State High Courts Should Push for Bar ‘Innovation,’ Report Says

State supreme courts should “encourage innovation and reform” in the bar admissions process and encourage real-world practice readiness for new attorneys, a national group of judges and court administrators urged in a new report.

The bar exam “has not covered many practical realities of the profession” and new lawyers don’t always have the necessary skills to talk to clients or conduct negotiations, the Committee on Legal Education and Admissions Reform said, adding that authorities shouldn’t rely so heavily on external law school rankings, such as those from US News and World Report.

“In an increasingly competitive landscape, the emphasis on ...