Over the weekend, State Bar officials advised the court of the inappropriate disclosure, to certain law school deans, of the general subjects to be tested on the essay and performance test portions of the July 2019 California Bar Examination, and of the State Bar's subsequent decision to provide this same information to all test takers. The court understands and shares the concerns that this disclosure has generated. Exercising its oversight responsibilities over matters relating to bar admissions, the court will ensure that there is a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disclosure, and that appropriate steps are taken to protect the integrity of the bar examination and identify and address any consequences.See also Law.com's Move Over, California. More Bar Exam Blunders for the Ages.
In other Bar news, ALM's Morning Minute reports:
BAR BARRED - The California State Bar will be banned from seeking a would-be lawyer’s mental health records as part of its moral character assessment under legislation signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. As Cheryl Miller reports, the law is aimed at ending the bar’s practice of requiring applicants seeking a law license to sign broad waivers allowing a bar committee to access information related to applicants’ medical and mental health. The legislation’s author cited a 2016 survey of law school students by the ABA that found 42% of respondents said they needed mental health treatment, but only half of those who needed treatment sought it because they feared how it might be perceived by law schools, the bar and future employers.
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