American Bar Association (ABA) Increases Limit on Online Law Classes, Enhancing Flexibility for Students

ABA Expands Opportunities for Law Students with Increased Online Class Limit

Law students will now have the opportunity to take up to half of their classes online, as the American Bar Association (ABA) has voted to increase the limit on distance education courses. The previous restriction allowed only one-third of a student's total credits to be earned through online classes, but the new rule grants them the flexibility to complete half of their credits remotely. Furthermore, the ABA has eliminated the previous government that limited students to up to 10 credit hours of distance education classes during their first year of law school.

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This decision aligns the ABA's law school accreditation standards with the distance education limits set by the U.S. Department of Education, which has entrusted the ABA with overseeing law schools. The change is expected to reduce the number of law schools seeking special approval from the ABA to offer distance education programs that exceed the one-third credit limit. Additionally, the revised rule allows law schools to enhance their online course offerings, as stated in a memo prepared for the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Distance education classes are courses where students spend a third or more of their class time separated from faculty. The ABA last adjusted its distance education limit in 2018, raising it from 15 credit hours to one-third of the total credits, typically around 30 in most schools.

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ABA Votes to Grant Law Students More Flexibility with Online Course Credits

The COVID-19 pandemic compelled law schools to transition to online classes, prompting the ABA to temporarily relax its distance education limits in 2020. The shift to remote learning has prompted student preferences to evolve as well. In a 2022 survey conducted by the ABA involving 1,400 law students, 52% of respondents expressed an appreciation for Zoom classes where everyone participates remotely rather than in-person classes. Additionally, nearly 69% of respondents expressed a desire to have the option to earn more credits through distance education than the previous one-third limit allowed.

In addition to the changes regarding distance education, the ABA council also discussed plans to enhance the demographic information it collects annually about new law students. The revised data collection process aims to include new categories such as the highest level of education attained by the person who raised the student, any disabilities, sexual orientation, and transgender identity, among other factors. These additions reflect the ABA's commitment to fostering inclusivity and a comprehensive understanding of the law student population.