Research: state bar exam waivers and mobility
Date postedApril 4, 2025
A recent study by Adam Chilton, Jacob Goldin, Kyle Rozema, and Sarath Sanga examines the impact of state bar exam waiver policies on the legal profession. The research indicates that allowing experienced lawyers to waive the bar exam when moving to a new state increases the number of such lawyers obtaining new licenses by 38%. However, these additional lawyers are more likely to have graduated from less selective law schools and face higher rates of professional discipline. This suggests a potential trade-off between easing labor mobility in the legal field and maintaining professional quality standards.