Dean Caron Joins Call to Open NY Bar Exam to Graduates of All Law Schools
On April 30, 2020, the New York State Board of Legal Examiners announced that they would open initial registration for the September administration of the New York Bar Exam only to graduates of the fifteen New York State law schools.
Dean Paul Caron said "I am very disappointed by the New York bar's action (which has been followed by Massachusetts as well). At a time when as a nation we need to pull together, New York is discriminating against students graduating from law schools in other states. Indeed, their policy favors students from California who chose to attend law schools in New York over students from New York who chose to attend law schools in California. As Dean Amar from the University of Illinois Law School said, 'whether it's toilet paper or bar exam seats, hoarding is wrong.' And New York's action also very likely is unconstitutional."
Dean Caron signed the letter below together with the deans of 53 other non-New York state schools on behalf of their graduates:
The Honorable Janet DiFiore
Chief Judge
New York State Court of Appeals
20 Eagle Street
Albany, New York 12207Dear Chief Judge DiFiore:
To begin, we sincerely hope that you, the judiciary, members of the Board of Law Examiners, and your families are staying well in these very difficult times. We recognize the considerable administrative strain that has been placed on the Court with respect to the bar, and thus, we will be brief and direct.
As deans of law schools from outside of your state, who each year send talented, earnest students to sit for the New York Bar, we wish to express our full support regarding the concerns and potential solutions communicated by our colleagues in their letter of May 1, 2020, appended hereto.
We are grateful to you for considering these proposals, and are fully prepared to join the effort to help the Court, the Board of Law Examiners, and our fellow law school deans find solutions that could expand testing capacity for all non-New York law school graduates.
In closing, we acknowledge and appreciate all that you do during this pandemic, which has impacted the lives of people and communities everywhere, especially New York. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Ahdieh
Dean and Anthony G. Buzbee Endowed Dean's Chair
Texas A&M University School of LawJane H. Aiken
Dean and Professor of Law
Wake Forest School of LawMark C. Alexander
Arthur J. Kania Dean and Professor of Law
Villanova University Charles Widger School of LawVikram David Amar
Dean and Iwan Foundation Professor of Law
University of Illinois College of LawJerry L. Anderson
Dean and Richard M. and Anita Calkins Distinguished Professor of Law
Drake University Law SchoolJessica Berg
Co-Dean
Case Western Reserve University
School of LawNicola A. Boothe Perry
Interim Dean and Professor of Law
Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University College of LawGregory W. Bowman
William J. Maier, Jr. Dean & Professor of Law
West Virginia University College of LawMark E. Brandon
Dean and Thomas E. McMillan Professor of Law
The University of Alabama School of LawMartin H. Brinkley
Dean and Arch T. Allen Distinguished Professor
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of LawPaul L. Caron
Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean and Professor of Law
Pepperdine Caruso School of LawAnnette E. Clark
Dean and Professor of Law
Seattle University School of LawG. Marcus Cole
Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law
Notre Dame Law SchoolDanielle M. Conway
Dean & Donald J. Farage Professor of Law
Dickinson Law
The Pennsylvania State UniversityPhyllis L. Crocker
Dean and Professor of Law
University of Detroit Mercy School of LawDarby Dickerson
Dean and Professor of Law
UIC John Marshall Law School
The University of Illinois at ChicagoAllen K. Easley
Dean & Professor of Law
Western State College of LawLyn Suzanne Entzeroth
Dean and Dean John Rogers Endowed Chair
The University of Tulsa College of LawDavid L. Faigman
Chancellor and Dean
John F. Digardi Distinguished Professor of Law
University of California Hastings College of the LawStephen C. Ferruolo
Dean and Professor of Law
University of San Diego School of LawJoshua P. Fershée
Dean and Professor of Law
Creighton University School of Law
NY Reg. #: 4226981Daniel M. Filler
Dean and Professor of Law
Drexel University, Thomas R. Kline School of LawLee Fisher
Dean
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
Cleveland State UniversityTimothy Fisher
Dean and Professor of Law
University of Connecticut School of LawChris Guthrie
Dean and John Wad-Kent Syverud Professor of Law
Vanderbilt Law SchoolAndrew T. Guzman
Dean and Carl Mason Franklin Chair in Law
and Professor of Law and Political Science
Gould School of Law
University of Southern CaliforniaBrant J. Hellwig
Dean and Professor of Law
Washington and Lee University School of LawMelanie B. Jacobs
Interim Dean and Professor of Law
Michigan State University College of LawGarry W. Jenkins
Dean & William S. Pattee Professor of Law
University of Minnesota Law SchoolChristian A. Johnson
Dean
Widener University Commonwealth Law SchoolKevin R. Johnson
Dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Chicana/o Studies
UC Davis School of LawMichael J. Kaufman
Dean of the School of Law and Vice Provost
Loyola University Chicago
Gregory N. MandelDean & Peter J. Liacouras Professor of Law
Temple University, Beasley School of LawThomas McHenry
President and Dean
Vermont Law SchoolDavid D. Meyer
Dean and Mitchell Franklin Professor of Law
Tulane University Law SchoolAnthony Niedwiecki
Dean and Professor of Law
Golden Gate University School of LawHari M. Osofsky
Dean
Penn State Law and the School of International Affairs
The Pennsylvania State UniversityAusten L. Parrish
Dean and James H. Rudy Professor
Indiana University Maurer School of LawAndrew M. Perlman
Dean and Professor of Law
Suffolk Law SchoolChristopher J. Peters
Dean and C. Blake McDowell, Jr. Professor of Law
The University of Akron School of LawMargaret Raymond
Fred W. & Vi Miller Dean and Professor of Law
University of Wisconsin Law SchoolL. Song Richardson
Dean and Chancellor's Professor of Law
UC Irvine School of LawLaura Rosenbury
Dean and Levin, Mabie & Levin Professor of Law
Fredric G. Levin College of Law<
University of FloridaPeter B. Rutledge
Dean & Herman E. Talmadge Chair of Law
University of Georgia School of LawBrad Saxton
Interim Dean and Professor of Law
Quinnipiac University School of LawMichael P. Scharf
Co-Dean
Case Western Reserve University
School of LawD. Gordon Smith
Dean, Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law
J. Rueben Clark Law School
Brigham Young UniversityAviam Soifer
Dean and Professor of Law
William S. Richardson School of Law
University of Hawai'iAndrew L. Strauss
Dean and Professor of Law
University of Dayton School of LawKevin K. Washburn
N. William Hines Dean and Professor of Law
The University of Iowa College of LawMichael Waterstone
Fritz B. Burns Dean
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
Loyola Marymount UniversityRonald Weich
Dean and Professor of Law
University of Baltimore School of LawVerna L. Williams
Dean and Nippert Professor of Law
University of Cincinnati College of LawMelanie D. Wilson
Dean and Lindsay Young Distinguished Professor
University of Tennessee College of Law