The State Bar of California has issued a release announcing that its Board of Trustees has approved both the software vendor and proposed testing locations for the in-person July 2025 California Bar Exam. This decision forms part of the State Bar’s broader efforts to enhance the exam experience and address concerns raised by candidates who…
Big Four accounting company gets Arizona approval to operate firm, plans to use AI to transform legal services
The ABA Journal has published an article titled “Big Four accounting company gets Arizona approval to operate firm, plans to use AI to transform legal services” by Debra Cassens Weiss, highlighting a significant development in the U.S. legal industry. KPMG has become the first of the Big Four accounting firms to own a law firm…
Fake rule of law
The International Bar Association has published an article by Michael Goldhaber, IBA US Correspondent, titled “Fake Rule of Law,” which critically examines how former U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly invoked the phrase “rule of law” while fundamentally misrepresenting its meaning. Goldhaber contrasts the accepted definition of the rule of law—laws that are equally enforced, independently…
American Bar Association releases new survey on legal tech trends
The American Bar Association (ABA) Legal Technology Resource Center has released its 2024 Legal Technology Survey Report, offering a comprehensive look at technology adoption trends among attorneys in private practice. The annual survey, a key resource for over 20 years, gathered responses across five areas: online research, marketing and communication technology, law office technology, litigation…
Arizona hits new milestone under loosened law firm ownership rules
Reuters has reported that Arizona’s Alternative Business Structures (ABS) programme, which allows non-lawyers to co-own law firms, has reached 101 approved entities as of September 2024. The Arizona Supreme Court recently approved seven more applicants, including an accident law firm and Rocket Lawyer. Arizona was the first U.S. state to legislate to remove non-lawyer ownership…
New York will adopt NextGen bar exam, considers shifts in state-law tests
The American Bar Association (ABA) Journal reports that the New York Court of Appeals has announced the adoption of the NextGen bar exam, making New York the 30th jurisdiction to implement the new format. While transitioning to NextGen, the state is also considering modifications to its state-specific law component, potentially introducing an in-person examination. The…
11th Circuit concurrence makes ‘modest proposal’ for use of AI-powered large language models in legal interpretation
In a recent concurrence from the 11th Circuit’s decision in Snell v. United Specialty Ins. Co., Judge Kevin Newsom explored the potential for AI-powered large language models (LLMs) to aid in legal interpretation. While the case itself concerned an insurance dispute over whether a ground-level trampoline project counted as “landscaping” under the policy terms, Judge…
New paths for licensure: California confirms Kaplan bar exam, Arizona launches second chance program
California and Arizona are pioneering new approaches to lawyer licensure. California, which has always taken a different approach to other US states on many lawyers regulatory issues, has decisively moved away from the uniform system of examinations run by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The State Bar of California has contracted with Kaplan North…
Lawyers say Alberta government’s failure to sign deal threatens legal aid services
Legal Aid Alberta has issued a statement in relation to the expiry of its governance and funding agreement with the Government of Alberta on June 30 and the consequences of this for its stakeholders. Legal Aid Alberta, a non-profit organisation, has traditionally received funding through a governance agreement that involves the federal government, the provincial…
Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession: Challenges and Solutions
The Alameda County Bar Association, a representative local Bar Association in California has published a helpful summary on diversity and inclusion issues in the legal profession and how these can be addressed. In “Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession: Challenges and Solutions”, the ACBA highlights the urgent need for increased diversity and inclusion within…