Alternatives to Bar Exam Met With Dueling Relief and Skepticism

The bar exam is in a state of flux. A new “NexGen” test is about to debut, while several states now offer licenses to attorneys who haven’t taken the exam at all.

_{Listen here and subscribe to On The Merits on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Megaphone, or Audible.}

These bar exam alternatives, many of which originated as emergency pandemic measures, are proving successful in smaller states, like South Dakota and New Hampshire, and even some larger ones, like Arizona and Oregon. But a nationwide bar exam alternative is not on the horizon, and large corporate firms have shown little willingness to hire attorneys licensed through these alternative programs, according to Bloomberg Law reporter Maia Spoto.

Maia spoke to Jessie Kamens, the host of our On The Merits podcast, about how these programs work and why some advocates say we need to finally ditch the grueling, multi-day test. Maia also gets into what’s happening in California, where the development of a new exam went disastrously wrong.

Do you have feedback on this episode of On The Merits? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.