Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville is taking the American Bar Association (ABA) to court over its school accreditation practices.
School officials accuse the ABA of abusing its authority by arbitrarily applying accreditation standards and by refusing to explain what the school needs to do to demonstrate compliance.
"The complaint filed today in federal court alleges that the actions the ABA took against the law school were arbitrary and capricious, and violated the due process required of those wielding accreditation power," said Kirkland & Ellis' Clement in a news release.
Last fall, the ABA criticized Florida Coastal for admitting students who likely couldn’t complete the program or pass the Florida Bar.
"The decision to sue our accreditor is not one we took lightly. However, when the ABA applies its standards arbitrarily, refuses to explain what a school needs to do to comply with those standards, and then goes and gives a pass to other schools with lower outcomes and entering credentials, our students and our alumni are severely harmed. We are filing this suit to remedy that harm," said Florida Coastal's Dean Scott DeVito.
The lawsuit was filed today in Jacksonville federal court.
