Brooklyn Law School dean reflects on NY adoption of uniform bar exam
New York will next year begin using the uniform bar exam for lawyers that would enable them to practice in 15 other states, depending on their scores, the state’s top judge said Tuesday.
In his Law Day address, Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman called New York’s change “a huge step” toward a single national exam. Last year, more than 15,200 people took New York’s licensing test, more than any other state.
The judge said the move will allow more mobility with “a portable score,” particularly important now that it’s common for lawyers to switch jobs multiple times and relocate to different states. Also, it would make it easier for law offices to handle cases across state and international borders. It will help address some of the profession’s economic difficulties, he said.