This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Summer 2024 (Vol. 93, No. 2), pp. 55-61.
May 2–5, 2024 | Chicago, Illinois
The NCBE Annual Bar Admissions Conference is an educational event designed for members of the bar examining and admissions community. Attendees include justices from jurisdictions’ highest courts, bar admission administrators, and members of boards of bar examiners, all of whom direct the bar admissions process in their jurisdictions. The conference focuses on the issues that influence the licensing of lawyers both today and in the future.
NCBE held its 2024 Annual Bar Admissions Conference in Chicago on May 2–5. Fifty-six jurisdictions were represented by the 401 attendees, which included 103 first-time attendees and 51 justices from jurisdictions’ highest courts.
Thursday afternoon kicked off conference programming with a roundtable for the justices in attendance, followed by the evening opening reception. Judith Gundersen, NCBE President and CEO, and John J. McAlary, NCBE Board of Trustees Chair, welcomed attendees on Friday morning. NCBE Education Committee Chair Augustin Rivera, Jr., and Council of Bar Admission Administrators Chair Christine Kenefick welcomed attendees on Saturday.
Judith Gundersen, NCBE President and CEO
John McAlary, NCBE Board of Trustees Chair
Christine Kenefick, CBAA Chair
Augustin Rivera, Jr., NCBE Education Committee Chair
Generational Differences: Who Are These People? Plenary session
Plenary Sessions
The conference’s three plenary sessions covered topics that included factors that influence the future legal profession, artificial intelligence and legal ethics, and the unique generational perspectives and experiences that affect legal culture and practice.
Building the Profession: Exploring the Path from Law School to Practice Nikia Gray, Derek Muller, Judith Gundersen, Robert Ahdieh, Hon. Cynthia Martin (moderator)
Building the Profession: Exploring the Path from Law School to Practice
Robert Ahdieh, Nikia Gray, Judith Gundersen, Derek Muller
National experts shared their insights on the factors shaping the present and future of the legal profession: recent changes in the law school ranking system, the role of law schools in access to justice, the evolving landscape of distance education, including fully online learning options, law school admissions and enrollment, trends in bar exam scores, examinee demographics, and the employment outlook for newly licensed lawyers.
Technology Is Changing the Legal Profession, but Not the Profession’s Ethical Responsibilities Wendy Muchman, Hon. Ann Scott Timmer (moderator)
Technology Is Changing the Legal Profession, but Not the Profession’s Ethical Responsibilities
Wendy Muchman
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law Professor Wendy Muchman delved into the ethical considerations and opportunities that arise with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal education and practice.
Generational Differences: Who Are These People? Sammy Chang (moderator), James Goodnow
Generational Differences: Who Are These People?
James Goodnow
This engaging interactive session delved into generational perceptions, assumptions, and criticisms as Gen Z begins to impact the workforce. Attendees gained a deep understanding of how each generation’s unique perspectives and experiences affect legal culture and practice, and learned how to navigate intergenerational dynamics and leverage differences to create a bright future for the profession.
Breakout Sessions and Workshops
A Healthier Bar: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in the Legal ProfessionDanielle Hall, Patrick Krill, Hon. Juan Hoyos (moderator)
A Healthier Bar: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in the Legal Profession
Danielle Hall, Patrick Krill
Why do legal professionals experience higher rates of substance abuse and mental health issues compared to individuals in other professions? This session analyzed current data, identified societal and work-related factors contributing to these statistics, and suggested ways to bring about positive change.
NextGen 101Andreas Oranje, PhD; Marilyn Wellington; John McAlary (moderator); Hemanth Gundavaram
NextGen 101
Hemanth Gundavaram; Andreas Oranje, PhD; Marilyn Wellington
Designed to inform and prepare participants to engage in other NextGen conference sessions, this session covered the development of the new bar exam from its origins in the Testing Task Force’s nationwide practice analysis through current content scope outlines and jurisdiction adoption plans.
Understanding Validity, Reliability, and Fairness in TestingJoanne Kane, PhD; Laurel Searles (moderator); April Southwick
Understanding Validity, Reliability, and Fairness in Testing
Joanne Kane, PhD; April Southwick
Terms like validity, reliability, and fairness have both everyday meanings and psychometric definitions. Using discussion, hands-on opportunities, and additional resources, this encore session from the 2023 Annual Conference focused on how these frequently misunderstood terms are applied in the context of high-stakes testing and prepared participants to engage with stakeholders over common misperceptions regarding the bar exam.
Crossing the Line: Civility and Applicant BehaviorMolly Ranns, Maureen Braley (moderator), Sahbra Smook Jacobs, Keith Wilkinson
Crossing the Line: Civility and Applicant Behavior
Sahbra Smook Jacobs, Molly Ranns, Keith Wilkinson
During this interactive session, participants explored the range of behaviors applicants exhibit on the continuum of civility, from simple criticism of normal jurisdiction processes to direct threats and violent language; the intersection of wellness and civility; and modeling de-escalation strategies for maintaining professional, respectful communication with applicants who may have stepped over the line.
NextGen Content and SkillsSophie Martin (moderator), Timothy Davis, Beth Donahue, Lisa Freudenheim
NextGen Content and Skills
Timothy Davis, Beth Donahue, Lisa Freudenheim
The NextGen exam integrates the measurement of doctrinal knowledge with more lawyering skills that are important in entry-level practice. This session provided an overview of how knowledge and skills will be tested across item types, explored the importance of the broader range of skills to be tested, looked at how faculty are adapting their curricula to new item types focused on these skills, and detailed the most up-to-date practical implications for bar examiners.
