Coast Guard Direct Commission Lawyer - Non-ABA law degrees accepted

I found this interesting:
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD: DIRECT COMMISSION PROGRAMS

I doubt the ABA is shaking in their boots but it is a start.

Direct Commission Lawyer
NOTE: The Coast Guard is modifying its qualifications for the Direct Commission Lawyer program and will be accepting applications from graduates of non-ABA accredited schools that meet the following criteria:

•Are admitted to practice before the bar of the highest court of any state jurisdiction
•Can demonstrate experience practicing law in one or more areas of the law with specific applicability to the Coast Guard
Are you a Licensed Attorney? A third-year law student? If you are, you may want to be part of the Coast Guard Team as a Coast Guard Judge Advocate through the United States Coast Guard Direct Commission Lawyer Program.

 

Very interesting!

 

They may not be trembling, but I bet that the ABA is watching this closely. It is obviously beginning to lose its market power if this is happening. A "crack in the dam" is a dangerous thing. I'll lay money on it (if I had any) that they are planning to reverse it or,at least, to prevent the "dam bursting".

 

Even under the new criteria, there is still an obvious "double standard" in favor of ABA schools.

If you went to a non-ABA school, then you will only be considered if you meet the following criteria:

- Must have JD degree in hand.
- Must have passed a state bar exam.
- Must have professional experience practicing law in areas relevant to USCG.

In contrast, none of those requirements apply if you went to an ABA school. In that case, you can start your application as a second-year law student, and get accepted in your third year. Since you can be accepted while still in law school, there is obviously no expectation that you have passed the bar or have professional experience.

The USCG does expect ABA students to take and pass the bar exam eventually. But they apparently expect ABA students to do that successfully, since ABA students can be accepted into the program before that has actually happened.

If you went to an ABA school, the door is wide open. If you went to a non-ABA school, the door has gone from being completely closed to slightly cracked. In theory, that's an improvement, but in practice it may not have far-reaching effects.