Kathryn Hobbis (J.D. 2022, Georgetown), Note, Zoom School of Law?, 34 Geo. J. Legal Ethics 1025 (2021):

Conclusion
The Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the inconsistencies in the ABA standards for law school accreditation. Currently J.D. students are not able to earn their degree through fully virtual classes. Students can earn some credits through distance education, but not enough to complete their degree. There has been a push to reopen primary and secondary schools closed due to the pandemic because of the benefits in person schooling provides to those students. Those benefits do not translate to the law school context because the services do not exist for law students. Engagement and attendance gaps and the digital divide are creating a situation where not all virtual primary and secondary schools are the same. High income students are receiving a better education and low-income students are falling even further behind. These concerns do not translate well to law schools because students are choosing to attend law school and would be engaged and could use student loans to bridge the digital divide. The current ABA policy is in direct conflict with other ABA standards that allow for virtual education for LL.M students and Continuing Legal Education credits. Due to the pandemic, law schools have been to grant more credits for distance education credits suggesting that the ABA believes that they are a viable way for students to learn. This double standard should be changed to create uniformity among ABA guidelines. 

The ABA, state bar associations, and law schools will have to work together should this proposal be implemented to create successful fully virtual J.D. programs. Schools will need to share best practices and other success strategies to ensure that students who are taking classes solely online are still receiving a highquality education. After adopting this program, the ABA will need to advocate for schools to implement fully virtual programs to make sure that this change is not moot. Adoption of this proposal will remove some inconsistencies in the ABA accreditation standards.