October 4, 2024
The State Bar today resubmitted its petition to the Supreme Court asking for a new standing order on future bar exams with the changes approved by the Committee of Bar Examiners on September 30.
September 30, 2024
The Committee of Bar Examiners today unanimously approved a resolution regarding the plan for the February 2025 bar exam and future exams. The resolution:
The State Bar plans to resubmit its petition to the Supreme Court as soon as possible. This page will be updated when that step occurs.
September 19, 2024, update
The agenda for the September 30 Committee of Bar Examiners meeting is now posted. Please see the agenda for public comment procedures and for the Zoom link to observe the meeting.
September 18, 2024, update
The California Supreme Court today denied, without prejudice, the State Bar's petition proposing modifications to the February 2025 bar exam, which included:
As we read today’s order, before the State Bar brings the proposed modifications back to the Supreme Court, it must first seek the formal approval of the Committee of Bar Examiners on the proposed modifications to the California Bar Exam.
The State Bar plans to move forward as quickly as possible to secure the needed approval. The Committee of Bar Examiners is scheduled to meet on September 30; an agenda will be posted on our Public Meetings portal no later than September 20. The State Bar will file a petition as quickly as possible after the CBE meeting and adjust plans as needed in accordance with the Court’s direction.
At this point, the State Bar still intends to launch the February 2025 bar exam application on October 1, 2024.
In August 2024, the State Bar finalized an agreement with Kaplan to independently develop questions for the California Bar Exam. The questions will replace the Multistate Bar Examination, developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).
The Committee of Bar Examiners discussed these changes at its March and April 2024 meetings and recommended that the State Bar retain a new vendor to develop the multiple-choice questions for the California Bar Exam, so that the State Bar can pursue alternative, cost-effective bar exam administration approaches that applicants prefer. This contract will allow the State Bar to make the bar exam available both remotely and in person at test centers starting with the February 2025 exam, assuming the plan is approved by the Supreme Court.
The multiple-choice questions developed by Kaplan will not substantially modify the training or preparation required to pass the exam. The bar exam will cover the same subject areas and continue to have 200 multiple-choice questions, five one-hour essay questions, and one 90-minute Performance Test. Applicants should prepare for the exam as they always have.