ABA Finds George Mason Out Of Compliance With Accreditation Standard That Requires Law Schools To Have Sufficient Financial Resources

ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, Notice of Finding Of Significant Noncompliance With Standard 202, George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School (Nov. 2023):

At its November 16-17, 2023, meeting, the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (the “Council”) considered the status of George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School (the “Law School”) and concluded that the Law School is not in compliance with Standard 202(a) ["The current and anticipated financial resources available to the law school shall be sufficient for it to operate in compliance with the Standards and to carry out its program of legal education."].

The Law School has been asked to submit a report by June 28, 2024, and to appear before the Council at its November 7-9, 2024, meeting. The Council will consider the written report at its August 15-17, 2024, meeting. If the information provided in the written report demonstrates compliance with the Standards listed above, then the Council will find the Law School to be in compliance with the Standards and cancel the hearing.

ABA Journal, George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School Hit With Noncompliance Notice:

“The law school is confident that it has and will continue to have the financial resources and support from George Mason University necessary to sustain and grow a robust and highly acclaimed top 35 law school,” wrote Paul G. Allvin, vice president and chief brand officer of George Mason University, in an email to the ABA Journal.

“The Scalia law school continues to grow both in enrollment and budgets, with sustained support from both the university and philanthropy,” he wrote. “The school’s JD applications continue to outpace the market, non-JD enrollments and revenues have grown exponentially, and we continue to experience significant fundraising success.”

During the 2021 law school admissions cycle, the law school’s first-year class had increased by 76% to 262, according to its Standard 509 Information Report released in 2021. The previous year had 149 1Ls.