Grand Canyon University has received approval from the Arizona Supreme Court to open its new College of Law before receiving accreditation from the American Bar Association.
The Baptist-affiliated university intends to seek ABA accreditation, leaders said, but students will be able to graduate and sit for the Arizona Bar exam even before that happens.
Some conservative legal groups and religious groups in recent years have opposed ABA regulations on inclusion and diversity. Law.com reports a majority of U.S. states have created or are exploring alternative means of accreditation apart from the ABA. For example, Florida and Tennessee have moved away from making the ABA the sole gatekeeper.
GCU leaders lauded the Arizona Supreme Court decision as groundbreaking and said they are glad to be part of it.
“This is a historic moment for Grand Canyon University, for legal education in Arizona and, most importantly, for students who have dreamed of entering the legal profession by attending a Christian law school,” said James L. Williams, dean of GCU’s College of Law. “We are grateful for the Arizona Supreme Court’s willingness to consider an innovative approach to legal education and for the opportunity to demonstrate that a new pathway to licensure can maintain the highest standards of academic excellence, professional preparation and ethical responsibility. We recognize the significance of being the first institution to operate under these standards and the responsibility that comes with it.”
GCU previously announced that its new law school will operate with a “Christian worldview.”
Brian Mueller
“We are not interested in simply creating another law school,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “We want to help shape a generation of legal professionals who will strengthen the institutions of our country, defend the freedoms that make opportunity possible and use their education to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.”
He added: “Throughout history, the Christian worldview and free-market principles have been the most powerful forces for human flourishing, helping create the freedoms, opportunities and prosperity that have made America the greatest country in the world.”
The American legal system was “profoundly influenced by Judeo-Christian principles, including the inherent dignity of every human being, the importance of justice, moral accountability and the rule of law,” Mueller said. “Our nation’s Founders understood that liberty cannot flourish without virtue, that individual rights must be accompanied by individual responsibility, and that a just society depends on people of character.”
GCU plan to open its College of Law as early as 2027.
Founded in 1949 through the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention, GCU later faced bankruptcy, then was given to a for-profit company, which now has returned the school to nonprofit status. It has become one of the nation’s largest universities, driven in large measure by online enrollment.
GCU operates under its own self-perpetuating, nondenominational board of trustees. While it maintains its core Christian identity and historic heritage, no Baptist convention dictates its policies, handles its finances or elects its leadership.
GCU’s new law school will become the third in Arizona, joining Arizona State University and the University of Arizona.
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Grand Canyon University plans ‘Christian worldview’ law school