California, September 19, 2025
News Summary
California has appointed Laura Enderton-Speed as the new executive director of the State Bar amidst ongoing controversies surrounding the bar exam. Her leadership comes at a crucial time as the bar deals with issues stemming from a problematic February 2025 exam, which faced technical difficulties. Deans from leading law schools are urging a shift to the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination by 2028 to enhance integrity. Meanwhile, the California Supreme Court has mandated a return to the current Multistate Bar Examination for upcoming exams.
California has appointed Laura Enderton-Speed as the new executive director of the California State Bar, a position that comes at a critical time amid ongoing controversies surrounding the bar exam. The announcement was made on Thursday, and Enderton-Speed’s appointment received unanimous approval from the State Bar’s Board of Trustees during its meeting.
Enderton-Speed has an extensive background in legal leadership, having previously directed the office providing leadership support to the Judicial Council of California. In addition, she holds roles as an adjunct professor at both the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law and California State University. Her leadership is particularly significant as the State Bar navigates issues stemming from a problematic bar exam rollout that has raised significant concerns among educators and the legal community.
The bar exam controversy intensified following a disastrous February 2025 exam, marked by technical difficulties and poorly designed questions. In reaction, deans from California’s leading law schools have urged the State Bar to adopt the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination by 2028. This collective push aims to prevent further issues that could impact the integrity of legal assessments.
The California Supreme Court has already mandated a reversion to the current Multistate Bar Examination for the upcoming exams on July 29 and 30. This decision follows numerous reports of technical issues affecting 3,886 examinees during the February exam, which has led to a lawsuit against Meazure Learning, the vendor responsible for administering the test.
Significantly, the February exam was marred by various issues, including questions developed using artificial intelligence (AI), which raised significant transparency concerns. The California Supreme Court has demanded explanations regarding the AI’s role in creating certain multiple-choice questions, as details about this development were not disclosed until after the exam was completed. Critics have questioned the adequacy of the review process for exam reliability in light of these revelations.
California law stipulates that changes affecting bar exam preparation must provide at least a two-year notice, suggesting potential violations in implementing new question development protocols. Despite these controversies, the former executive director Leah Wilson expressed confidence in the integrity of the multiple-choice questions produced with AI assistance, although the intention to employ AI was not approved by the Committee of Bar Examiners prior to the exam.
Adding to this mix, the hiring of a non-legally trained psychometrician to develop these AI-generated questions has sparked criticism regarding conflicts of interest. In response to the ensuing scrutiny, the California State Bar has initiated a lawsuit against ProctorU, claiming that the vendor failed to deliver as per expectations during the examination.
Furthermore, the State Bar is considering a legislative audit to investigate the February exam’s administration issues, with two pending class action lawsuits filed against Meazure Learning. The lawsuit filed by the State Bar claims fraud and breaches of contract, arguing that Meazure Learning was ill-prepared for the exam’s scale. As a consequence of these issues, the State Bar has terminated its previous contract with ProctorU.
With Laura Enderton-Speed at the helm, the California State Bar faces significant challenges ahead, particularly regarding ensuring the integrity and reliability of the bar exam as it seeks to rebuild trust within the legal education system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new executive director of the California State Bar?
California State Bar appointed Laura Enderton-Speed as the new executive director on Thursday.
What issues did the February 2025 bar exam face?
The February 2025 exam’s issues included technical problems that led to a lawsuit against Meazure Learning, the vendor responsible for administering the exam.
What was the response of the California Supreme Court regarding the bar exam?
The California Supreme Court ordered the bar exam to revert to the existing Multistate Bar Examination for the July 29 and 30 exams.
Key Features of the Article
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| New Appointment | Laura Enderton-Speed as executive director |
| Exam Controversy | February 2025 exam faced major issues |
| Supreme Court Action | Reverted to Multistate Bar Examination for upcoming exams |
| Legal Concerns | Lawsuits against Meazure Learning and ProctorU |
| Adoption of NextGen Exam | Push from law schools for change by 2028 |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Bloomberg Law: California State Bar Pulls New Leader from Judicial Council
- Reuters: Thousands who Did Not Pass California Bar Exam Get Chance to Practice Now
- ABA Journal: California State Bar Sues Vendor After Troubled Exam
- LA Times: California Supreme Court Demands State Bar Answer AI Questions
- Daily Journal: California Law Deans Push State Bar to Adopt NextGen Universal Bar Exam in 2028
- Wikipedia: California State Bar
- Google Search: California bar exam
- Google Scholar: California State Bar exam issues
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Bar Examination
- Google News: California State Bar
Author: STAFF HERE HOLLYWOOD
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