Beginning in 2018, the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) appointed a Testing Task Force (TTF) charged with undertaking a multiyear study to determine whether the current bar exam tests the knowledge, skills and abilities required for competent entry-level legal practice in the 21st century. That process involved substantial input from nearly 15,000 practicing lawyers, stakeholders from bar admission agencies, and the legal academy who responded to a nationwide practice analysis survey to identify the knowledge and skills that are necessary for effective practice by newly licensed attorneys.

In January of 2021, the NCBE’s Board of Trustees approved the TTF’s recommendations and began developing the next generation bar examination. As that next generation bar examination evolves to include testing of practical skills like negotiation and dispute resolution, we wait to see whether the final product accomplishes the intended result.