Arizona's high court approves a new Christian law school

Grand Canyon University says the Arizona Supreme Court has approved its new College of Law. The university says the vote on October 15 was unanimous, and that it is the first time the court has granted this type of authorization to a law school. Law360 notes it is the state's first law school not accredited by the American Bar Association.

For students, the university says, the approval means graduates will be eligible to seek admission to the State Bar of Arizona right after graduation, as long as they pass the bar exam and meet the state's character and fitness standards. Until now, GCU says, those seeking to practice law in Arizona have generally needed a Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited school, a multi-year process that cannot begin until a school has run its first class for at least one full year. GCU says it will pursue ABA approval once it becomes eligible.

The court cited the need for more lawyers in the state. "Arizona faces a significant shortage of attorneys, and we are optimistic that GCU will provide an excellent legal education and help meet the need for more lawyers in communities throughout our state," Arizona Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer said in a statement. Inside Higher Ed reports that a 2024 survey from the American Bar Association found the state had 2.14 lawyers per 1,000 residents, compared to a national average of 3.81 lawyers for every 1,000 people. Law360 reports the court also pointed to the need for more affordable options for legal education.

Inside Higher Ed reports the Christian law school intends to begin enrolling students in 2027, and that leaders want to ease Arizona's attorney shortage, offer more options for students and serve the university's immigrant neighbors in the Phoenix area. James L. Williams, dean of the College of Law, called the decision "a historic moment" for students "who have dreamed of entering the legal profession by attending a Christian law school". University president Brian Mueller said the school has a responsibility to teach the full scope of state and federal law, including statutes and precedents that may conflict with Christian teachings, according to Inside Higher Ed. He said that is essential to meeting accreditation standards and preparing students to pass the bar.

The college will operate under conditions set by the court and continued oversight by its Committee on Examinations and the Administrative Office of the Courts, the university says. The court plans to evaluate the new standards through GCU's program, and during that period it will not accept similar requests from other law schools without ABA accreditation. GCU says the college has also been approved by the Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education and will next seek approval from the Higher Learning Commission. Inside Higher Ed notes that, if approved, GCU would join a short list of religiously affiliated law schools, including Regent University School of Law in Virginia.

Micah 6:8 is a good prayer to carry for the first class: that they would do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with their God in a profession that needs all three.

Read Micah 6:8