This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Spring 2024 (Vol. 93, No. 1), pp. 74.
News
Rule Changes
Idaho
Effective March 1, 2024, the Idaho Supreme Court amended the Idaho Bar Commission Rules Governing Admission to eliminate the reciprocity requirement under current Rule 206 and provide that any attorney from any state who has been substantially engaged in the active practice of law for at least three of the previous five years may be admitted to the practice of law in Idaho without having to take the Idaho bar examination. The amendments further provide that work as a judicial law clerk qualifies as the active practice of law for the purposes of qualifying for admission without examination, provided such work was performed after admission to practice and as a licensed, active member of the jurisdiction in which the work was performed.
Minnesota
The Minnesota Supreme Court recently issued an order adopting the NextGen exam, effective with the July 2027 exam. The order also advised that the Court would form an implementation committee to further explore and develop a curricular-based pathway for assessment and to further explore a supervised practice-based pathway for assessment. Additional details are available on the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners website.
Washington
In an order filed on March 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of Washington lowered the minimum UBE passing score to 266, replacing score of 270. The score change retroactively applies to both 2023 exam administrations and the February 2024 exam. Washington previously reduced the UBE passing score from 270 to 266 due to the COVID-19 pandemic for those exams administered in July and September 2020 and the February and July exams in 2021–2022.
People
Massachusetts
Effective May 20, 2024, Elizabeth Storms will serve as Counsel for Bar Admissions for the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners. Storms previously served as Assistant General Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. She is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law.
Minnesota
Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson retired on May 10, 2024. Justice Anderson had served as liaison to the Minnesota Board of Bar Examiners since 2013 and was active in bar admissions. (See the Fall 2020 Bar Examiner’s “Seven Questions” interview with Justice Anderson.) The Court has appointed Justice Karl C. Procaccini as the next liaison. Justice Procaccini received his JD, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School and has an LLM in international and comparative law from the American University in Cairo. He was sworn into the Minnesota Supreme Court on October 2, 2023.
Nebraska
Effective May 1, Josh Shasserre is the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Nebraska. He also takes over duties for Wendy Wussow as administrator of bar admissions. Shassere held leadership roles in the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office for the past 10 years.
New Mexico
As of April 17, 2024, Justice David K. Thomson was appointed to serve as Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. He will serve a two-year term.
Pennsylvania
Adam C. Bonin was appointed to the Board of Law Examiners on February 23, 2024, commencing on April 1, 2024, for a period of three years. Jessica Gardner is no longer a member of the board.
Virginia
The Virginia Board of Bar Examiners selected Brian K. Jackson of Richmond to serve as its President, following Anita O. Poston’s retirement on April 30, 2024. Jackson has served on the Board since 2001.
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