The rollout of the NCBE’s NextGen Bar Exam has been a messy process. Educators and students still aren’t quite sure what to expect—and the California Bar is taking matters into its own hands.
The traditional state Bar test is normally administered in collaboration with the National Conference of Bar Examiners, or NCBE, a “non-profit” with $151 million in net assets. But contracting them for this examination is a pricey affair that involves administrative costs and venue booking costs that have placed the California Bar in a $4 million deficit.
Now, state Bar officials have put forward a proposal to have the exam replace. According to Reuters, the California Bar will invest $8.25 million over the next five years to develop its own legal examination, which is set to be begin February 2025. It will be a multiple choice exam at first, but essay writing and performance portions are set to be added in 2026. This is all developing very quickly, but considering the lag in rolling out the NextGen Bar Exam, it might be the best option for now.
