Supreme Court Grants Diploma Privilege

by WSBA
The Washington Supreme Court on June 12 issued an order allowing graduates with a J.D. from an ABA accredited law school, who are currently registered to take the July or September UBE in Washington, to be admitted to the Washington State Bar Association and practice law in the state without taking the bar exam.

The diploma privilege option will be available to applicants currently registered to take the July or September 2020 lawyer bar exams or and to LLLT candidates who are currently registered to take the July 2020 LLLT exam.

The order comes in recognition of the exponential impact of the crisis caused by the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor and the resulting unrest and social action and activism that have affected this set of graduates and applicants, particularly those of color, on top of the already stressful conditions caused by the pandemic and its fallout.

The bar exams in July and September 2020 will still be offered for those who do not qualify for the diploma privilege and those who wish to take the exam to receive a Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) score. 

Read the order.

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