Bar Exam
Wisconsin moves to UBE to ease access-to-justice woes
Wisconsin will adopt the Uniform Bar Exam, making it easier for out-of-state lawyers to practice. (Image from Shutterstock)
As a way to ease access to justice issues, Wisconsin will start administering the Uniform Bar Exam in order to make it easier to admit lawyers from other states.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s March order to move to the National Conference of Bar Examiner’s UBE is aimed at “giving applicants greater flexibility to begin or continue their legal careers in the state,” according to a release from the state’s board of bar examiners.
“Wisconsin is facing real challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified attorneys. This change reduces barriers to practice while maintaining the standards our courts and communities expect,” said Chief Justice Jill J. Karofsky in the release. “It is a practical step that helps connect more attorneys with the people who need them.”
Starting in July, the UBE will replace Wisconsin’s current bar exam, which includes 200 multiple-choice Multistate Bar Exam questions along with parts of the Multistate Essay Exam and questions prepared by the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners. After the UBE sunsets 2028, Wisconsin plans to transition to the NextGen UBE for the July 2028 administration, according to the NCBE.
Also, starting with this summer’s bar exam administration, those who receive a score of 260 or higher on the UBE can transfer their scores to Wisconsin. Candidates must also complete 21 credit hours of jurisdiction-specific law components within 12 months of receiving or applying to transfer their UBE score, according to the NCBE.
Graduates of Wisconsin law schools will continue to be eligible for admission through diploma privilege, according to the NCBE.
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