ABA Journal

  1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Bar Exam

Bar Exam

612 ABA Journal Bar Exam articles.

Proposal for bar exam bypass should be pursued further, California bar trustees say

The State Bar of California’s board of trustees on Friday asked members of a blue-ribbon commission who backed a proposal to bypass the bar exam to develop their proposals further.

May 23, 2023 8:57 AM CDT

For 2022 law grads, bar-pass-required jobs increase, while JD-advantage positions decrease

For the second year in a row, there is an increase in jobs for new lawyers, according to data released Tuesday by the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Apr 25, 2023 12:12 PM CDT

First-time bar pass rate for Black candidates below 58%, ABA data shows

According to information released Tuesday by the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, Black candidates continue to have the lowest first-time test-taker pass rate, which was 57% in 2022, compared with 61% in 2021.

Apr 11, 2023 4:30 PM CDT

‘Desperate for lawyers,’ Maine considers alternative path to law license

Maine lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow aspiring lawyers to skip law school if they study under a supervising attorney for two years.

Apr 11, 2023 9:29 AM CDT

February bar scores decrease for repeaters and first-time test-takers

For the multiple-choice section of the February 2023 bar exam, there was a decrease of 1.5 points in the national mean scaled score, according to the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

Apr 4, 2023 8:40 AM CDT

Studies supporting mismatch theory are replete with ‘demonstrably incorrect’ assumptions, law prof says

Studies supporting an “academic mismatch” theory claim that students are harmed by racial preferences, but the data doesn’t support that assertion, according to a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.

Mar 29, 2023 9:41 AM CDT

How can law schools with history of bar pass issues get their rates above 75%?

For law schools that fall below the bar pass rate required for ABA accreditation, there are many avenues for change. We spoke to three schools that have improved their numbers.

Mar 16, 2023 2:34 PM CDT

Latest version of ChatGPT aces bar exam with score nearing 90th percentile

The latest version of the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT has passed the Uniform Bar Examination by “a significant margin,” earning a combined score of 297 that surpasses even the high threshold of 273 set by Arizona.

Mar 16, 2023 1:59 PM CDT

Data on about 6,500 law students proves my mismatch theory, shows racial-preference harm, law prof says

A controversial law professor has said data on about 6,500 law students at four law schools provides strong support for his “academic mismatch” theory—that law students with lower qualifications than their peers fall behind and have worse outcomes in a learning environment geared toward better-qualified students.

Mar 16, 2023 11:47 AM CDT

Law school gets extension to meet Standard 316; ABA Legal Ed council posts additional notice on faculty diversity

Updated: The Golden Gate University School of Law, which has not had a two-year bar pass rate at or above 75% since its class of 2017, has received an extension to come into compliance with Standard 316, which requires a bar passage rate of at least 75% within a two-year time period.

Mar 14, 2023 10:52 AM CDT

3 law schools dinged on bar pass rates see improvement; another back in compliance with diversity standard

Updated: Three law schools have come into compliance with an ABA accreditation standard requiring two-year bar passage rates of at least 75%, the council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar recently announced.

Mar 6, 2023 11:17 AM CST

Legal Ed data shows decrease in first-time bar pass rates

Data released Friday shows a two percentage point drop in bar pass rates for first-time test takers in 2022 compared to 2021.

Feb 24, 2023 1:40 PM CST

Citing lack of lawyers, public defenders in this state ask to let law grads work before bar admission

A Florida proposal to allow court appearances for law school graduates, up to one year before bar admission, has been made by the state’s public defenders organization.

Feb 13, 2023 9:40 AM CST

ChatGPT is asked 50 questions about Supreme Court; it got only 21 questions right

SCOTUSblog has no worries that its coverage of the Supreme Court will be displaced by the artificial intelligence program known as ChatGPT.

Jan 31, 2023 8:38 AM CST

AI program earned passing bar exam scores on evidence and torts; can it work in court?

Artificial intelligence programs are making inroads in the legal field, showing proficiency in two sections of a practice bar exam and getting used for the first time in traffic court.

Jan 12, 2023 9:03 AM CST

Read more ...

Topics: Career & Practice

Prosecutor 'poisoned the morale' of DA's office with fake harassment texts, disbarment order says

Complete list of topics ...

Your Voice

Remembering President James Earl 'Jimmy' Carter, ever the teacher

Articles and commentary ...

Podcasts

When should life sentences be overturned? Judge shares how he decides

More podcasts ...
Copyright 2025 American Bar Association. All rights reserved.