Law Schools

An insider’s guide to succeeding in law school⁠—even during the COVID-19 pandemic

A law professor and his former student teamed up to give students a leg up on navigating law school in their new book, The Law of Law School.

May 6, 2020 9:25 AM CDT

If states want July bar exam, NCBE will have testing materials

Some states have postponed the July bar exam because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the National Conference of Bar Examiners determined Tuesday that there will be a sufficient number of examinees to release July exam materials.

May 5, 2020 12:38 PM CDT

California announces online bar exam, but how will it work?

If the novel coronavirus pandemic leads to online remotely proctored bar exams, controlled test-taking environments, one of the most equalizing factors, will be eliminated. Such scenarios raise questions about whether exam results would be fair or valid.

May 5, 2020 9:22 AM CDT

New York limits bar exam to in-state graduates because of coronavirus concerns

Because of space concerns related to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the New York bar exam will now be administered at law schools there. And for now, applications are limited to people who graduated in the state.

May 1, 2020 12:27 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer is charged in mask-markup plot; another remote LSAT is scheduled

Lawyer is charged in alleged plot to sell KN95 masks at 50% markup A California lawyer has been charged with conspiring to violate the Defense Production Act by selling one million KN95 respirator masks at a 50% markup. The law makes it illegal to acquire scarce medical supplies to hoard…

Apr 29, 2020 3:11 PM CDT

For some law students, clinic work during COVID-19 feels more real than ever before

Clinical law students across the country say their work helping clients remotely is now much different and more difficult because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it comes closer to real-life lawyering than ever before, according to some law professors who direct the clinics.

Apr 28, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

Trials and tiaras: How do pageant winners fare as lawyers?

What are two activities where success comes from reading a room, speaking with authority and not appearing nervous, even if you are? Trying cases in court and also beauty pageants.

Apr 27, 2020 3:20 PM CDT

First state plans for online bar exam if in-person test is not possible

If the novel coronavirus pandemic prevents a bar exam from being safely administered in person, the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners will offer an online test, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court announced Thursday.

Apr 24, 2020 9:43 AM CDT

Are we entering a new era of legal education during the novel coronavirus crisis?

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Lutz-Christian Wolff, Stephen Gallagher and Joyce Wong—the dean, associate dean for teaching and learning and the faculty secretary, respectively—of the Chinese University of Hong Kong's law faculty, about the COVID-19 pandemic and a potentially new era of legal education.

Apr 24, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Congress asked for COVID-19 lawsuit curbs; law school cuts pay for staff and faculty

Lobbyists seek COVID-19 lawsuit curbs Lobbying groups for U.S. businesses are asking Congress to curb liability for companies that could face lawsuits in connection with COVID-19. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is suggesting safe harbor from privacy laws for employers who inquire about health status, safe harbor from age and…

Apr 21, 2020 4:09 PM CDT

Average multistate bar exam score drops to new low, raising concerns about bar pass rates

The average scaled score for the multistate bar exam dropped to a new low of 132.6 for February test-takers, raising concerns that bar pass rates will also drop.

Apr 21, 2020 11:21 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Public defender group bypasses judge; top state court upholds COVID-19 business shutdown

Public defender group bypasses judge who rejected all release bids The Defender Association of Philadelphia has withdrawn all its petitions for inmate release before Judge Anne Marie Coyle, after she rejected every detainee’s request over a two-day period. Coyle even increased bail for four inmates during the release hearings and…

Apr 16, 2020 4:33 PM CDT

Boston law school leads initiative to develop mobile court forms during pandemic crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited access to courts across the country, including in Massachusetts.

Apr 9, 2020 3:40 PM CDT

Legal community has mixed reactions to ABA resolution on limited law practice for recent grads

As law students worry about what the coronavirus pandemic will mean for their careers, some lawyers say those concerns should be eased by a Tuesday ABA resolution urging states to adopt emergency rules authorizing supervised limited practice for recent graduates, along with a bar pass requirement of no later than December 2021.

Apr 8, 2020 3:57 PM CDT

A remote LSAT is scheduled for May because of coronavirus

Because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, a remotely proctored version of the LSAT, which can be taken at home, will be offered in May, the Law School Admission Council announced Tuesday.

Apr 8, 2020 9:55 AM CDT