The State Bar should help schools reach out to students who failed

At Loyola Law School, our goal is to provide our students with a high quality legal education, giving our graduates the tools for professional success. We are proud of our strong focus on expanding access to legal education for all, including those who may not traditionally have a direct pathway to law school. Bar passage is a crucial part of this success.

We take the bar passage of our graduates very seriously and carefully monitor the results. This year, the State Bar of California has reported to us that our passage rate was 72 percent for our first-time takers. The state bar average for American Bar Association accredited California law school first-time takers has been declining, from 83 percent in 2008 to 62 percent in 2016. The overall rate has gone down from 61.7 percent in 2008 to 43 percent in 2016. Other states, such as New York, have not shown a similar decline. For example, the New York bar passage rate for first-time takers was 83 percent in 2016. Although bar passage results fluctuate, this large disparity is of concern, and it warrants careful study.

Like many law schools, Loyola Law School made the decision to reduce the size of our entering class in the face of a declining application pool nationwide. This has kept the quality of our class relatively constant, and helped to protect employment results and bar passage. We also have increased the support we provide to our students to help put them in the best position to pass the bar. We have both an academic support director and a director of bar programs, and offer multiple programs and classes to reinforce skills necessary for the bar exam. Throughout the year we provide individual sessions which offer insights into MPRE, essay writing and more. This flexible, responsive approach and investment in our students has allowed us to maintain a relatively constant percentage above the state bar average, although we are always trying to improve.

Despite all we do to support our students, like any law school, some of our graduates will not pass the bar on their first try. That is why it is problematic that this year the California State Bar did not provide law schools with the names and results of our students. From past experience, we know it is crucial to reach out to these students right away, to give them extra support and additional services to help put them in the best position to succeed moving forward. We hope this rule will be changed, and the disparity in the California bar pass rate comparative to other states will be given careful scrutiny by the California Bar.