Arizona Supreme Court approves Grand Canyon University's new law school

Grand Canyon University (GCU) has received unanimous approval for its new law school, a key step as the Christian institution seeks to teach the next generation of lawyers about the relationship between Christian values and the rule of law.

The Phoenix-based university announced that the Arizona Supreme Court has granted unanimous approval to its planned law school, which will allow GCU graduates to seek admission to the State Bar of Arizona before the law school is eligible for approval from the American Bar Association.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, GCU President Brian Mueller said approval from the Arizona Supreme Court was a prerequisite for the law school to open to students in fall 2027 or spring 2028. 

“Historically, graduates seeking admission to practice law in Arizona have generally been required to earn their Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), a multi-year process that does not begin until a law school has been in operation with its first class for at least one full year," GCU explains. The university said it intends to “pursue ABA approval once it becomes eligible.”

In the meantime, GCU graduates can seek admission to the state bar through a “separate pathway” as long as they pass the bar exam and meet “character, fitness and other standards.”

James Williams, dean of GCU’s College of Law, praised the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision as “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.”

“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,” he added. “We recognize the significance of being the first institution to operate under these standards and the responsibility that comes with it.”

Mueller said the Arizona Supreme Court has given GCU an "opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of a new pathway to licensure" and "demonstrate that innovation in higher education and rigorous professional standards can go hand in hand."

“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,” Mueller said, calling this philosophy “the vision for GCU’s College of Law.”

"We are not interested in simply creating another law school. 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 continued.

“We embrace the accountability and oversight that come with that responsibility, and we are committed to establishing a College of Law that earns the confidence of the Court, the legal profession and the students and families who place their trust with us.”

GCU’s law school has been approved by the state accreditor, the Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education, and plans to seek approval for the law school from its national accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission.

The Arizona Supreme Court’s approval comes a week after GCU announced the appointment of Williams as the law school’s dean. Williams is a graduate of the Baylor University School of Law, an attorney and shareholder at the Phoenix-based law firm Schmitt Schneck Even & Williams. He is also president of the Phoenix chapter of the Christian Legal Society and serves as an elder and worship leader at New City Church in Phoenix.

Under his leadership, Williams vowed that “GCU students will be challenged academically, prepared professionally and encouraged to think deeply about the purpose of their work and the responsibility they have to serve others."