News
Events
Uniform Bar Examination
Arkansas
Arkansas has adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). The first administration of the UBE in Arkansas will be the February 2020 examination. Arkansas will begin accepting transferred UBE scores from other UBE jurisdictions in October 2019 with a minimum passing score of 270.
Illinois
Illinois began accepting transferred UBE scores from other jurisdictions on January 3, 2019, with a minimum passing score of 266. The first administration of the UBE in Illinois will be the July 2019 examination.
Thirty-six jurisdictions currently have adopted the UBE, five of which have upcoming first administrations: Illinois and Maryland (July 2019), Arkansas (February 2020), Ohio (July 2020), and Texas (February 2021).
Rule Changes
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners has a new rule regarding the limited admission of spouses of active duty service members of the U.S. Uniformed Services. The new rule, Rule 304, will be available on the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners’ website at https://www.pabarexam.org/bar_admission_rules/restricprac.htm when it becomes effective on July 29, 2019.
Twenty-eight jurisdictions currently have military spouse temporary practice rules (see Chart 14 in the Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, available at http://www.ncbex.org/publications/bar-admissions-guide/).
People
Connecticut
The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee has two new members: Erick I. Diaz and Martha S. Triplett. Diaz is an employee & labor relations associate with UConn Health in Farmington, Connecticut, and Triplett is the owner/president of Delaney & Triplett PC in Wallingford, Connecticut. They replace committee members Adam Mantzaris and Michael Whelton.
Iowa
Justice Daryl Hecht of the Iowa Supreme Court passed away on April 3, 2019. Justice Hecht, who was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court in 2006, had served for many years as the liaison to the Iowa Board of Bar Examiners.
Kentucky
Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton has been appointed as the new liaison to the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions, replacing former liaison Justice Bill Cunningham, who retired from the Court on February 1, 2019.
Louisiana
Monique Drake is the new executive director for the Louisiana Committee on Bar Admissions. Drake formerly served as Attorney for Character & Fitness for the committee. She replaces Gregory Bordelon, who left the position in September 2018.
New Mexico
Hon. Nan Nash (ret.) has joined the New Mexico Board of Bar Examiners. Judge Nash was appointed Second Judicial District Court judge in 2003 and served as chief judge for four years until her retirement in early 2019. She replaces Ernestina Cruz on the board.
North Carolina
Joining the North Carolina Board of Bar Examiners is Hon. Calvin E. Murphy (ret.). Judge Murphy received a gubernatorial appointment to the Superior Court bench in 2007 and was appointed in 2010 to the North Carolina Business Court. Resigning from the board is Judge Wanda G. Bryant.
Oklahoma
The new Oklahoma Supreme Court liaison to the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners is Chief Justice Noma D. Gurich. Chief Justice Gurich, who has been a member of the Oklahoma Supreme Court since her appointment in 2011 and had been serving as Vice Chief Justice, was elected to the office of Chief Justice in November 2018.
Virginia
Supreme Court of Virginia Justice D. Arthur Kelsey is the new liaison to the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, replacing Justice Elizabeth A. McClanahan, who announced her retirement effective September 1, 2019.
West Virginia
Madeleine Jaeck, Bar Admissions Administrator for the West Virginia Board of Law Examiners, left the position in early April 2019 after nine years of service. Replacing Jaeck is Carol P. Smith. Smith, who has spent 31 years in private practice, has served on the West Virginia Board of Bar Examiners since 2013.
