South Dakota is introducing a new pilot program that allows law students to bypass the traditional bar exam through an alternative licensure approach. Up to 50 law students over five years can gain admittance to the state bar by passing an ethics test and completing two years in public service legal positions. This initiative reflects a broader debate on the efficacy of the bar exam and seeks to redefine competence in the legal field through practical experience.
As many as 50 South Dakota law students will be able to bypass the bar exam over the next five years under a set of rules for alternative licensure recently approved by the state Supreme Court.
Those who pass an ethics test and successfully complete two years in a public service legal position, such as in a state's attorney's or public defender's office, would be in line for admittance to the state bar without a passing score on the exam.
The program will be open to up to 10 USD law students a year over a period of five years.
Not too long ago, the bar exam was the metric to determine if law school grads were ready to make the jump from J.D. to Esq.
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