THE COMMITTEE OF BAR EXAMINERS OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA Aug. 22, 2014 State Bar of California Offices 180 Howard St. San Francisco, California
A meeting of the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California convened in open session at 3:45 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22, 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; James H. Aguirre, Archie “Joe” Biggers, James A. Bolton, Ph.D., J. Scott Bovitz, Michelle Domingo, Richard Frankel, KV Kumar, Joel S. Miliband, Martha Pruden-Hamiter, Sandra L. Salazar, M.D., Jeanne C. Vanderhoff, Patricia M. Villalobos, Lee H. Wallach, and Alan S. Yochelson, Members. Member Traci C. Belmore was absent. Board of Trustees and liaison to the Committee David Torres was present. 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. John Holtz, Dean Heather Georgakis and Dean Carol Buckner were also present. Member Sandra Salazar left the meeting at 3:50 p.m. At approximately 4:12 pm., the meeting went into closed session, at which time guests Holtz, Georgakis and Buckner left the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 4:50 p.m.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the minutes taken during the public session of the meeting on June 27 and 28, 2014, be approved.
It was moved, seconded and unanimously carried that the Committee’s gratitude be extended to outgoing members J. Scott Bovitz and Richard A. Frankel for their years of service and that the following citations be prepared and presented to them:
This Citation is presented to J. Scott Bovitz by the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California in recognition of his retirement from the Committee of Bar Examiners and his distinguished service to the legal profession in California.
This Citation is presented to Richard A. Frankel by the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California in recognition of his retirement from the Committee of Bar Examiners and his distinguished service to the legal profession in California.
It was by common consent agreed that the following members and former Chair represent the Committee at the designated Admissions Ceremonies, which will be conducted for the purpose of admitting applicants who are successful on the July 2014 California Bar Examination and who have met all other requirements for admission: Oakland Convention Center – Michelle Domingo, Sacramento – Larry Sheingold, Fresno – Sean McCoy, Los Angeles Area – James Bolton, Orange County – KV Kumar, Riverside – Archie “Joe” Biggers, San Diego – James Aguirre, and Ventura – Alan Yochelson.
It was by common consent agreed that the proposals presented by John Holtz to change the grading process and publish a bar review course list be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that oral reports on the activities of the Board of Trustee’s Task Force on Admissions Regulation Reform received from Committee members Richard Frankel and Patricia White, who are on the Task Force, be received.
It was by common consent agreed that the June and July 2014 Key Indicators for the Office of Admissions/Committee of Bar Examiners be received and filed.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the 2014-2015 Committee of Bar Examiners Meeting Schedule be approved as follows:
It was by common consent agreed that the schedule for the Oct. 17 and 18, 2014 Committee Meeting, which will be held at The State Bar of California Offices in Los Angeles, California, be received and filed.
Tentative Dates for Conference Call Meetings It was by common consent agreed that tentative conference call meetings of the Subcommittee on Examinations be scheduled for noon on September 29, 2014 and on October 10, 2014 to consider testing accommodation petition appeals filed in connection with administration of the October 2014 First-Year Law Students’ Examination.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Analysis of the February 2014 General Bar Examination prepared by GANSK & Associates be approved for inclusion in the Report to the Supreme Court on this particular examination and otherwise authorized for publication.
It was by common consent agreed that the Financial Analysis Report as of May 31, 2014 for the Admissions Fund, be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 goals and accomplishments for the Subcommittee on Operations and Management be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that the notice from the International Pacific School of Law of the resignation of Nathan Hoffman, former Dean on May 1, 2014 and of the appointment of Cherol B. Katz as new Dean, be received and filed.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the proposed amendments to the: 1) California Rules of Court – Chapter 3. Legal Education, Rule 9.30. Law School Study in Schools Accredited or Registered by the Committee of Bar Examiners, 2) Business and Professions Code Sections 6046.7 and 6060.7, 3) Article 4 Admission to the Practice of Law, Section 6060, Qualifications, Examination and Fees, 4) Title 4. Admissions and Educational Standards, Division 2. Accredited Law School Rules, and 5) Title 4. Admissions and Educational Standards, Division 3. Registered Law School Rules in the form attached hereto as “Item 1” to these minutes be approved in principle; that the proposed amendments be forwarded to the Board of Trustees with a request that they be circulated for public comment, and that following public comment, the Committee consider any comments received and adopt final proposed amendments for consideration by the Board of Trustees.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Periodic Inspection Report of Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law, which visit was conducted April 8-11, 2013 by an Inspection Team that included Committee member Jeanne C. Vanderhoff, Associate Dean Chris Kanios, Jr., John F. Kennedy University College of Law and George Leal, Director for Educational Standards, be received and filed; that the response submitted by Dean Heather Georgakis on behalf of the law school be received and filed; that, except for recommendation no. 1, the suggested recommendations contained in the Report be adopted; that accreditation of the law school be continued; and that the next periodic accreditation inspection of the law school be scheduled for the spring 2018, unless earlier visitation is found to be necessary by the committee.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the request for approval of a major change regarding the Notice of Change of Office Location submitted by the St. Francis School of Law, which was received subsequent to the relocation, be received and filed; that the request be treated as a request for the prior approval of a major change by the Committee pursuant to Rule 4.245 of the Unaccredited Law School Rules; that the request be granted retroactively to the date of the move; and that the law school be advised that any and all future actions that comprise a major change, as defined in Rule 4.246, be carried out timely in accordance with Rule 4.245.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Proposed Plan to Relocate American Heritage University of Southern California School of Law be treated as a request for the prior approval of a major change by the Committee of Bar Examiners pursuant to Rule 4.245 of the Unaccredited Law School Rules; that the Proposed Plan of the now-completed relocation of the law school’s administrative offices in San Bernardino, California, be received and filed; that, although not filed timely as required by the Unaccredited Law School Rules, that the request be granted retroactively to the date of the move; and that the law school be advised that any and all future actions that comprise a major change, as defined in Rule 4.246, be carried out timely in accordance with Rule 4.245.
It was moved, seconded and duly carried that the Report of the Interim Inspection of the University of Honolulu School of Law (UHSOL) conducted March 7, 2014 by John Trunick, Educational Standards Consultant, be received and filed; that UHSOL’s registration as an unaccredited, correspondence law school be continued; that its next periodic inspection be scheduled for the spring of 2016, unless an earlier inspection is deemed necessary by the Committee; that UHSOL provide a status report of its progress with addressing all suggested recommendations, which were set out in the Periodic Inspection Report, in its Annual Compliance Report, due on or before Nov. 15, 2014.
It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 goals and accomplishments for the Subcommittee on Educational Standards be received and filed.
It was by common consent agreed that the 2013 – 2014 goals and accomplishments for the Subcommittee on Moral Character be received and filed.
Adjournment Having concluded all the business scheduled for consideration during the open and closed sessions of the meeting, the meeting was adjourned at 4:50 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22,2014.