The National Council of Bar Examiners has named Judy Gunderson President and CEO, succeeding Erica Moeser. Gundersen was previously NCBE Director of Test Operations. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. Moeser, who resigned after 23 years at the helm, created significant controversy when she argued that declining bar pass rates might be due to having a pool of "less able" test takers in recent years.
Am I the only one who thinks it is odd that neither Ms. Gunderson nor Ms. Moeser before her have ever taken a bar exam themselves? Both gained admission to the Wisconsin bar by way of the "diploma privilege" afforded to Wisconsin's two law schools.
And why has the discussion of a wider diploma privilege for other jurisdictions never gone anywhere? Does the overall quality of the Wisconsin bar serve as a cautionary tale? My impression is that the quality of Wisconsin's lawyers is about on par with lawyers in other states, despite the fact that they never passed a bar exam. Just wondering.
Posted by: Eric Gouvin | August 31, 2017 at 10:28 AM
"Moeser, who resigned after 23 years at the helm, created significant controversy when she argued that declining bar pass rates might be due to having a pool of "less able" test takers in recent years."
It is beyond insane that this is controversial. The idea that bar exam success has no relation to the pre-law school academic ability of students is bizarre.
Posted by: twbb | August 31, 2017 at 03:39 PM