News & Events

This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Summer 2024 (Vol. 93, No. 2), pp. 50-51.

Rule Changes

Arizona

The Arizona Supreme Court established the Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program (ALAP) on July 17, 2024. Under ALAP, individuals who score between 260 and 269 on the Uniform Bar Examination may apply to practice law for a two-year period while under direct supervision of a lawyer with at least five years’ experience. ALAP participants must be employed by a public or private law office located in a rural Arizona community or in a public law office located anywhere in the state. ALAP participants must meet the Court’s character and fitness requirements. UBE scores earned on the July 2023 bar exam onward are eligible. Applications will be accepted beginning September 1, 2024. Arizona’s passing UBE score of 270 is not affected by this program.

Maine

The Maine Board of Bar Examiners recently voted to temporarily suspend courtesy seat applications for both the February 2025 and July 2025 examinations. The Board will review the impact of this temporary suspension and make a final determination after the July 2025 exam.

Ohio

Ohio amended its Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio I and II effective April 1, 2024. 

• Applicants for admission without examination are required to have “primarily engaged in the active practice of law” for five of the most recent seven years prior to submitting their application so long as they practiced for more than 1,000 hours per year. Additionally, the amendment expanded the definition of “jurisdiction” so that applicants licensed in a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States are eligible to apply for admission on motion.
• Legal intern certification has been expanded under the amended rules to allow limited practice by law students who have completed one-third of their legal education and recent law school graduates (it previously required two-thirds completion of law school for certification).
• The general requirements for admission in Ohio were expanded to include those who have earned either a bachelor’s degree or doctoral-level degree from an accredited college or university (it previously indicated that those with a bachelor’s degree were eligible).

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered that the minimum passing score in Oklahoma for the Uniform Bar Examination is 260, effective July 1, 2024. The prior passing score was 264. Rule changes are in progress but have not been finalized by the time of publication. Applicants can contact the jurisdiction directly regarding rule modifications.

People

Arizona

On July 1, 2024, Ann A. Scott Timmer became the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court.  Chief Justice Timmer has also been on the NCBE Board of Trustees since 2019.

Iowa

Jessica Morton was appointed to the Iowa Board of Law Examiners and began serving her first term on July 1, 2024.  She replaces Stacey Warren, whose term ended on June 30. Warren served three terms on the board.

Michigan

Lester Younglove left as part-time administrative assistant for the Michigan Board of Law Examiners on May 15, 2024. Sherry Blackmond took over the role on July 8. She is a retired Michigan State Police Sergeant with various administrative experience in the courts.

New York

On May 16, 2024, the New York Court of Appeals appointed Carol C. Villegas as a member of the State Board of Law Examiners for a three-year term. Villegas is a partner in the New York office of Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP. She received both her bachelor’s degree and JD from New York University.

South Carolina

Steve McCrae’s appointment to the South Carolina Board of Law Examiners ended on January 1, 2024. Michael Lifsey resigned from the Board on May 9, 2024, due to his appointment as Chester County Magistrate Judge. The Court appointed Brett Bayne on January 2, 2024, and John Moorman June 20, 2024, respectively, to fill those positions.

Chief Justice Donald Beatty will officially resign from the Supreme Court of South Carolina as of July 31, 2024.  Justice John W. Kittredge has been appointed the new Chief Justice as of August 1.

NCBE News

Jake Vizner began as NCBE’s new Chief Information Officer (CIO) on May 28, 2024. He most recently was CIO at EMS Management and Consultants, where he had worked since 2014. Vizner will lead NCBE’s technology strategy and oversee NCBE’s Information Technology Department. 

Kara McWilliams started as NCBE’s Chief Product Officer on August 19. She will lead the NextGen bar exam program and development of future NCBE products. Her most recent position was as Vice President, Product Innovation and Development at Educational Testing Service (ETS). McWilliams earned her PhD in educational research, measurement, and evaluation from Boston College.

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