This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Fall 2023 (Vol. 92, No. 3), pp. 36–44.
News
NCBE Events
Rule Changes
Arizona
On September 13, 2023, the Arizona Supreme Court lowered the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) minimum passing score from 273 to 270. The new score will apply to those who sat for the Arizona UBE July 2023 exam administration and will apply to future exam administrations.
Missouri
The Missouri Supreme Court, at the recommendation of the Board of Law Examiners, adopted these rule changes effective September 1, 2023:
- An individual who has a felony criminal charge or charges pending is not eligible to apply for admission.
- Clarified language that, for applicants applying for admission by reciprocity, an applicant who practiced in a jurisdiction allowing reciprocity with Missouri may count that time toward the minimum practice requirements, even if the attorney resided in a jurisdiction other than the jurisdiction where the attorney is licensed.
New York
The Board is updating the application filing periods for each administration of the UBE. Effective with the July 2024 bar exam, the July exam application filing period will be March 1–31. Effective with the February 2025 bar exam, the February application filing period will be October 1–31.
The Board has new application/reapplication filing deadlines for application/reapplication for nonstandard test accommodations (NTA) on the UBE. Effective with the July 2024 bar exam, the July exam application/reapplication filing deadline will be March 31. Effective with the February 2025 bar exam, the February exam application/reapplication filing deadline will be October 31.
For an applicant who failed the immediately preceding administration of the UBE, the Application Filing Deadline—for both the UBE and for NTA—will be the later of (1) the application filing deadline (March 31 for a July exam and October 31 for a February exam); or (2) the 7th day following the date of the Board’s release of examination results.
People
Florida
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has elected new officers. Melinda McNichols is Board chair as of November 1, 2023. Her appointment to the Board began in March 2020. Timothy S. Danninger was elected vice chair of the board on October 19, 2023. He will become Board chair on November 1, 2024.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has also welcomed several new members. Rosalyn Destinie Baker Sutton, of West Palm Beach, was appointed to replace Rachelle Munson. John James O’Sullivan, of Miami, was appointed to replace Dennis J. Alfonso. Gary M. Miller, of Miami, succeeds retiring member John R. Dierking. All three of these members’ terms run through October 31, 2028. Additionally, Kamran A. Malik, of Safety Harbor, was made public member, taking over for Sanjena V. Clay. Malik’s term ends October 31, 2026.
Massachusetts
Several new staff members have joined the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners:
- Robert Milt, Senior Manager of Testing and Operations as of September 23, 2023, replacing Laura Colby, who remains with the Board part-time.
- Erica Osiecki, Strategic Relations Analyst as of August 23, 2023, replacing Jessica Rush.
- Mary Regan, Coordinator of Admissions & Testing as of September 23, 2023, replacing Sonya Grant.
Hon. David G. Sacks (ret.) was appointed to the Board on October 16, 2023, by Chief Justice Kimberly Budd of the Supreme Judicial Court. Judge Sacks accumulated over three decades of experience as Probate and Family Court judge before his retirement in 2020 and served in a variety of court committee roles.
Minnesota
Natalie E. Hudson was appointed Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court on October 2, 2023. Former Chief Justice Lorie Gildea retired on October 1, 2023. Hudson first joined the Minnesota Supreme Court in October 2015.
Missouri
In September 2023, the Missouri Board of Law Examiners welcomed two new staff members:
- Samantha Barse joined the office as an Investigative and Admissions Analyst. In this role, Barse will conduct character and fitness investigations and will also assist testing and admissions staff to ensure that those applicants certified for admission have met all eligibility requirements. Barse previously served as a Research/Data Assistant with the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
- Stevie Galiani joined the office as an Investigative Analyst and will handle a variety of character and fitness investigations. Galiani previously worked as a Judicial Administrative Assistant in the Western District Court of Appeals.
In June 2023, Pam Waggoner was hired as the new Assistant Director of Testing. Waggoner had previously served for several years at the Missouri Supreme Court as a Deputy Clerk for the Court en banc office.
New Mexico
Justice Edward L. Chávez was honored with the 2023 Justice Pamela B. Minzner Professionalism Award this summer by the State Bar of New Mexico. Justice Chávez served on the New Mexico Supreme Court for 15 years, including as its Chief Justice from January 2007 through April 2010. He also served as court liaison to several committees.
New York
Hon. Victoria A. Graffeo, a retired Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, was recently appointed to a three-year term on the New York State Board of Law Examiners. The Board’s chair, Hon. Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, and Board member Michael Colodner were each reappointed to a three-year term.
North Carolina
Board Chair D. Clark Smith, Jr., retired from the Board on October 31, 2023, after a decade of service.
The Board welcomed its newest member, Stephen C. Baynard, on November 1, 2023. Baynard is a member of the North Carolina Conference of Bar Presidents, the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, and was the 5th Judicial District Bar President in 2005.
South Dakota
Sheridan Cash Anderson retired on June 8, 2023, after several decades of service as the Chief of Legal Research and Secretary of the Board of Bar Examiners. Ann Bailey began as Secretary on August 24, 2023.
Utah
Tanya Rosado’s last day as Admissions Administrator was December 5, 2023. Melodee Parks will step into the role.
Bradley Christensen started as Admissions Assistant on September 25, 2023, taking over for Makel Drollinger.
Vermont
Examiner Joslyn Wilchek stepped down from the Board. Alycia Sanders, previously an Associate Examiner, was appointed to fill Wilchek’s Examiner position as of October 1, 2023. Sanders is an attorney and former administrative law judge. Jaimeson Heins and Jennifer McDonald were appointed as new Associate Examiners as of October 11, 2023. Heins is general counsel with E Automotive Inc. McDonald is a partner in the firm of Downs Rachlin Martin.
Virginia
After nine years of service with the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, C. Kailani Memmer stepped down on October 12, 2023. Memmer was recently appointed a magistrate judge of the US District Court for the Western District of Virginia. The Supreme Court of Virginia appointed Melissa W. Robinson of Roanoke to fill the vacancy on the Board.
NCBE Board of Trustees News
John McAlary is the new NCBE Board of Trustees chair, replacing Timothy Y. Wong as of August 2023. McAlary is the Executive Director of the New York State Board of Law Examiners, marking a quarter century with the New York Board this year.
Hon. Mary Russell was elected to the Board of Trustees in August 2023. Judge Russell was first appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court in September 2004 and is currently serving as Chief Justice for the Court for the second time, having previously served in the role from July 2013 through June 2015. Her current term as Chief Justice runs through June 2025.
Erratum:
In the Summer 2023 issue of the Bar Examiner, a news item stated that Idaho’s change in bar exam passing score to 270, effective with the July 2023 exam, could be applied to passing scores earned on the February 2023 exam. This does not apply to all scores earned in all jurisdictions, but to February 2023 scores earned in Idaho only.
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