Latest news with #CommitteeofBarExaminers
Reuters
03-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
California bar hits pause on provisional lawyer licensing tied to exam meltdown
April 2 (Reuters) - The State Bar of California on Wednesday held off on approving a proposal to enable those who took or withdrew from its troubled February bar exam to temporarily practice under the supervision of an experienced lawyer until they can retake and pass the bar exam. Members of the state bar's board of trustees said they want to see the results of the February test before deciding whether to extend an existing provisional licensure program, which it enacted in 2020 when the bar exam was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to include February examinees and those who withdrew in the run-up to that test. Several trustees mentioned the relatively low 35% historical average pass rate on California's February bar exam and the bar's duty to protect the public as reasons to be cautious about rushing to adopt alternative licensure pathways. Exam grading is slated to finish on May 2. Trustee Mark Toney called the February bar exam a "huge failure," but said the board needs more data to decide "the right thing to do, not just the quick thing to do." The February exam marked the debut of California's hybrid remote and in-person test without the components of the national bar exam the state has used for decades — a change that was intended to save as much as $3.8 million annually. But the test was marred by widespread technical and logistical problems. Some test takers were unable to log in to the exam at all, while others faced delays, computer crashes, lax exam security, distracting proctors and a copy-and-paste function that didn't work. At least two groups of February examinees have sued testing vendor Meazure Learning, alleging the company failed to provide a functioning test platform despite ample warning of technical troubles. A Meazure spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. The trustees directed the state bar's Committee of Bar Examiners to develop proposals for other potential remedies such as score adjustments or a portfolio bar exam that would enable law graduates to become licensed after spending four to six months working under the supervision of an experienced attorney and submitting an acceptable portfolio of legal work. The Committee of Bar Examiners endorsed a provisional licensure program on March 14, but such a program requires the approval of both the state bar's trustees and the California Supreme Court. As they have during previous state bar meetings, February examinees implored the trustees for a variety of remedies beyond provisional licensing, including allowing them to become licensed without taking another bar exam. The state bar trustees on Wednesday also approved contracts for software vendor ExamSoft to replace Meazure Learning for the upcoming July bar exam and rentals of 10 exam sites throughout the state. The California Supreme Court last month ordered the state bar to do in-person testing for July. Those changes will increase the projected costs of the July bar exam from $2.4 million to at least $4.75 million — an overage of $2.3 million, bar staff told the trustees.
Reuters
19-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
After disastrous bar exam rollout, California Supreme Court to boost test oversight
March 19 (Reuters) - The California Supreme Court will step up its oversight of the state's lawyer admissions following the chaotic February bar exam, Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero said during her annual State of the Judiciary address. The February exam — the debut of a hybrid in person and remote exam without any of the components of the national bar exam California has used for decades — was marred by widespread technical and logistical problems. Some test takers were unable to log in to the exam at all, while others faced delays, computer crashes, lax exam security, distracting proctors, and a copy-and-paste function that didn't work. The State Bar of California, which administered the faulty test, has commissioned an independent investigation of the exam's many problems, and some February test takers, which totaled about 4,300, are demanding remedies ranging from an automatic score increase to a diploma privilege that would enable them to practice without passing the attorneys licensing exam. A trio of test takers in February filed a proposed class action lawsuit, alleging that exam vendor Meazure Learning failed to provide a functioning test platform despite ample warning of technical troubles. Meazure did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. 'It is literally life-changing for many students,' Guerrero said of the bar exam during her Tuesday address. 'The additional stress, frustration and anxiety faced by some examinees is inexcusable.' State Bar Board of Trustees Chair Brandon Stallings said in a prepared statement that the agency 'welcomes' guidance from the court and others on 'ways to continue strengthening the State Bar.' Guerrero said the high court will consider bolstering the role of the state bar's Committee of Bar Examiners, which she said has been 'diminished' in recent years. That committee generally makes recommendations on lawyer admission matters to the state bar's board of trustees. The court will explore restoring bar exam budget and administration oversight to that committee, Guerrero said. The new bar exam was spurred by the State Bar's ongoing financial problems. The hybrid exam was expected to save as much as $3.8 million annually by eliminating the need to rent out convention centers and other large meetings spaces for in-person testing. But the 2025 exams are now expected to cost significantly more, as the California Supreme Court has ordered the July bar exam to be given in person and the state bar is allowing February bar examinees who failed or withdrew ahead of the test to take the July exam for free. The Supreme Court's interest in clarifying the role of the Committee of Bar Examiners 'will help us move forward effectively, efficiently, and transparently,' Stallings said.
