President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April affecting the accreditation process for institutions of higher learning. As Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell covered in an exclusive for The Daily Signal, the executive order focused on prohibiting accreditors from “participating in unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion discrimination.” Now, Ohio is looking into its accreditation process for law schools.
The decision from the Buckeye State, recently announced by the Ohio Supreme Court, follows similar moves made by Florida and Texas. That Ohio follows such states may further solidify its status as an up-and-coming red state.
Such a process will involve an advisory committee to review the accreditation process.
As Court News Ohio reported earlier this month, Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy appointed Robert W. Horner, III, who serves as administrative director of the Supreme Court of Ohio, as the committee’s chairman.
“The Supreme Court of Ohio is responsible for the oversight of every stage of an Ohio attorney’s professional development and engagement—from their education and admission to the Bar, to their continuing legal education and professional conduct. The Court’s responsibility to uphold the integrity and efficacy of the profession means constant reflection, research, and openness to innovation,” the chairman said.
Other committee members are a mix of legal professionals and include law school deans, counsel, as well as a state senator and state representatives. They include Mary Amos Augsburger, CEO at Ohio State Bar Association; Kent Barnett, dean of Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University; Amanda Gould, chief counsel to Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio; Emily Janoski-Haehlen, dean of Akron School of Law at the University of Akron; state Sen. Nathan Manning of Ohio’s 13th District; Gina White Palmer, deputy administrative director at the Supreme Court of Ohio; state Rep. Brian Stewart of Ohio’s 12th District; and Dr. Frank C. Woodside, III, counsel at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.
Stewart, a Republican, has been particularly vocal about concerns with the American Bar Association and its “monopoly on law school accreditation.”
“I’m glad the chief justice has taken the step to put together the committee to look at this issue,” Stewart told The Daily Signal shortly after publication.
He also made clear it’s “not a mystery” where he stands on the American Bar Association, adding, it’s “discredited itself and disqualified itself as an accreditation institution.” Beyond the ABA, Stewart believes that there are “many ways” to look at accreditation, “without having a partisan organization still having this unjustified role.”
Stewart added he’s “looking forward to these meetings and these discussions,” emphasizing it’s “long past time to move beyond” the American Bar Association.
Coverage from ABA Journal on Ohio’s advisory committee highlighted how Trump’s executive order has had effects on DEI and accreditation. The Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education announced in May the suspension of Standard 206, described as being “focused on DEI,” until Aug. 31, 2026.
“There continue to be emergent developments in the higher education landscape, including litigation pending related to several recently issued executive orders and dear colleague letters,” the announcement from the American Bar Association noted. “In light of these developments, the Council determined that extraordinary circumstances exist in which compliance with Standard 206 would constitute extreme hardship for multiple law schools, and that the Standard should not be presently enforced.”
Trump’s push away from DEI stands in stark contrast to his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, and his administration. While this executive order, signed on April 23, is one of many orders Trump has signed against DEI, the Biden administration had taxpayers funding DEI in school with their dollars.
Robert Stilson, senior research analyst at the Capital Research Center, told The Daily Signal that “it was so evident that DEI was the focus for the department,” when it comes to the Department of Education under Biden.