Empowering Success: Law School Bar Passage ProgramsRobert Ahdieh; Jean Mangan; Augustin Rivera, Jr. (moderator); Andrea Gemignani; Raul Ruiz
Empowering Success: Law School Bar Passage Programs
Robert Ahdieh, Andrea Gemignani, Jean Mangan, Raul Ruiz
Innovators from law schools with exceptional bar passage rates shared their expertise and key strategies for enhancing their students’ bar exam and practice readiness. From targeted curricula to unique support networks, attendees learned about tools that empower law students to conquer the bar, develop their professional identity, and launch successful legal careers.
Looking for the Keys: Factors Affecting Group Performance on High-Stakes AssessmentsDanette Waller McKinley, PhD; Hon. Mary Russell (moderator); Joanne Kane, PhD;Douglas Ripkey; Hilary Symes, PhD
Looking for the Keys: Factors Affecting Group Performance on High-Stakes Assessments
Joanne Kane, PhD; Danette Waller McKinley, PhD, Douglas Ripkey; Hilary Symes, PhD
Measurement professionals continually gather evidence to help interpret test results. This session explored the extent to which data supports claims that specific item formats put historically marginalized groups at a disadvantage, as reflected by bar exam passage rates segmented by race and gender. Data collection and analysis approaches for bar examination and licensure tests were presented.
Bridging the Divide: An Exploration of Access to Justice InitiativesTimothy Wong (moderator), Ashton Bias Harrell, Greg Sattizahn, Justin Forkner
Bridging the Divide: An Exploration of Access to Justice Initiatives
Justin Forkner, Ashton Bias Harrell, Greg Sattizahn
Addressing the challenges of access to justice is critical for ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status, have fair and equitable opportunities to navigate the legal system and secure their rights. This session examined innovative strategies and successful collaborations designed to create a more equitable and accessible legal landscape.
On the Rise: Understanding the Implications of MPRE Accommodation RequestsHon. Dustin Rowe (moderator), Brad Gilbert
On the Rise: Understanding the Implications of MPRE Accommodation Requests
Brad Gilbert
In recent years, the number of examinees requesting test accommodations for licensure and certification exams nationwide has significantly increased. NCBE’s Brad Gilbert discussed recent changes in the volume and types of these requests for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), which typically forecast similar changes for future bar exam administrations.
The Role of Supervised Practice in Alternative Paths to Legal LicensureTroy Wood, Priya Bhatia, Paul Schwiep (moderator)
The Role of Supervised Practice in Alternative Paths to Legal Licensure
Priya Bhatia, Troy Wood
This session explored supervised practice, one of several new alternative paths to becoming a lawyer, with articling in Canada and the Oregon Law Licensing Program offering aspiring legal professionals hands-on, practical experience to complement their academic knowledge and prepare them for legal practice.
Standard Setting: The National and Jurisdictional ExperienceGreg Cizek, PhD; Darin Scheer (moderator); Rosemary Reshetar, EdD; Nahdiah Hoang
Standard Setting: The National and Jurisdictional Experience
Greg Cizek, PhD; Nahdiah Hoang; Rosemary Reshetar, EdD
In a measurement context, standard setting is the structured procedure that categorizes test scores into distinct performance levels. Attendees learned about plans for NextGen standard setting and gained insights into the jurisdictional experience from a recently completed standard-setting exercise in Texas.
From Pencils to Passwords: Navigating the Exam Security Landscape Lisa Perlen (moderator), Camille Thompson, Susan Baek
From Pencils to Passwords: Navigating the Exam Security Landscape
Susan Baek, Camille Thompson
This session explored the contrasting security measures employed in paper-based and computer-based testing environments. Attendees uncovered each format’s challenges, innovations, and strategies, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of how to safeguard exam integrity.
Exploring the NextGen Test Delivery PlatformBarry Porter; Hon. Pieter Tieuwissen (moderator); Theresa Healy; Dan Saar; Jim Crawford; Andreas Oranje, PhD
Exploring the NextGen Test Delivery Platform
Jim Crawford; Theresa Healy; Andreas Oranje, PhD; Barry Porter; Dan Saar
Experts from Surpass Assessment and NCBE presented a comprehensive session highlighting the features and functionalities of the NextGen test delivery platform. Attendees saw how multiple-choice and constructed-response questions will look to examinees and how accessibility features, highlighting, and strike-throughs are integrated into the platform technology.
More to the Story: Examining Myths and Facts about the Bar ExamHilary Symes, PhD; Hon. Solomon Oliver, Jr. (moderator); Danette Waller McKinley, PhD
More to the Story: Examining Myths and Facts about the Bar Exam
Danette Waller McKinley, PhD; Hilary Symes, PhD
Everyone who takes the February bar exam failed it the previous July. Myth or fact? The bar exam causes anxiety. Myth or fact? Modeled after the popular Sparks sessions held in previous years, this session provided brief, engaging, and actionable information that gave attendees a deeper understanding of the numbers behind common bar exam narratives by breaking down post-exam survey data.
NextGen Q&A: A Session for JusticesAndreas Oranje, PhD; Marilyn Wellington; Judith Gundersen; Hon. Scott Bales (ret.) (moderator)
NextGen Q&A: A Session for Justices
Judith Gundersen; Andreas Oranje, PhD; Marilyn Wellington
This session offered updates on the subjects and skills to be tested on the new bar exam, including previews of new question types.
Chicago in Photos
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