Purdue Global Law School graduates gain bar exam access in Washington state

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Global Law School graduates will soon have an expanded path to licensure following a decision by Washington state leaders to allow graduates of non-ABA-accredited law schools to sit for their bar exams immediately upon graduation.

On May 1, the Washington State Bar Association Board of Governors voted to eliminate its license and practice requirement for non-ABA graduates. Starting Sept. 1, eligible graduates can apply directly to take the bar exam upon graduation, beginning with the February 2027 exam.

The decision immediately impacts Purdue Global Law School’s current and prospective students, as well as the 70-plus alumni currently residing in Washington state. Previously, the state required graduates of non-ABA-accredited schools to become licensed in another state and complete a year of supervised legal practice before sitting for the bar exam.

Martin Pritikin, dean and vice president of Purdue Global Law School, said this is another big step forward for the nation’s first fully online law school.

“Not only are additional states allowing non-ABA law school graduates to sit for their bar exams, but the states themselves are diverse,” Pritikin said. “Virtually every state faces an access-to-justice crisis. State supreme courts are increasingly recognizing that expanding opportunities to enter the legal profession can help address this crisis.”

This decision follows similar rule changes in Indiana and Connecticut, expanding geographic flexibility for Purdue Global Law School students. Following a rule change in Indiana in 2024 allowing Purdue Global Law School graduates to sit for the bar exam, the school has experienced a 900% increase in enrollment in the past two years for Indiana-based students.