This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Fall 2026 (Vol. 95, No. 3), pp. 3–4. By Judith A. Gundersen Portrait Photo of Judith A. Gundersen

Reflecting on Milestones and Planning for the Future

July 2026 was a momentous time for bar examinees and jurisdictions in the inaugural NextGen UBE cohort. We are very grateful to the ten jurisdictions that chose to be the first to administer and grade the new exam. I am so proud of all their collaborative efforts with NCBE staff to make the launch a success in so many jurisdictions.

That success also marks the culmination of years of work by so many others: volunteer subject matter expert drafters and graders, law school faculty and support staff, and on-site support teams, among others. And, of course, my thanks go out to examinees who trusted us with their exam days. I wish you all the best as jurisdictions release results.

As with any first administration of this scale, there were lessons along the way as well. In Maryland, Missouri, and Washington, localized technical infrastructure issues caused disruptions for some examinees. Maryland test takers were able to complete the exam after a short delay. In Missouri, testing was completed, but only after long delays for most examinees. In Yakima, Washington, lengthy delays ultimately led the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) to cancel the exam for most examinees at the site. A smaller group of test takers was able to complete the exam as scheduled.

We take the examinee experience very seriously and never want technical problems to interfere with test takers’ ability to demonstrate proficiency on one of the most important—and stressful—days of their professional life. Since July 28, we have worked closely with affected jurisdictions and their site technology personnel to understand what happened at each testing location and take steps to prevent similar issues in future administrations. That work has already led to changes in how we prepare for future administrations, including closer review of each testing site’s technology and network capacity, stronger backup plans, and clearer processes for responding when issues arise. Looking ahead to the February and July 2027 NextGen exams, we are actively working with jurisdictions and venues to prepare for smooth exam days.

The WSBA successfully administered its September makeup exam to approximately 171 candidates who were unable to sit in July due to the cancellation. Examinees were either ineligible for the Washington Supreme Court’s admission waiver or chose to sit and receive an official, portable NextGen UBE score, just like those earned in July. The September exam in Washington was designed and administered to the same standards as the July exam.

By this point, NextGen jurisdictions will have released July results. My thanks go to all who joined us on this inaugural journey. We look forward to continuing to work together.

With two exams being graded concurrently, NCBE team members, whether for the legacy or NextGen exam, work very hard to ensure timely release of information to jurisdictions. This four-administration period of dual exams is no small feat—one down and three to go!

In addition to the NextGen rollout, NCBE has been active in meeting this summer and fall with other leaders in the legal education and bar admissions space. These meetings provide an important opportunity to connect with others who, like those at NCBE, care deeply about this work, as well as legal employment and access to justice. Speaking of access to justice, I was invited by Dean Hallie Bongar White to attend the graduation ceremony of the National Tribal Trial College (NTTC) at the University of Wisconsin Law School in July. The NTTC program, which Bongar White oversees, and is sponsored by the Southwest Center for Law and Policy in Tucson, is a tuition-free legal skill-building course held over six months, empowering laypersons to practice law in Tribal Courts across the United States.1 NTTC addresses the shortage of legal practitioners in Indian Country and Alaska by training participants to litigate in the areas of greatest need: divorce, child custody, visitation, child support, domestic violence protection orders, and victim rights. NTTC graduates serve thousands of American Indian / Alaska Native clients each year who would have otherwise had no access to foundational legal services and representation. I was so honored to attend the graduation ceremony and to learn about the sustained success of this program to help address chronic access-to-justice problems in Indian Country.

Another summer event was our annual Council of Bar Admissions Administrators / NCBE Annual Meeting in August. It was a good opportunity to debrief after the July bar exam and to ensure preparedness for the 2027 administrations. It also represented the start of our new board year, with Augustin Rivera, Jr., of Texas, starting as chair of our Board of Trustees. We also welcome new board members: Chief Justice Robyn M. Brody of Idaho; Jeff Shipley, Executive Director of the Maryland Board of Bar Examiners; and Pieter Teeuwissen, bar examiner from Mississippi.

August is always a bittersweet time because we also have dear friends and longtime colleagues rotating off the board, even as we welcome new members. Hon. Arlene Coleman Romeo, of Chicago, Illinois, leaves the board after years of valuable service. We will miss her insight, expertise, and experience.

NCBE has a busy fall schedule ahead, as always, with meetings and webinars for jurisdiction staff and justices on everything from grading and scoring to character and fitness. We also have a webinar scheduled for law school faculty on NextGen scoring, and other events in the planning stages.

Wishing you all a beautiful fall season.

Until the next issue,

Signature of Judy Gundersen