Yes We Can, Pass The Bar. University Of The District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law Bar Passage Initiatives And Bar Pass Rates - From The Titanic To The Queen Mary!

Bar passage rates began to fall at the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC-DCSL) in the late 1990s as the District and the School of Law dealt with many changes related to uncertain funding and staffing. As a result, in 1998, the Law School created the Bar Passage Task Force (BPTF) to study the issue, prepare a plan of action to put bar passage on an upward path, and to implement that plan. In 2003, at the time of UDC-DCSL's application for full accreditation with the American Bar Association (ABA), the Law School's first time bar passage rate was 36%. In 2004, the first time passage rate increased to 46%.3 By 2008, UDC-DCSL reached an 82% overall passagerate in Maryland, the District of Columbia (D.C.), and Virginia.4 This article addresses the efforts of UDC-DCSL to improve its bar passage rate, particularly relating to the measures taken over the past five years.

The bar passage rate improved overall as the result of a wide range of academic support and bar passage assistance.