California, September 19, 2025
News Summary
The California State Bar has named Laura Enderton-Speed as its new executive director, receiving unanimous Board approval. Her appointment comes at a critical time as the organization deals with significant issues stemming from the problematic rollout of the February 2025 bar exam, which included technical failures and poorly designed questions. Law deans are urging the Bar to adopt the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination by 2028 to prevent future issues. The contract with ProctorU has been terminated as part of the agency’s response to the challenges faced.
California State Bar has appointed Laura Enderton-Speed as the new executive director, a decision made during the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday. Her appointment, which received unanimous approval, comes at a critical time for the agency as it grapples with significant fallout from a problematic bar exam rollout.
Prior to her new role, Enderton-Speed directed the office providing leadership support to the Judicial Council of California. In addition to her executive role, she serves as an adjunct professor at both the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law and California State University.
Enderton-Speed’s immediate challenge as executive director is to address the repercussions of the recent bar exam issues, which prompted agitation among legal educators and candidates alike. Deans from California’s prominent law schools are urging the California State Bar to adopt the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination by 2028 to prevent further complications. This push aligns with the fallout from the February bar exam, which was marred by technical difficulties and poorly designed questions, negatively impacting candidates’ performances.
The California Supreme Court has responded to these challenges by ordering the State Bar to revert to the existing Multistate Bar Examination for the upcoming exams scheduled for July 29 and 30. The controversies surrounding the February 2025 exam included significant technical problems, leading to a lawsuit against Meazure Learning, the vendor responsible for administering the exam. A total of 3,886 examinees participated in the February exam, with numerous reports detailing the magnitude of the technical issues they faced.
Moreover, the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in creating certain multiple-choice questions during this exam has been questioned. Concerns regarding transparency and potential conflicts of interest have arisen, particularly since the California Supreme Court was informed of AI’s involvement only after the exam concluded. The potential inadequacy of the review process for these questions has raised alarms about their reliability.
California law mandates a two-year notice period for changes affecting bar exam preparations, further intensifying the scrutiny on the procedures used to develop questions. The California State Bar, represented by its previous executive director Leah Wilson, maintained confidence in the validity of the contested multiple-choice questions created with AI assistance. However, the decision to implement AI for question drafting hadn’t received prior approval from the Committee of Bar Examiners, and it has been met with criticism due to the hiring of a non-legally trained psychometrician for this role, raising conflict of interest allegations.
Now under significant scrutiny, the California State Bar has also initiated a lawsuit against ProctorU, claiming that the vendor failed to meet expectations during the examination process. In addition, legislative audits are being proposed to assess the administration issues of the February exam, amid two pending class action lawsuits filed against Meazure Learning. The State Bar’s legal action against Meazure Learning specifically claims allegations of fraud and other breaches, asserting that the vendor was unprepared for the scale of the exam held.
In light of these events, the State Bar’s contract with ProctorU has been terminated, marking a significant step as the organization seeks solutions to restore integrity and trust in the bar examination process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new executive director of the California State Bar?
The California State Bar appointed Laura Enderton-Speed as the new executive director on Thursday.
What challenges does Laura Enderton-Speed face?
The new executive director will lead the agency dealing with the repercussions of its problematic bar exam rollout.
What were the issues with the February 2025 bar exam?
The February 2025 exam’s issues included technical problems that led to a lawsuit against Meazure Learning, the vendor responsible for administering the exam.
Key Features of the California Bar Exam Controversy
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| New Executive Director | Laura Enderton-Speed appointed as executive director of the California State Bar. |
| Previous Role | Directed office providing leadership support to the Judicial Council of California. |
| Bar Exam Issues | February 2025 exam faced technical problems and poor question design. |
| Lawsuits | Two pending class action lawsuits against Meazure Learning; lawsuit against ProctorU. |
| AI Usage | Concerns over AI-developed questions raised issues of transparency and reliability. |
| Contract Termination | State Bar’s contract with ProctorU has been terminated due to exam issues. |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Bloomberg Law: California State Bar Pulls New Leader from Judicial Council
- Daily Journal: California Law Deans Push State Bar to Adopt NextGen Universal Bar Exam in 2028
- Above the Law: Hindsight Makes It Easy to See the California Bar Made Too Many Changes Too Quickly
- Los Angeles Times: California Supreme Court Demands State Bar Answer AI Questions
- ABA Journal: California State Bar Sues Vendor After Troubled Exam
- Wikipedia: Bar Examination
- Google Search: California State Bar
- Google Scholar: California Bar Exam
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Bar Examination
- Google News: California Bar Exam Issues
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