News Category

Board Moves Toward Stabilizing Admissions Fund While Minimizing Impact

November 21, 2025
At its November 20–21 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved raising Admissions Fund fees based on the recommended staff option, except for general applicants for the California Bar Exam and applicants for the Practical Training of Law Students program. Those fees will only be increased by the Consumer Price Index (3.3 percent). The Board’s action—to be implemented in 2026—will begin to address a critical structural deficit and rebuild depleted reserves that have been strained by unanticipated costs resulting from the February 2025 exam, including several million dollars in fee waivers issued as part of remedial measures and the return to in-person administration.

Board and CBE Consider Supreme Court’s Admissions’ and Exam Oversight Amendments

August 14, 2025
The Board of Trustees (Board) and the Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE) held a rare joint meeting Thursday to consider and make recommendations to the proposed amendments from the California Supreme Court relating to Admissions and California bar exam oversight following a 45-day public comment period. The Board and CBE also discussed Admissions and Provisional Licensure Program (PLP) fees, and planning for future bar exams. 

State Bar Law School Study Highlights Gaps in Different Types of Schools’ Success

December 1, 2023
The State Bar of California’s first-ever comprehensive Law School Profile highlights the attrition, number of JD degrees awarded, and bar exam pass rates of California’s American Bar Association (ABA), California accredited (CALS), and unaccredited law schools by race/ethnicity and gender of the student body, exploring differences in outcomes for students. 

State Bar Board of Trustees Approve Revamped Law School Accreditation Rules

May 18, 2021
At its meeting on May 13, 2021, the State Bar Board of Trustees adopted new accreditation rules for California accredited law schools. The new rules, effective January 1, 2022, refocus California accreditation on its essential purposes, incorporate best practices, and provide a framework to recognize law schools that are accredited by regional or national accreditors.