A Conversation on the Accreditation of Law Schools in Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and the Nation
Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
Time: 2:00-5:00 p.m. Central Time
Location: Virtual
CLE Credit: Approved for 3.0 hours of Texas MCLE credit
Register for the Accreditation of Law Schools ProgramAbout the Event
A Conversation on the Accreditation of Law Schools is a virtual program on law school accreditation from several perspectives.
This virtual program will address the status of American Bar Association (ABA) law school accreditation in Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas; the institutional perspective on ABA law school accreditation; and critique of ABA law school accreditation.
Co-Conveners
Law Schools
- Florida State University College of Law
- Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Duncan School of Law
- Samford University Cumberland School of Law
- South Texas College of Law Houston
- St. Mary's University School of Law
- University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law
- University of Houston Law Center
- UNT Dallas School of Law
Program Details
Agenda
Welcome Remarks
-
Gregory C. Ulmer
President, Houston Bar Association
Partner, BakerHostetler
The Status of ABA Law School Accreditation in Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas
-
Leonard M. Baynes
Member, Executive Committee, Association of American Law Schools
Dean, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Chair
Professor of Law
University of Houston Law Center -
Haider Ala Hamoudi
Dean and Nippert Professor of Law
University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law -
Blake Hudson
Dean and Ethel P. Malugen Chair of Law
Cumberland School of Law
Samford University -
Matthew Lyon
Vice President and Dean
Duncan School of Law
Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) -
Erin O’Hara O’Connor
Dean and Donald J. Weidner Chair
Florida State University College of Law
The Institutional Perspective on ABA Law School Accreditation
-
Kellye Y. Testy
CEO & Executive Director
Association of American Law Schools -
Daniel R. Thies
Chair, Section of Legal Education & Admissions to the Bar
American Bar Association
Shareholder, Webber & Thies PC -
Fiona Trevelyan
President & CEO
NALP (National Association for Law Placement) Foundation
Critique of ABA Law School Accreditation
-
Darren Bush
Leonard B. Rosenberg Professor of Law
University of Houston Law Center -
Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean
Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law
University of California, Berkeley School of Law - Todd J. Clark
Dean and Professor of Law
Widener University
Delaware Law School - Harry First
Charles L. Denison Professor of Law Emeritus
New York University School of Law - Dennis Patterson
Board of Governors Professor of Law and Philosophy
Co-Director, Institute for Law and Philosophy
Rutgers University School of Law - David Yellen
Professor of Law
Dean Emeritus
University of Miami School of Law
Moderated Q&A
Speakers
Leonard M. Baynes
Dean and Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Chair
University of Houston Law Center
Darren Bush
Leonard B. Rosenberg Professor of Law
University of Houston Law Center
Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Todd J. Clark
Dean and Professor of Law
Widener University, Delaware Law School
Harry First
Charles L. Denison Professor of Law Emeritus
New York University School of Law
Haider Ala Hamoudi
Dean and Nippert Professor of Law
University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law
Blake Hudson
Dean and Ethel P. Malugen Chair of Law
Cumberland School of Law, Samford University
Matthew Lyon
Vice President and Dean
Duncan School of Law, Lincoln Memorial University (LMU)
Erin O’Hara O’Connor
Dean and Donald J. Weidner Chair
Florida State University College of Law
Dennis Patterson
Board of Governors Professor of Law and Philosophy
Co-Director, Institute for Law and Philosophy
Rutgers University School of Law
Kellye Y. Testy
CEO and Executive Director
Association of American Law Schools
Daniel R. Thies
Chair, Section of Legal Education & Admissions to the Bar
American Bar Association Shareholder, Webber & Thies PC
Fiona Trevelyan
President and CEO
NALP (National Association for Law Placement) Foundation
Gregory C. Ulmer
President, Houston Bar Association
Partner, BakerHostetler
David Yellen
Professor of Law
Dean Emeritus, University of Miami School of Law
