Law schools should constantly be considering how to improve their legal education programs. The ABA Standards for the Approval of Law Schools are often cited as one, or a primary, reason that schools do not innovate. This program will consider ways in which the Standards constrain innovation and the considerable room they allow for innovation. Moreover, while it is not possible to predict whether the Accreditation Committee or Council of the Section would approve a particular request for a variance, this workshop will explain how the variance process works, where it is likely headed, and offer guidance on how to seek a variance.