The Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California Oct. 18 and 19, 2013 State Bar of California Offices 1149 S. Hill St. Los Angeles, California
A meeting of the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California convened in closed session at 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18, 2013, in a meeting room at the State Bar offices in Los Angeles, California, Larry Sheingold, Chair, presiding. Officers and members present were: Larry Sheingold, Chair; Patricia P. White, Vice-Chair; James H. Aguirre, Eduardo A. Angeles, Traci C. Belmore, Archie “Joe” Biggers, James A. Bolton, J. Scott Bovitz, Richard A. Frankel, KV Kumar, Joel S. Miliband, Martha Pruden-Hamiter, Sandra L. Salazar, M.D., Jeanne C. Vanderhoff, and Alan S. Yochelson, Members, and at which time a warm welcome was extended to new members Angeles and Belmore. Member Lee H. Wallach joined the meeting at 1:20 p.m. and member Sandra Mendoza was absent. State Bar staff members in attendance were: Gayle E. Murphy, Senior Director, Admissions, Gina Crawford, Director for Administration, Debra Murphy Lawson, Director for Moral Character Determinations, George C. Leal, Director for Educational Standards, Lisa Jeong Cummins, Director for Examinations, Greg Shin, Director for Operations and Management, Kim Wong, Administrative Specialist, and Rachel S. Grunberg, Senior Assistant General Counsel. The meeting concluded at 11:30 a.m., at which time the Committee’s subcommittees met. The meeting reconvened into closed session at 9:45 a.m., and went into open session at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. All committee members and staff in attendance on Friday were present on Saturday, except Sandra Salazar, Patricia White, and Lee Wallach. Dean Greg Brandes was present during the open session portion of the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the minutes taken during the public session of the meeting on Aug, 23, 2013, members Angeles and Belmore abstaining, be approved. 2013-2014 Subcommittee and Other Assignments It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 Committee of Bar Examiners Subcommittee and other assignments as attached to these minutes as “Item 1” be received and filed.
Subcommittee Goals for 2013-2014 It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the 2013-2014 Subcommittee Goals as attached to these minutes as “Item 2” be adopted. Two-Day Examination Proposal It was moved, seconded and duly carried that further consideration of the proposal to change the format of the California Bar Examination from three days to two days be deferred until such time the Committee considers it appropriate to proceed with forwarding the proposal to the Board of Trustees for its approval. 2013 – 2014 Committee of Bar Examiners Meeting Schedule It was by common consent agreed that the revised 2013 – 2014 Committee of Bar Examiners meeting schedule, as follows, be approved: Dec. 6 Friday San Francisco State Bar Offices Subcommittee Meetings December 7 Saturday San Francisco State Bar Offices Question Selection/Regular Meeting Jan. 24 Friday Sacramento Planning Meeting/Subcommittee Meetings Jan. 25 Saturday Sacramento Planning Meeting/Regular Meeting March 14 Friday San Francisco State Bar Offices Subcommittee/Committee Meetings April 25 Friday San Francisco State Bar Offices Subcommittee/Committee Meetings April 26 Saturday San Francisco State Bar Offices Question Selection/Regular Meeting June 27 Friday Los Angeles State Bar Offices Subcommittee/Committee Meetings June 28 Saturday Los Angeles State Bar Offices Subcommittee Meeting/Regular Meeting Aug. 22 Friday San Francisco State Bar Offices Subcommittee Meetings/Regular Meeting Oct. 17 Friday Los Angeles State Bar Offices Orientation/Subcommittee Meetings October 18 Saturday Los Angeles State Bar Offices Subcommittee Meeting/Regular Meeting Dec. 12 Friday San Francisco State Bar Offices Subcommittee/Committee Meetings Dec. 13 Saturday San Francisco State Bar Offices Question Selection/Regular Meeting August and September 2013 Key Indicators It was by common consent agreed that the August and September 2013 Key Indicators for the Office of Admissions/Committee of Bar Examiners be received and filed.
Schedule for Dec. 6 and 7, 2013 Committee Meeting It was by common consent agreed that the schedule for the Dec. 6 and 7, 2013 Committee Meeting, which will be held at The State Bar of California Offices in San Francisco, California, be received and filed. Designation of Committee Representatives for Admissions Ceremonies for July 2013 California Bar Examination Successful Applicants It was by common consent agreed that the following members and former member represent the Committee at the designated Admissions Ceremonies, which will be conducted for the purpose of admitting applicants who are successful on the July 2013 California Bar Examination and who have met all other requirements for admission: Oakland Convention Center – Patricia White, Sacramento – Sean McCoy, Fresno – Sean McCoy, Los Angeles Area – James Bolton, Orange County – KV Kumar, Riverside – Archie “Joe” Biggers, San Diego – Jeanne Vanderhoff, and Ventura – Alan Yochelson. Policy Regarding Release of Results It was by common consent agreed that the Committee of Bar Examiners’ policy regarding announcement of examination results, be received and filed.
