National Law Journal, ABA’s Stance on Law School Accreditation Transparency Fails to Satisfy Senator:

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley is not satisfied with the ABA’s response last month to a series of questions he posed about the organization’s oversight of law schools.

Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote to the organization on Aug. 8 posing additional questions about what the ABA is doing to ensure that law graduates can pay back their student loans; about the makeup of its accreditation committee; and about how the organization is responding to the declining number of job opportunities for young lawyers.

“The [ABA’s] inadequate response to my letter raised additional questions that merit drilling down further,” Grassley said in a press release issued on Aug. 9. “For example, the taxpayers are on the hook for any defaulted student loans. The ABA seems confident that students will be able to pay back their loans, yet also acknowledges uncertain job prospects for lawyers. It’s important to examine this further and try to reconcile these statements.”

ABA spokeswoman Anne Nicholas said the Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar was preparing a response to Grassley’s second letter and expects to have that ready before the end of August.