................................................................................................ 34 6.6 Externship, Clinical, Law Review, and Similar Programs..................................... 34 6.7 Content of Curriculum .......................................................................................... 35 6.8 Balanced and Comprehensive Course of Study .................................................. 35 6.9 Practical Skills...................................................................................................... 35 6.10 Student Interaction............................................................................................. 38 6.11 Required Examinations; Exceptions .................................................................. 38 6.12 Restrictions on Use of Past Examinations ......................................................... 38 6.13 Examination Formats; Evaluation of Examination Effectiveness ....................... 38 6.14 Grading Standards............................................................................................. 38 Division 7. Scholastic Standards ................................................................................... 39 7.1 Scholastic Standards ........................................................................................... 39 7.2 Academic Standing, Disqualification, Advancement, Retention, and Graduation Policy ......................................................................................................................... 39 7.3 Advancement; Retention; Academic Disqualification........................................... 39 7.4 Evaluation of Students for Advancement and Retention...................................... 40 7.5 First-Year Law Students' Examination................................................................. 40 7.6 Disqualification of Students for Failure to Pass the First-Year Law Students' Examination ............................................................................................................... 40 7.7 No Duplicate Credit for Course Repetition ........................................................... 41 7.8 Written Policy on Course Repetition .................................................................... 41 7.9 Criteria for Evaluating Quality of Examinations and Accuracy and Reliability of Grading ...................................................................................................................... 41 7.10 Records ............................................................................................................. 41 7.11 Distance-Education Credit ................................................................................. 42

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Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

7.12 Admission as an Auditor or Visitor ..................................................................... 43 Division 8. Library Requirements .................................................................................. 43

8.1 Library Resources................................................................................................ 43 8.2 Library Content. ................................................................................................... 43 8.3 Instruction in Legal Research .............................................................................. 47 8.4 Other Law Libraries ............................................................................................. 47 8.5 Access to Online Law Library Material................................................................. 48 8.6 Library Records ................................................................................................... 48 Division 9. Physical Resources ..................................................................................... 48 9.1 Physical and Infrastructure Requirements ........................................................... 48 9.2 Administrative and Faculty Offices....................................................................... 48 9.3 Instructional Equipment; Resources and Procedures to Address TechnologyRelated Problems ...................................................................................................... 49 Division 10. Financial Resources .................................................................................. 49 10.1 Financial Resources .......................................................................................... 49 10.2 Expenditure of Assets and Funds to Provide Sound Program of Education ...... 49 10.3 Financial Reports............................................................................................... 49 Division 11. Records and Reports ................................................................................. 49 11.1 Recordkeeping................................................................................................... 49

(A) Applications ...................................................................................................... 50 (B) Record of Admissions ...................................................................................... 50 (C) Student Files .................................................................................................... 51 (D) Transcripts ....................................................................................................... 51 (E) Class Records .................................................................................................. 52 (F) Examinations and Grade Tabulations............................................................... 52 (G) Administrative Personnel ................................................................................. 53 (H) Faculty Personnel ............................................................................................ 53 (I) Faculty Minutes.................................................................................................. 54 (J) Board Minutes................................................................................................... 54 (K) Operating Records ........................................................................................... 54 (L) Catalogs, Bulletins, Brochures, Policies and Handbooks ................................. 54

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Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

(M) Committee Correspondence ............................................................................ 54 (N) Inspections by Agencies other than the Committee ......................................... 54 (O) Annual Compliance and Other Reports ........................................................... 54 Division 12. Minimum, Cumulative Bar Examination Pass Rate.................................... 55 12.1 Criteria for Determining Compliance with Accredited Law School Rule 4.160(N) ................................................................................................................................... 55 12.2 Action Taken When a Law School is in Noncompliance with Guideline 12.1..... 56 Division 13. Awarding of Professional Degrees in Addition to the Juris Doctor Degree 56 13.1 Committee of Bar Examiners Acquiescence Required to Award Professional Law Degrees in Addition to the Juris Doctor Degree......................................................... 56 13.2 Application; Requirements; Restrictions; Termination of Authority to Issue Professional Law Degrees ......................................................................................... 57 13.3 Required Disclosures for Professional Law Degree Programs .......................... 57 13.4 Reference to Course Catalog and Website ....................................................... 58 13.5 Acquiescence Does Not Constitute Quality Approval ........................................ 58 Division 14. Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination ................................................ 58 14.1 Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination ........................................................ 58 Division 15. Opening and Operating a Branch or Satellite Campus .............................. 59 15.1 Branch and Satellite Campus Defined ............................................................... 59 15.2 Application for Provisional Approval of a Branch or Satellite Campus ............... 59 15.3 Provisional Approval of a Branch Campus ........................................................ 60 15.4 Branch Campus Annual Compliance Report ..................................................... 60

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Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules

GUIDELINES FOR ACCREDITED LAW SCHOOL RULES PREAMBLE These guidelines govern the interpretation and application of the Accredited Law School Rules pursuant to the provisions of Rule 4.103 of the Accredited Law School Rules. The Committee of Bar Examiners (Committee) has the authority to amend these guidelines, subject to a reasonable public comment period and after consideration of any comments received. Division 1. General Provisions Division 2. Honesty and Integrity Division 3. Governance Division 4. Dean, Full-Time Administrator, and Faculty Division 5. Admissions Division 6. Academic Program Division 7. Scholastic Standards Division 8. Library Requirements Division 9. Physical Resources Division 10. Financial Resources Division 11. Records and Reports Division 12. Minimum, Cumulative Bar Examination Pass Rate Division 13. Awarding of Professional Degrees in Addition to the Juris Doctor Degree Division 14. Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Division 15. Opening and Operating a Branch or Satellite Campus

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