2013 Year-To-Date Financial Analysis Report It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 Year-To-Date Financial Analysis Report for the Admissions Fund as of Aug. 31, 2013, be received and filed. Adjustments to Administrative Fees Schedule It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the proposed adjustments in Administrative Fees as indicated in the Admissions Administrative Fee Schedule attached to these minutes as “Item 3,” be adopted in principle; and that the proposed adjustments be forwarded to the Board of Trustees with a request that they be approved, effective Jan. 1, 2014. Notice Re Scheduled Pricing Increases for MBE It was by common consent agreed that the notice regarding the scheduled pricing increases for the Multistate Bar Examination, which will increase the cost of using the MBE from $60.00/applicant to $64.00/applicant effective February 2015, be received and filed.
Notices of Changes in Law School Administrators It was by common consent agreed that the notices from the Pacific Coast University School of Law of the appointment of Dean Charles Hicks, Jr. as Dean and from Concord Law School of the appointments of Kiyoko Tatsui as Acting Associate Dean and Valerie Knight-Davis as Interim Registrar, be received and filed. Proposed Policy Regarding Eligibility Determinations and Using External Services It was moved, seconded and duly carried that Section 1.1. of the Committee’s “Guidelines For Implementation Of Chapter 2, Rule 4.30 Of The Admissions Rules” be amended as follows: (General Applicants with First Degrees in Law from Foreign Law Schools) 1.1 A general applicant who has a first degree in law from a law school located in a foreign state or country must: (A) Obtain from a credential evaluation service approved by the Committee a certificate that the applicant’s first degree in law is substantially equivalent to a Juris Doctor degree awarded by a law school approved by the American Bar Association or accredited by the Committee; or (B) Obtain from a credential evaluation service approved by the Committee a completed foreign law study evaluation summary form and an evaluation report showing that the applicant’s first degree in law meets the educational requirements for admission to practice law in the foreign state or country in which it was obtained; or (C) Obtain from the Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service International Credential Evaluation for LLM applicants affirmation that the applicant’s first degree in law is substantially equivalent to a Juris Doctor degree awarded by a law school approved by the American Bar Association or accredited by the Committee or that the applicant’s first degree in law meets the educational requirements for admission to practice law in the foreign state or country in which it was obtained. Monterey College of Law – Periodic Inspection Report It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Periodic Inspection report of Monterey College of Law, which visit was conducted Sept. 10-13, 2012 by an Inspection Team that included Committee of Bar Examiners member Steven J. Renick, Dean Jane O’Hara Gamp, San Francisco Law School and George Leal, Director for Educational Standards, be received and filed; that the response filed by the law school be received and filed; that the suggested recommendations contained in the report be adopted; that the accreditation of the law school be continued; and that the next periodic inspection of the law school be scheduled for the fall of 2018, unless earlier visitation is found to be necessary by the committee. St. Francis School of Law – Interim Inspection Report It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Interim Inspection Report of St. Francis School of Law conducted on July 22, 2013, be received and filed; that the registration of SFSOL as a distance-learning law school be continued; and that a periodic inspection of the law school, pursuant to Rule 4.244(A), be conducted in the fall of 2016, unless an earlier inspection is found to be necessary by the committee. American Heritage University School of Law – Interim Inspection Report It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Interim Inspection Report of American Heritage University of Southern California School of Law conducted on Aug. 29, 2013 be received and filed; that the law school be found to be operating in compliance with the Unaccredited Law School Rules and the Guidelines for Unaccredited Law School Rules; that the registration of AHUSOL as a distance-learning law school be continued; and that a periodic inspection of the law school, pursuant to Rule 4.244(A), be conducted in the spring of 2018, unless an earlier inspection is deemed necessary by the committee. Mcmillan Academy of Law – Periodic Inspection Report It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Interim Inspection Report of the McMillan Academy of Law conducted on Sept. 18, 2013, conducted by Educational Standards Consultant John Trunick, be received and filed; that the response filed on behalf of the law school be received and filed; that the school’s registration be continued; and that its next periodic inspection be conducted in the spring of 2017, unless an earlier inspection is found needed by the committee. Adjournment Having concluded all the business scheduled for consideration during the open and closed sessions of the meeting, the meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, in recognition and celebration of the birthday of member James Bolton.