A meeting of the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California convened in closed session at 3:10 p.m., Friday, April 25, 2014, in a meeting room at the State Bar offices in San Francisco, California, Larry Sheingold, Chair, presiding. Officers and members present were: Larry Sheingold, Chair; Patricia P. White, Vice-Chair; Traci C. Belmore, Archie “Joe” Biggers, J. Scott Bovitz, Richard A. Frankel, KV Kumar, Sandra L. Salazar, M.D., Jeanne C. Vanderhoff, Lee H. Wallach, and Alan S. Yochelson, Members. Members James H. Aguirre, Eduardo A. Angeles, Michelle Domingo, James A. Bolton, Ph.D., Joel S. Miliband, Martha Pruden-Hamiter, and newly appointed member Patricia M. Villalobos were 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 S. Shin, Director for Operations and Management, Kim Wong, Administrative Specialist, and Rachel S. Grunberg, Senior Assistant General Counsel. Member KV Kumar left the meeting at 2:00 p.m. The meeting concluded at 3:50 p.m. and reconvened in closed session at 9:05 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2014. All Committee members and staff in attendance on Friday were present on Saturday, and Member Michelle Domingo was present on Saturday. Also in attendance were members of the Examination Development and Grading Team: Sarah Cohen, Christopher Frick, Thomas Haran, David Kelley, Dennis Peter Maio, Laura Meyers, Amanda Roze, and Paul Webb. Member Richard Frankel left the meeting at 10:00 a.m. The meeting went into open session at 10:05 a.m., at which time the members of Examination Development and Grading Team left the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 a.m.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the minutes taken during the public session of the meeting on March 14, 2014, be approved.
It was moved, seconded and unanimously carried that the Committee’s gratitude be extended to outgoing member Sandra Mendoza for her service and that the following citation be prepared and presented to her:
This citation is presented to Sandra Mendoza by the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California in recognition of her retirement from the Committee of Bar Examiners and her distinguished service to the legal profession in California.
It was by common consent agreed that the February and March 2014 Key Indicators for the Office of Admissions/Committee of Bar Examiners be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that the schedule for the June 27 and 28, 2014 Committee Meeting, which will be held at The State Bar of California Offices in Los Angeles, California, be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that the Committee of Bar Examiners’ policy regarding announcement of examination results, be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that tentative conference call meetings of the Subcommittee on Examinations be scheduled for noon on May 23, 2014 and on June 13, 2014 to consider testing accommodation petition appeals filed in connection with administration of the June 2014 First-Year Law Students’ Examination and for the July 2014 California Bar Examination.
It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 goals for the Subcommittee on Examinations be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that the Financial Analysis Report as of Feb. 28, 2014, for the Admissions Fund, be received and filed.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the adjustments to the Admissions Fees in the form attached as “Item 1” to these minutes be approved in principle; that the adjustments to the bar examination related fees become effective with administration of the February 2015 California Bar Examination and that all other fee adjustments become effective January 1, 2015; and that the recommended adjustments be forwarded to the State Bar Board of Trustees for approval.
It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 goals for the Subcommittee on Operations and Management be received and filed.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that following a period of public comment and consideration of the comment received, the proposed amendments to Guidelines 12.1 and 12.2, Guidelines for Accredited Law School Rules in the form attached as “Item 2” to these minutes be adopted, effective the date of this meeting of the Committee.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the request of the Cal Northern School of Law, for the prior approval and the acquiescence of the Committee to allow it to offer and award a Master of Legal Studies degree be received and filed; that acquiescence of the program be granted; that the law school may begin offering a MLS degree at its choosing; and that, the law school include, without alteration and as set forth in Guideline 13.3, the necessary disclaimer in its course catalog and website that the degree does not qualify the recipient to take the California Bar Examination or satisfy the requirements for admission to practice law in California.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the request of Pacific Coast University School of Law, for the prior approval and the acquiescence of the Committee to allow it to offer and award a joint Master of Legal Studies and Juris Doctor Degree be received and filed; that acquiescence of the joint program be granted; that the law school may begin offering a joint degree at its choosing; and that the law school include, without alteration and as set forth in Guideline 13.3, the necessary disclaimer in its course catalog and website that its Masters of Law Degree will not qualify recipients to take the California Bar Examination or satisfy the requirements for admission to practice law in California.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the request for approval of a Major Change submitted by the University of Honolulu School of Law, pursuant to Rule 4.245 of the Unaccredited Law School Rules, regarding its request to relocate its administrative office be received and filed and that the request be granted.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the request submitted by Donald A. Eisner of the Eisner Institute for Professional Studies, seeking permission to offer a Master of Science in Law Degree program, be received and filed and that Mr. Eisner be advised that the Committee is not currently processing requests to offer Masters degree programs from schools that are not registered with the Committee.
It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 goals for the Subcommittee on Educational Standards be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 goals for the Subcommittee on Moral Character be received and filed.
Having concluded all the business scheduled for consideration during the open and closed sessions of the meeting, the meeting was adjourned at 10:25 a.m., Saturday, April 26, 2014 in recognition and celebration of the birthday of Gayle Murphy.