Passing the bar exam is the ultimate rite of passage for would-be attorneys, but for one law school, bar exam passage rates continue to serve as an albatross, and the American Bar Association has finally decided to do something about it.
Longtime Above the Law readers will recall the trials and tribulations Cooley Law School has had with its bar exam passage rates, and now, he ABA has officially placed the school on probation over its bar exam woes. Specifically, the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar found that the school was out of compliance with Standard 316, which requires a passage rate of at least 75% within a two-year timeframe. It seems that Cooley has been out of compliance since 2020, and the ABA found that the school failed to take appropriate action. In its probation notice, the ABA notes that Cooley’s noncompliance is “sufficiently serious that it raises concerns about the quality of the student learning experience provided by the Law School.”
Cooley Law was first found to be out of compliance with the bar passage rate standard five years ago, and was given two years to make things right. Law.com has the details on what happened next:
In 2022, the council determined the school was still out of compliance and granted a good-cause extension of up to three years.
The extension required the law school to submit a plan to come into and remain in compliance and “make the significant financial investment it has pledged to implement” in its plan, according to the notice.
During its August meeting, however, the council found Cooley had not made the required improvements.
The council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has found Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School to be not compliant with law school accreditation standards.
From 2018 to 2022, Cooley Law’s bar passage rates have ranged from 62.3% to 57.4%, with 2022’s passage rate being the lowest among all ABA-accredited law schools.
Dean James McGrath told the ABA Journal he was “surprised” that the school had been placed on probation. “While we cannot predict the future, Cooley is confident that when the nationwide results of the July 2025 bar examination are known, Cooley will be able to definitively prove compliance with Standard 316,” he said. “Our program is solid, and our improved bar exam results are just one metric to prove it.”
Cooley Law will make its case before the ABA in February 2026 — and hopefully, this is a test the school is able to pass.
Cooley Law School found noncompliant with ABA accreditation standard [ABA Journal]
ABA Places Cooley Law School on Probation Over Low Bar Pass Rates [Law.com]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post ABA Puts Troubled Law School On Probation Over Its Bar Exam Passage Rates appeared first on Above the Law.
Passing the bar exam is the ultimate rite of passage for would-be attorneys, but for one law school, bar exam passage rates continue to serve as an albatross, and the American Bar Association has finally decided to do something about it.
Longtime Above the Law readers will recall the trials and tribulations Cooley Law School has had with its bar exam passage rates, and now, he ABA has officially placed the school on probation over its bar exam woes. Specifically, the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar found that the school was out of compliance with Standard 316, which requires a passage rate of at least 75% within a two-year timeframe. It seems that Cooley has been out of compliance since 2020, and the ABA found that the school failed to take appropriate action. In its probation notice, the ABA notes that Cooley’s noncompliance is “sufficiently serious that it raises concerns about the quality of the student learning experience provided by the Law School.”
Cooley Law was first found to be out of compliance with the bar passage rate standard five years ago, and was given two years to make things right. Law.com has the details on what happened next:
In 2022, the council determined the school was still out of compliance and granted a good-cause extension of up to three years.
The extension required the law school to submit a plan to come into and remain in compliance and “make the significant financial investment it has pledged to implement” in its plan, according to the notice.
During its August meeting, however, the council found Cooley had not made the required improvements.
The council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has found Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School to be not compliant with law school accreditation standards.
From 2018 to 2022, Cooley Law’s bar passage rates have ranged from 62.3% to 57.4%, with 2022’s passage rate being the lowest among all ABA-accredited law schools.
Dean James McGrath told the ABA Journal he was “surprised” that the school had been placed on probation. “While we cannot predict the future, Cooley is confident that when the nationwide results of the July 2025 bar examination are known, Cooley will be able to definitively prove compliance with Standard 316,” he said. “Our program is solid, and our improved bar exam results are just one metric to prove it.”
Cooley Law will make its case before the ABA in February 2026 — and hopefully, this is a test the school is able to pass.
Cooley Law School found noncompliant with ABA accreditation standard [ABA Journal]
ABA Places Cooley Law School on Probation Over Low Bar Pass Rates [Law.com]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
