COVID and Bar Admissions

The COVID-19 pandemic, killings of George Floyd and others, and civil unrest created dislocation, hardship, and uncertainty. For millions of people, it included deaths in family, unemployment, and serious mental and physical illness. Graduates of professional schools preparing to take licensing examinations faced unexpected obstacles in meeting licensing standards for their chosen professions. It quickly became apparent, for example, that the usual licensing examination arrangements were problematic.

The question for licensing authorities in 2020 was what accommodations would be appropriate to take account of the disruptions applicants faced while fully protecting the public’s interest in careful licensing.