You may be worried about Cooley Law School’s accreditation status and wondering about its issues with the ABA. These worries are understandable, and the ABA and ‘probation’ do not inspire a sense of confidence when choosing a law school.
I know how it is. I remember helping a friend do a school comparison as she was trying to balance a job, kids, and a lot of anxiety about making a decision that would be important in the long run. We weren’t making spreadsheets for tuition and travel times; we were analyzing bar passage rates like we were analyzing the stock market.
I know that it feels very personal and high stakes, and that you just want the truth and not some marketing spin.
And the truth is that Cooley was put on ABA probation in 2025 for being out of compliance with ABA Standard 316 concerning bar passage rates. They were able to demonstrate compliance with 316, and the probation was lifted in November of 2025. Cooley is still ABA-accredited and not on probation as of February 2026.
Let’s break down the details carefully, as both the timeline and the meaning of probation are significant.
Table of Contents
What is Meant by ABA Probation?
The word probation often reminds people of an impending school closure. But ABA probation is more like a warning and monitoring. It means the ABA believes the law school is not adhering to one or more accreditation standards and needs to take action.
The school’s degree does not lose all value immediately. In a way, it means the ABA is saying:
Prove to us you can meet the standard consistently, or we will take the next step.
Of course, this has a negative impact on student morale, enrollment, and public perception. When I’ve seen prospective students read one negative article online, I completely understand their emotions. However, it is important to focus on the ABA’s reasoning and the action that followed.
Why Did Cooley Get Probation In 2025?
The focus was on ABA Standard 316, which states that within a time frame of two years post graduation, a minimum of 75% of the bar exam takers from the law school’s cohort must pass the exam.
As per the reports cited, including The Detroit News, it was reported that Cooley had not satisfied the 75% requirement during the years 2018 to 2022, with the rule coming into effect in 2020 and the lack of compliance continuing after that.
The ABA’s Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar described noncompliance as serious enough to raise concerns regarding the quality of the student learning experience. That phrase is doing a lot of work. It’s not just the numbers; it’s whether students are being allowed to succeed.
Cooley leadership’s view, and it’s one of the few human details here because life always complicates policy, is that pandemic-related issues caused the delays and the uneven results. Persuasive or not, it’s part of the record and part of the context.
The Big Fear: Was Cooley Law School Losing Accreditation?
And this is where the search results can get dramatic. Cooley Law School losing accreditation can seem like a foregone conclusion.
But probation is not the same as loss of accreditation. During the probation period:
Yes, the risk is still there as continued noncompliance can and does lead to more severe actions. Cooley’s leadership was expected to address the ABA Council regarding the situation.
You’ve still got your accreditation as a tightrope walk, but now the spotlight’s on you.
What Changed: How Cooley Law School Got Its Probation Lifted in November 2025
For all of the inquiries regarding Cooley Law School ABA probation, this is the most important update:
The ABA lifted Cooley Law School’s probation in November 2025 due to the school satisfying the components of Standard 316.
The notable detail:
Cooley announced that 76.2% of its 2024 graduates who took the bar exam (within two years of graduation) had passed.
76.2% is crucial since it satisfies the 75% threshold, thus reinstating the school’s compliance status under the standard, at least for the graduates in that cohort.
For those who like to think in simplistic terms, think of Standard 316 as your school’s passing grade, and for years Cooley had failed. In the most recent years, they finally managed to scrape by.
Not by much, of course.
The Timeline:
With the information that you provided, I will present a timeline most efficiently and straightforwardly.
Where Is Cooley Located, And Why It Matters
Cooley has campuses in:
While this may seem a trivial detail, it impacts matters such as bar jurisdiction focus, student demographics, and the way a school organizes its part-time offerings.
Historically, Cooley has served numerous part-time students, and that can affect graduation-to-bar passage timelines and outcomes, particularly when tracking the “within two years” window.
Cooley Law School Ranking: Outcomes vs. Reputation
Let’s address the Cooley Law School ranking and reputation.
Cooley has low rankings in biglaw, which is the most prestigious branch of law. Given the median salary associated with a biglaw position, it’s understandable that students and their families take this into consideration.
However, rankings can shortcut the individualized research that is needed for each student. While Cooley may rank low, it may offer the exact right fit for a student who pursues flexibility, physical accessibility, or a certain pathway. Conversely, a school that is ‘better’ in terms of rank may be less of a fit.
Probation increased the scrutiny. It caused potential students to focus less on the brand and more on measurable outcomes, especially bar passage.
So if you’re weighing Cooley, don’t stop at ranking. Look at:
Verifying Steps For Yourself
One of the habits I wish future students would adopt is not relying on summaries, but accessing the source documents. This is like checking the original contract instead of accepting a paraphrase from a law school peer.
The best source for this is the ABA disclosures accessible through law school resources.
The disclosures typically contain:
You don’t need data science skills to analyze the most pertinent sections to your risk profile (i.e. bar passage, employment, and financial risk).
What Cooley Said It Was Doing
While leadership statements do not erase a problem, they do provide insight into the school’s strategy.
Cooley President James McGrath stated that the school had an improvement plan from 2020 and was confident they would return to compliance, citing the pandemic, and that a significant number of students are part-time.
Public reporting has also noted the following changes over time:
In simple terms, the school has been trying to achieve consistency in outcomes by manipulating other variables, in this case, admission criteria, and support mechanisms such as curriculum and bar exam prep, as well as resizing in terms of finances and operations.
That combination of academic outcomes and institutional sustainability is often where accreditation concerns live.
Should Students Panic?
If this is you, a prospective student in 2026, looking at this, here is where the balance lies:
The probation occurred for a specific reason, the bar passage outcomes were sub-benchmark for several years.
The school surpassed the benchmark (76.2%) for cohort data, which is a good sign, but watch to see if that is only a blip.
A personal rule of thumb that I’d share, learned from watching friends go through these decisions, is:
Fear shouldn’t be the motivating factor, but equally optimism shouldn’t replace the necessary groundwork.
FAQs
Q. Is Cooley currently on ABA probation?
No. Cooley is no longer on ABA probation effective November 2025 and is also no longer on ABA probation effective as of February 2026.
Q. Did Cooley lose ABA accreditation?
No. Cooley has been and has remained accredited throughout the duration of ABA probation, and remains accredited after the removal of ABA probation.
Q. Which standard initiated the probation?
ABA Standard 316, the requirement of 75% bar passage within two years.
Q. What helped Cooley get probation lifted?
Cooley reported 76.2% of 2024 graduates who sat for the bar within two years passed, meeting the requirement.
