Florida Supreme Court: Workgroup to Review Bar Exam Accreditation Requirements Due To ABA DEI Policy

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The Florida Supreme Court has announced the creation of a special workgroup tasked with evaluating the current requirement that applicants to the Florida Bar graduate from an American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited law school. This prerequisite, embedded in the court’s rules since 1955 and exclusively tied to ABA accreditation since 1992, is now under scrutiny as the court seeks to ensure its Bar admission process aligns with the needs of Floridians and the legal profession.

The workgroup, chaired by former Justice Ricky Polston, was appointed on March 12, 2025, and is expected to submit its findings to the court by September 30. The court has directed the group to focus on promoting excellence in Florida’s legal profession, supporting innovative and cost-effective legal education, and protecting the public’s access to legal services. The initiative comes amid growing public and scholarly debate over the ABA’s role in lawyer licensing, including concerns about its accreditation standards on diversity, political engagement, and the impact of its requirements on law school costs and innovation.

“Our Court is interested in studying whether it still makes sense for our rules to require ABA involvement in the Bar admission process,” Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz said. “We are open minded, we realize there are a lot of moving parts to this issue, and ultimately we’ll try to do what’s best for the people of our State.”

Currently, 12 ABA-accredited law schools operate in Florida, producing the vast majority of first-time Florida Bar Exam takers. The exam, administered twice yearly, saw 2,890 first-time applicants in 2024. Alternative pathways exist for those without an ABA-accredited degree—such as practicing law for at least five years in certain jurisdictions—but only 10 individuals took the exam under these provisions last year.

The Court has appointed the following members to the Workgroup:

• Adam M. Foslid, Attorney at Law, Miami
• Erin O’Hara O’Connor, Dean of Florida State University College of Law
• Ricky L. Polston, Attorney at Law, Tallahassee (Chair)
• John M. Stewart, Attorney at Law, Melbourne
• John F. Stinneford, Professor of Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law
• The Honorable Allen C. Winsor, U.S. District Judge, Northern District of Florida

Supported by staff from the Office of the State Courts Administrator, the workgroup will serve in an advisory capacity. Any proposed changes to Bar admission rules would follow the court’s formal amendment process, including public comment.

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