AccessLex Awards Admission Innovation Project Funding to Vermont Law and Graduate School

WEST CHESTER, Pa., May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AccessLex Institute^®, the largest nonprofit organization in legal education, is proud to announce a research collaboration with Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) through the Admission Innovation Project. The collaboration focuses on VLGS's Advanced Master of Legal Studies (AMLS) program, an alternative admissions pathway designed to broaden access to legal education.

Students in the AMLS program undertake a structured educational experience, consisting of tailored coursework, academic support, and mentoring. The program provides applicants who do not qualify for J.D. admission but appear to possess potential for success the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to do law school work. After the first semester, successful students can either join the law school's J.D. cohort or continue working towards their Master of Legal Studies. 

Through this partnership, AccessLex and VLGS will assess how well the AMLS program is meeting its goals of expanding access to the law degree and supporting inclusive student success. The findings will deepen understanding of how novel admissions models can better identify students whose potential is significantly understated by conventional admission criteria.   

"There is much promise for law school preparation programs centered on imparting the specific knowledge and skills that law students are expected to acquire and master," said Aaron N. Taylor, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Center for Legal Education Excellence®. "The methodologies that the AMLS program uses to cultivate legal education access and success are worthy of rigorous inquiry."

"This award supports an innovative approach to legal education that expands access while strengthening student success," said Dean Beth McCormack. "Through the advanced track of the Master of Legal Studies degree, we are creating a structured pathway for promising students to demonstrate law school readiness. With AccessLex Institute's support, we will rigorously evaluate this model and generate insights to refine our program and inform more inclusive opportunities into the legal profession nationwide."

Launched in 2024, the Admission Innovation Project supports and funds law school efforts to implement and assess novel approaches to selecting first-year students. The central goal of the project is to expand understanding of the impacts of deemphasizing standardized test scores in law school admissions. AccessLex researchers and participating schools collaborate to design and execute studies that examine how innovative admissions models affect student access, class composition, and academic performance. 

Admission Innovation Project proposals are considered on a rolling basis. Projects span up to 24 months, with AccessLex providing funding and research expertise to law school partners.

Learn more about the Admission Innovation Project.  

About AccessLex Institute:
AccessLex Institute^® is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of lawyers by improving legal education's access, affordability, and value. In partnership with its nearly 200 member law schools, increasing diversity, expanding access, and positively influencing legal education have been at the heart of the Company's mission since 1983. AccessLex devotes substantial resources to financial education, scholarship programs, research, policy advocacy, grantmaking, data analysis, student success, and beyond. Learn more about AccessLex Institute's commitment and contributions to the future of legal education at AccessLex.org.

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SOURCE AccessLex Institute