Oregon first in US to allow law students to become lawyers through apprenticeships, not bar exam

Oregonian ^ | 11/14/2023 | Zane Sparling

[Pol-92064]

Passing the bar exam is no longer the only way to become a lawyer in Oregon.

Students at the state’s three law school can now bypass the grueling two-day test by logging hundreds of hours at a law firm and then submitting samples of their work for review under a new system approved last week by the Oregon Supreme Court.

The Supervised Practice Portfolio Examination makes Oregon the first state in the nation to allow students to become lawyers through a post-graduation apprenticeship, though backers believe it won’t be the last.

[Bshaw]

“The dumbing down of America continues at a fast pace.”

Given what he Bar is attempting to do to John Eastman, I do not think the Bar is any standard for intelligence, ethics or fidelity to the practice of law.

[Dr. Franklin]

Become an engineer by playing with an erector set. A MD by riding in an EMS vehicle. There is a reason folks display their Diplomas on the wall.

Would you want to hire an engineer to teach engineering with only a first degree in engineering because he got high grades? Would you want someone teaching in medical schools with only a first degree in medicine and no actual practice? Around the 1960s, American law schools added an additional year of studies and remarketed their bachelor of laws degree into what is now a "doctor of laws" degree. Since no dissertation is required, its not an academic doctorate. The law professors come from those with the highest grades, without requiring a master of laws degree in any specialty of law, and without practicing law. Want to know why our courts and judicial system is a mess? Look to the ABA and its monopoly.

[AppyPappy]

It’s probably based on Zoomer’s “mental health”.

[doorgunner69]

As if this country needs more of the blood sucking parasites to muck things up.

[alternatives?]

This is all about DEI.

[ansel12]

There is only one reason for this, it is for the people that even affirmative action and grading curves couldn’t help, this won’t be applied randomly and the horror stories that will come of it in a few years will dwarf what affirmative action has already done to law and politics.

[rlmorel]

I personally don’t have much of a problem if someone becomes a lawyer by taking the Bar exam without going to Law School, but if I were hiring them, I would ask to see their record as a lawyer before I hired them.

That obviously doesn’t apply across the board. If someone demonstrates advanced math skills without having a degree, I could hire them as a teacher. But if someone is a surgeon without Medical School, I would obviously view that differently.

[butlerweave]

The Stupid leading the Stupid

[T.B. Yoits]

The government is doing this because otherwise they don't have enough assistant prosecutors and public defenders, and have no recovery on the horizon.

The right to an attorney was bastardized into the right to have taxpayers pay for it and the entire legal system suffers for it. That needs to be undone.

[throwthebumsout]

I predict a massive influx of crappy law students flooding Oregon to obtain their law license.

Advice to future Oregon residents seeking a lawyer: ask them if they passed the bar exam.

[I-ambush]

“How about passing the bar exam without law schoo?”
That is how Abe Lincoln became a lawyer.

[The Louiswu]

I miss Mike. 😀

[Old Grumpy]

More nuttiness from the west coast. I used to think it was ONLY California with the craziness, but I see it’s not.

[ETCM]

Idiocracy is a documentary.

Future trials in the USA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIRDCR8xSO0

[jagusafr]

“First in the nation” is amusing - EVERYBODY used to have to “read for the law”. It was the only way to become a lawyer before there were bar exams.

St Mary’s University School of Law
Class of ‘85

[dfwgator]

[Does so]

Can’t have starving lawyers...

[Justa]

"The Stupid leading the Stupid"

"...Uhh, wut. ....I'll Stupid your ass...."

[higgmeister]

Oregon first in US to allow law students to become lawyers through apprenticeships, not bar exam

This is actually misleading.

There are seven states that offer some form of apprenticeship program to pursue practicing law.

• California
• Maine
• New York
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wymoning

It might be better to say that Oregon is the only state that is foolish enough not to require a bar exam.

[Twotone]

If you would like more information about what’s happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me. Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.