Jackie Gardina shares dispatches from the Blue Ribbon Commission on reforming the Bar Exam, covering recent reforms, the ongoing debate about the exam’s effectiveness, and the rise of alternative pathways to legal licensure. Some takeaways:

• 💯 Yes, the passing score was dropped—but don’t worry, the old one was picked out of a hat (basically).
• 🗯️“End the bar exam?! But that’s how it’s always been done!” Nope. Before that there were was the “diploma privilege” model, and before that the apprenticeship model.
• 🔍 What are other states doing? The mentorship model is in use in Oregon, Washington, and Nevada, and the diploma privilege model in Wisconsin.

Jackie Gardina biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Appellate Specialist Jeff Lewis' biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Appellate Specialist Tim Kowal's biography, LinkedIn profile, Twitter feed, and YouTube page.

Sign up for Not To Be Published, Tim Kowal’s weekly legal update, or view his blog of recent cases.

Other items discussed in the episode:

• NCBE Study Aids Store: Offers various resources, including practice questions and study packs for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and Multistate Performance Test (MPT). Visit their store here: NCBE Study Aids Store
• NextGen Bar Exam Information: Provides details on the upcoming changes to the bar exam format, including sample questions and a timeline for implementation. Explore more here: NextGen Bar Exam
• You can find more information about the commission, its objectives, and updates on its activities on the State Bar of California’s website The State Bar of California

There is a 700-appellate case backlog in Los Angeles and only around 450 attorneys on the California Appellate Project—Los Angeles panel. CAP-LA attorneys Jennifer Hansen and Jennifer Peabody share how the rest of us can pitch in to assuage this gap in the administration of justice.

Why work as a panel attorney?

• Get appellate experience.
• Work with an experienced appellate attorney.
• Flexible schedules, remote work, and mentorship.
• While rates are modest, they may be increasing. And there are no client-trust concerns, and CAP-LA covers malpractice insurance.
• Grow your reputation and rapport with colleagues and the bench.
• Make a meaningful difference in clients' lives.

Tune in to hear how appellate attorneys can make a profound impact while building their careers and enhancing their reputations in the legal community.

Jennifer Hansen biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Jennifer Peabody biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Appellate Specialist Jeff Lewis' biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Appellate Specialist Tim Kowal's biography, LinkedIn profile, Twitter feed, and YouTube page.

Sign up for Not To Be Published, Tim Kowal’s weekly legal update, or view his blog of recent cases.

Other items discussed in the episode:

Below are links to all five project websites and the application for each. Panel Application Links:

• First District Appellate Project: https://www.fdap.org/about/applying-to-the-panel/
• Sixth District Appellate Project: https://sdap.org/about/panel-application/
• Central California Appellate Program: https://capcentral.org/about/how-to-apply/
• Appellate Defenders Inc: https://www.adi-sandiego.com/panel-attorneys/how-to-become-a-panel-attorney/
• California Appellate Project - LA: https://cap-la.org/apply/

Examples of online resources for appointed attorneys are below:

• Samples bank: https://capcentral.org/resources/motion/
• Practice Guide: https://www.adi-sandiego.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Manual-4th-Edition-Oct-2024.pdf
• Appointed Appellate Attorney Community: www.cadc.net

Attorneys still wrestling with Microsoft Word to finish a brief need to be acquainted with Chris Dralla’s product Typelaw, the groundbreaking tool that lets attorneys turn plain text into fully formatted, cited, hyperlinked, local rule-compliant briefs.

If your practice depends on producing high-quality briefs, here is why you need Typelaw in your life:

• Typelaw reduces non-billable time spent on technical aspects of brief preparation, allowing lawyers to focus on legal arguments.
• Moving beyond Word, Typelaw lets you edit directly in the PDF to see instantly what the final, hyperlinked version will look.
• We also compare and contrast Typelaw with similar and complimentary offerings from Clearbrief and CounselPress.

Chris Dralla’s biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Appellate Specialist Jeff Lewis' biography, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter feed.

Appellate Specialist Tim Kowal's biography, LinkedIn profile, Twitter feed, and YouTube page.

Sign up for Not To Be Published, Tim Kowal’s weekly legal update, or view his blog of recent cases.

Other items discussed in the episode:

• Videos from this episode will be posted at Tim Kowal’s YouTube channel.
• Explore Type Law: Visit Type Law's website to learn more about their services for automating appellate and trial brief preparation.