Say Bye-Bye To The Online Bar Exam

This summer is likely the last time we'll see a remote bar exam in our lifetimes.

Remote exams have been a valuable stopgap for jurisdictions during this time, allowing examinees to take the test without having to gather in a larger group. However, remote exams create challenges for exam security and uniformity, and for this reason, we have consistently advocated for in-person testing as the best option whenever possible.

Throughout the pandemic, jurisdictions have worked closely with their state and local health authorities to ensure that examinees may take the bar exam consistent with each jurisdiction’s safety requirements. Although conditions appear to be improving, NCBE recognizes that any jurisdiction’s public health authority may establish that candidates cannot test in person. Should that occur, we are committed to working with that jurisdiction on a solution that will enable its candidates to take the bar exam.

— Beth Hill, Director of Test Development, Operations, and Security for the National Conference of Bar Examiners, commenting on the NCBE’s decision to make bar exam materials available to jurisdictions for in-person testing only, starting with the February 2022 exam, unless another public health emergency should arise and states are restricted from administering in-person exams. As noted in the NCBE’s press release, the July 2021 bar exam will likely be the last to include a remote testing option. Right now, 29 jurisdictions plan to administer next month’s exam remotely, while 24 will administer it in person.


Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Sponsored