States should overhaul bar exams to focus on problem solving rather than knowledge of niche practices, a bar examiner group said in a report.
“Greater emphasis should be placed on assessment of lawyering skills,” the National Conference of Bar Examiners said. Such an approach would “better reflect real-world practice and the types of activities newly-licensed lawyers perform.”
Skills assessed would include things such as legal research and writing, according to the report. The goal of the exams—to ensure minimum legal knowledge and competency—wouldn’t change, the group said.
The report arrives as a growing number of nonprofit groups, professors, and recent ...