A Response to Comments on the Proposed Alternate Path to Attorney Licensure

• Year: 2025
• Citation: Vol. 38 No. 3 Pg. 52
• Pages: 52

A Response to Comments on the Proposed Alternate Path to Attorney Licensure Vol. 38 No. 3 Pg. 52 Utah Bar Journal May 2025

by Utah Supreme Court Working Group on the Alternate Path to Licensure

In the Nov/Dec 2023 edition of the Bar Journal, Catherine Bramble, a member of the Utah Supreme Court's Working Group on the Alternate Path to Licensure (the Working Group) laid out the proposed alternate path rule in her article "Finding a Better Way: An Alternative Path to Attorney Licensure in Utah." This proposed rule aims to provide flexibility in how aspiring attorneys can demonstrate the competency necessary to be admitted to the Utah State Bar.

The proposed rule would allow candidates to pursue a skills-based route to licensure, providing an option outside of the traditional bar exam pathway. Under this approach, candidates could qualify for licensure by completing a combination of supervised practice, completing specific law school courses, and passing a written performance exam similar to the current Bar Examination's Multistate Performance Test - requirements designed to ensure that applicants have the competency and skills to practice law effectively.

In November and December of 2024, the proposed rule was made available to the public, and the public was invited to submit comments. A total of 103 comments were posted during the forty-five-day comment period and ranged from enthusiastic support to skepticism and concern. While the Utah Supreme Court continues to consider the proposal, the members of the Working Group want to take the opportunity to increase understanding of the proposal by highlighting the major reasons supporters found...