<p>The bar exam will no longer be required for people who want to practice law in Washington state, the state Supreme Court ruled last week, prompted by equity concerns.</p>
<p>In a pair of orders Friday, the Washington Supreme Court approved &#8220;alternative pathways to lawyer licensure,&#8221; the court <a href="https://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/?fa=newsinfo.pressdetail&amp;newsid=50389" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a press release.</p>
<p>The decision follows recommendations made by the state&#8217;s Bar Licensure Task Force, which was formed in 2020 to examine the issue. The task force recommended getting rid of the mandatory bar exam in order to &#8220;advance the cause of diversity, equity, and inclusion.&#8221;</p>
<p>The task force found that the traditional bar exam &#8220;disproportionately and unnecessarily blocks historically marginalized groups from entering the practice of law.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;In addition to the racism and classism written into the test itself the time and financial costs of the test reinforce historical inequities in our profession,&#8221; the task force <a href="https://www.courts.wa.gov/content/publicUpload/Supreme%20Court%20Orders/Orders%2025700B710%20and%2025700B711.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in its recommendations. &#8220;Despite these issues, data indicates that the bar exam is at best minimally effective for ensuring competent lawyers.&#8221;</p>
<p>Under the court&#8217;s new changes, Washington will create three &#8220;experiential-learning&#8221; alternatives to the bar exam.</p>
<p>Law school graduates will have to do a six-month apprenticeship under the guidance and supervision of a qualified attorney as well as take three more standardized courses.</p>
<p>Students still in law school must complete 12 qualifying skills credits and do 500 hours of work as a licensed legal intern. They must then submit a portfolio of this work to waive the bar exam.</p>
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<p>Law clerks who are not attending law school must also complete 500 hours of work as a licensed legal intern as well as meet certain benchmarks and complete standardized educational materials.</p>
<p>The state is also lowering the minimum score to pass the bar from 270 to 266, a lower threshold previously adopted during the pandemic. Those who do take the rigorous test will take a new, updated bar exam that &#8220;addresses many of the identified flaws in the current bar exam by focusing on real-world skills and practice&#8221; starting in summer, 2026.</p>
<p>The court is also calling for assessments and programs to help lawyers remain competent throughout their careers, not just when they are licensed. A timeline for all the changes is not yet set, but they will be implemented by the Washington State Bar Association.</p>
<p>Last week&#8217;s decision makes Washington the second state to nix the bar exam requirement after Oregon <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/careers/2023/11/09/oregon-approves-alternative-bar-exam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made</a> the same decision for similar reasons in November.</p>

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Mandatory Bar Exam Nixed In Washington State Over ‘Equity’ Concerns

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Mandatory Bar Exam Nixed In Washington State Over ‘Equity’ Concerns