From August 14 to 17, 104 attendees from 40 jurisdictions gathered in Kansas City, Missouri, for the 2025 NCBE and Council of Bar Admission Administrators (CBAA) Annual Meeting.
CBAA chair Sherry M. Hieber welcomed attendees on Friday morning, and NCBE Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Marilyn Wellington briefed attendees on ongoing activities and initiatives at NCBE and other developments of interest to the bar admissions community the following day.
Ten CBAA committees held meetings throughout Friday and reported back to attendees at the CBAA business meeting on Saturday, during which administrators also shared news from their jurisdictions.
Sherry M. Hieber, 2024–2025 CBAA Chair and Darin B. Scheer, 2024–2026 NCBE Board of Trustees Chair
Emily Corson, 2025–2026 CBAA Chair and Sherry M. Hieber, 2024–2025 CBAA Chair
Marilyn Wellington, NCBE Chief Strategy and Operations Officer
Plenary Sessions
NCBE Update Regarding Character and Fitness Application Changes
Penelope J. Gessler, NCBE; Lisa Perlen, Tennessee; Kandace Kukas, Massachusetts (moderator)
NextGen UBE Update
Kara Smith, NCBE; Marilyn Wellington, NCBE; Tina Hopson, Indiana (moderator)
Practical Solution-Focused Discussion for Addressing Increasing Number of Accommodated Applicants
Melissa Hansen, Maine; Jessica McClung, New York; Dawn McKnight, Colorado; Ashton Bias Harrell, West Virginia (moderator)
Updates on Alternative Educational Requirements and Pathways to Licensure
Ann Mines Bailey, South Dakota; Jeff Shipley, Maryland; Brad W. Skolnik, Indiana
CBAA Recognitions and Leadership Changes
The CBAA Annual Meeting is the occasion at which a CBAA member is recognized for outstanding service to the bar admissions community. Sherry M. Hieber, former General Counsel for the New Hampshire Office of Bar Admissions and 2024–2025 CBAA chair, was honored for her service.
The Annual Meeting also marks the change in leadership of the CBAA Executive Committee. Sherry M. Hieber was recognized for her service as chair on the Executive Committee during the past year. Emily Corson, Bar Admission Administrator for the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners, was welcomed as the 2025–2026 CBAA chair.
2025 NCBE/CBAA Annual Meeting in Photos
