Washington, DC (August 11, 2026) — The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) today announced the formation of a National Task Force on the Regulation of American Legal Education, a distinguished group of judges, legal educators, lawyers, and higher education leaders who will examine the future of law school accreditation and pathways to bar admission in the United States.

The Task Force has been convened to provide an independent, rigorous, and broad-based assessment of the current and changing regulatory landscape governing legal education and to develop recommendations that will help ensure excellence in legal education while advancing the legal profession’s service to the public.

The members of the Task Force are:

• Judith C. Areen, Paul Regis Dean Professor of Law, Emerita, and Former Dean, Georgetown University Law Center; former AALS Executive Director
• Michael J. Garcia, Associate Judge, New York Court of Appeals
• Steven C. González, Justice, Washington Supreme Court
• Kenneth J. Gonzales, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
• Sylvia James, Chief Inclusion and Social Responsibility Officer, Winston Taylor
• Kevin R. Johnson, Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Former Dean, University of California, Davis School of Law
• Troy A. McKenzie, Cecelia Goetz Professor of Law and Dean, New York University School of Law
• David B. Neumeyer, President, Virginia Access to Justice
• Lynn Pasquerella, President, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
• Wendy C. Perdue, Professor of Law and Former Dean, University of Richmond School of Law (Reporter)
• Daniel B. Rodriguez, Harold Washington Professor of Law and Former Dean, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
• Loretta H. Rush, Chief Justice, Indiana Supreme Court
• George G. Triantis, Richard E. Lang Professor of Law and Dean, Stanford Law School
• Kevin K. Washburn, Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law; AALS President-Elect
• James F. Williams, Civil Trial and Litigation Partner, Ashurst Perkins Coie

In addition, the Task Force will consult with several organizations that maintain critical data on legal education, including AccessLex Institute®, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), and the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), which will serve as informational resources to the Task Force.

The Task Force’s work comes at a time of significant national attention to legal education regulation, including federal review of accrediting agencies, evolving state approaches to accreditation and bar admission, emerging licensure pathways, innovation in legal education, efforts to address the justice gap, and broader debates about the future needs of the legal profession. AALS believes these developments warrant a comprehensive, data-informed examination that reflects the broad perspectives of the legal community.

The Task Force’s work is intended to complement other national efforts examining the regulation of legal education by contributing additional data, perspectives, and analysis to inform the ongoing conversation.

“The quality of legal education is inseparable from the quality of justice in America,” said Kellye Y. Testy, CEO and Executive Director of AALS. “As legal education and the profession confront a period of rapid change, AALS believes it is essential to bring together a highly respected group of stakeholders from multiple roles within law and education to examine these issues thoughtfully, carefully, and independently.”

The Task Force will examine issues regarding accreditation, educational quality, licensure and professional preparation. It will also consider the impact of emerging licensure pathways and alternative legal service providers.

Over the next several months, the Task Force will meet in-person and virtually. The group is expected to issue an initial briefing in fall 2026 to help stakeholders develop a shared understanding of the current landscape, followed by a final report and recommendations later in the year.

“AALS is uniquely positioned to convene leaders from legal education, the bench, the bar, and higher education to engage in this important work,” said Wendy C. Perdue, Professor of Law and Former Dean, University of Richmond School of Law, and 2018 AALS President. “Our goal is to foster a thoughtful national conversation and provide objective analysis that informs policymakers, courts, educators, and the public as decisions about the future of legal education are made.”

The Task Force will present its findings and recommendations at the 2027 AALS Annual Meeting in January, where legal educators, judges, practitioners, and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to engage in discussion of the report and its implications for the future of American legal education.