Oregon 4th Hardest State in Which to Pass the Bar Exam

Monday, October 13, 2014

Joanna Evoniuk, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Oregon ranks as the fourth-hardest state in which to pass the bar exam, according to a recent assessment.

With a high scoring standard and competitive LSAT scores, around 75 percent of law students pass Oregon's bar exam. What constitutes a "bar examine" can vary depending on the state. Some states are harder to become lawyers in than others because states have different requirements about what makes for a passing grade.

All states except Louisiana use the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), a multiple-choice format test written by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

However, the examine can vary with state laws.

Nigel Vanderford, an associate attorney at Gevurtz Menashe who took the Oregon bar in 2012, said he thinks it’s a good thing Oregon has a tough bar exam because it makes sure the state produces exceptional lawyers.

“It holds us to a higher standard and makes sure we have the knowledge and the work ethic to study,” Vanberford said.

Oregon has an overall passage rate of 77.96 for the bar, placing them 4.55 points behind the leading state, California. South Dakota came in last of 48 states, ranked in a recent study.

“No doubt, it’s a hard test,” Robert Anderson, an associate professor at Pepperdine University School of Law who did the assessment, said about Oregon’s bar exam.

Anderson looked at passage rates from 2008 through 2011 and incorporated students' LSAT scores into his equation to compensate for the competitiveness law students face in their states. The average LSAT score for Oregon was 158.83.

Anderson said the different results have to do with the passing scores set by different states. Schools with higher passing-score requirements are higher on the list. However, he also included LSAT scores in the equation to illustrate the competition factor.

“If a state has better candidates, even if the test is harder, they’ll have better passing scores,” Anderson said.

Tom Geu, dean of the University of South Dakota Law School, said he thinks the state’s passing score of 130 is fair and thinks South Dakota’s law schools offer small class sizes and experienced faculty that help prepare students.

However, he did question how effective the bar is for assessing schools' ability.

“There are inherent questions in any kind of exam, whether it clearly tests what students need to know,” Geu said.

Geu said he anticipates South Dakota’s passing score will come up in the future.

However, some question the effectiveness of the bar exam.

“I don’t know if it’s a barometer of a good lawyer,” Vanberford said. “In my job, I use 10 percent of the things I studied for in the day to day. [The bar exam] is a mental battle and dealing with the stress is 90 percent of the battle.”

As of July 2014, a Uniform Bar Exam was adopted in 14 states, with Missouri being the first in 2011. Developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, the test allows for scores to be transferred from state to state so lawyers can more easily practice law in other states.

Anderson believes it is a good direction for states.

“It makes sense to have [the Uniform Bar Exam] so it’s easier to compare results across states and to give more mobility [for lawyers],” Anderson said. “I doubt it will sacrifice much about the deep knowledge of local law.”

Anderson said he thinks more states will move in the direction of the Uniform Bar Exam in the near future.

Related Slideshow: Slideshow: Top ten hardest and easiest states to pass the bar exam

Passing the bar is demanding, but where you take it can make a difference. Robert Anderson, an associate professor at Pepperdine University School of Law, looked at the states' passing rates for bar exams, incorporated LSAT scores into the equation, and determined the bonus percentage each states have over each other. Oregon came it at No. 4.

Oregon 4th Hardest State in Which to Pass the Bar Exam

Related Slideshow: Slideshow: Top ten hardest and easiest states to pass the bar exam

Hardest 1) California

2) Louisiana

3) Washington

4) Oregon

5) Nevada

5) Virginia

6) Arkansas

8) West Virginia

9) Maryland

10) Vermont

Easiest 1) S. Dakota

2) Wisconsin

3) Alabama

4) Nebraska

5) Oklahoma

6) Missouri

7) Iowa

8) Montana

9) Michigan

10) New Mexico

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