In the intricate tapestry of legal education, five accredited American Bar Association law schools grappled with an uphill battle in 2023, as revealed by newly unveiled data. Leading the pack in this arduous journey was Cooley Law School, its campuses spanning the landscapes of Michigan and Florida, with a disheartening first-time pass rate of a mere 37.25%. Trailing behind, but not far off, were Florida A&M University College of Law at 40.20% and Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law at 45.45%.
In a candid interview, Cooley Law’s dean, James McGrath, expressed palpable disappointment, shedding light on the multifaceted challenges faced by the institution. McGrath attributed the low scores to what he described as “a perfect storm of a bunch of different factors.” Notably, the majority of Cooley’s first-time test takers in the previous year were graduates predating 2023, a cohort prone to lower pass rates due to delays in examination attempts. Furthermore, the transition to the Uniform Bar Exam at Cooley’s Michigan campus in 2023 exacerbated the situation, as evidenced by studies linking such transitions to temporary dips in pass rates. The enduring ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the retention of students admitted before Cooley tightened its admission standards, further compounded the challenge.
Meanwhile, at Florida A&M, interim law dean Cecil Howard underscored the institution’s unwavering commitment to bolstering bar exam success. Describing it as the school’s “top priority,” Howard outlined a comprehensive strategy aimed at improving the pass rate. However, Inter American Law Dean Julio Fontanet Maldonado remained elusive, declining to comment on the matter.
Despite a slight uptick in the nationwide pass rate for first-time test takers, soaring to 79.18% in 2023 from 78% the previous year, the overarching narrative painted a sobering picture. The “ultimate bar pass rate,” a crucial metric reflecting the percentage of law graduates who cleared the bar exam within two years of graduation, witnessed a concerning decline. Dropping from 91% among 2020 law graduates to 90% for the class of 2021, this trend underscored the pervasive challenges faced by the legal education landscape.
In this landscape of trials and tribulations, seven law schools found themselves teetering on the brink, their ultimate bar pass rates languishing below the 75% threshold set by the ABA for accreditation. Among them, the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, Western State College of Law, Southern University Law Center, and two Puerto Rican law schools, alongside Cooley, grappled with the daunting prospect of accreditation jeopardy. Additionally, Golden Gate University School of Law, slated to shutter its Juris Doctor program, found itself ensnared in this precarious web.
As the legal education community grapples with these challenges, the quest for resilience and innovation becomes paramount. It is amidst these trials that the true mettle of these institutions is tested, beckoning them to rise above adversity and chart a course towards a brighter, more inclusive future.
