The Future of the Cal Bar! The Supreme Court Has Spoken
Hello everyone.
Indeed the Supreme Court spoke. Things are changing in Cal Bar Land.
On October 10, the Supreme Court issued an order about the Blue Ribbon Commission’s proposal to change the California Bar Examination. Briefly:
- The MBE subjects are staying (i.e., Torts, Contracts, Crim, Crim Pro, Con Law, Evidence, Property, Contracts, and Civ Pro)
- PR and Wills/Trusts are staying
- Administrative Law, Employment Law, and Family Law are being added
- Bus Org and Remedies will be removed.
- Seven new skills will be tested in some way:
- Drafting and Writing
• Research and Investigation
• Issue-spotting and Fact-gathering
• Counsel/Advice
• Litigation
• Communication and Client Relationship
• Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
- Drafting and Writing
When will this take effect, you ask? According to Bus. & Prof. Code section 6046.6(a), the Cal Bar can’t alter the bar examination that “requires the substantial modification of the training or preparation required for passage of the examination, except after giving two years’ notice of that change.”
So, this means that the February 2027 Cal Bar Exam (at the earliest) will incorporate these new changes. If you don’t want to take the new test, take the 2025 or 2026 exams.
Dispelling rumors: 1. Bus Org and Remedies are eligible to be tested in 2025 and 2026. They aren’t leaving the exam right now.
2. Does this mean Bus Org and Remedies will be tested more over the next two years since it’s leaving? NO. Unless both subjects are tested the next three consecutive exams, and then you can call me very surprised.
The Cal Bar will need to publish more specific information about the new exam, and I’ll address those updates as they become available.