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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Colleagues,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">As you may know, I am the District 2 governor on the WSBA Board of Governors and a long-time member of this listserve. I am contacting you regarding a resolution that
is pending before the WSBA Board of Governors to support the administration of a bar exam in some form, which an applicant would have to pass before being granted a license to practice law. WSBA Governor Russell Knight proposed this resolution to the March
Board meeting. The text of the proposed resolution is set forth below my email. It supports the continued existence of a bar exam to protect the public and insure the integrity of our profession. It also supports a review of its form and content to ensure it
does not have a discriminatory impact. The Board debated for over four hours and ultimately voted to ask members for their thoughts and comments. It will be considered again at the April 16-17, 2021 Board meeting.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Some background may be helpful. Last May, the Board of Governors voted 12 to 1, on the motion of Treasurer Dan Clark of Yakima, to urge the Supreme Court to administer
the bar exam to Summer 2020 bar applicants. The Court initially agreed but then reversed its decision in response to Seattle University Dean Annette Clark’s letter sent directly to the Court. The Court issued Order No. 25700-B-630 on June 12, 2020 temporarily
modifying Admission to Practice Rules 3 and 4, and granting diploma privilege as an option to graduates of ABA accredited law schools who were registered for either the July 2020 or September 2020 bar exams. This decision was very controversial, with numerous
members stating concerns regarding the Court granting the diploma privilege rather than requiring applicants to successfully pass a bar examination. The comments received were about 99% opposed to granting diploma privileges, although a number of members
noted that the bar exam (in its present multi-state format) might not be the best method for determining if an applicant possessed the necessary skills to practice law in Washington. (The essay question format – 18 substantive law questions and 6 ethics questions)
was changed in 2013 to a multi-state format purchased from a third party, with little emphasis on Washington law. Previously, attorneys volunteered to serve as bar examiners, writing the essay questions and grading them without pay.)</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">On November 20, 2020, the Supreme Court entered Order No. 25700-B649 establishing the Washington Bar Licensure Task Force, to “examine current and past bar examination
methods, passage rates, and alternative licensure methods, assess disproportionate impacts on examinees of color and first generation examinees, consider the need for alternatives to the current bar exam, and analyze those potential alternatives.” This Task
Force is chaired by Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis and Jacob Rooksby, Dean of Gonzaga School of Law.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">I am currently in support of the resolution. If it passes, it will be forwarded to the Court’s Task Force for their consideration as they perform their work. However, if a majority of comments
that I receive generally oppose a bar exam, that will certainly inform my decision as one of your representatives on the Board. If you would like to make your voice heard on this, please send comments by
<b>April 15, 2021</b> to </span><a href="mailto:barleaders@wsba.org" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">barleaders@wsba.org</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">. I would also appreciate receiving a copy, at
</span><a href="mailto:carla@higginsonbeyer.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">carla@higginsonbeyer.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A BAR EXAM TO ENSURE <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>A COMPETENT, ETHICAL AND DIVERSE LEGAL PROFESSION<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, the mission of the Washington State Bar Association (“WSBA”) is to serve the public and the members of the Bar, to ensure the integrity of the legal profession, and to champion justice; and
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, passing a bar exam has long been a requirement for membership in the WSBA in part to ensure a competent and ethical legal profession; and
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, on June 12, 2020, in part in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington State Supreme Court entered Order No. 25700-B-630 temporarily modifying Admission to Practice Rules 3 and 4, and granting diploma privilege as an
option to graduates of ABA accredited law schools who were registered for either the July 2020 or September 2020 bar exams; and
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, the Washington State Supreme Court has not extended diploma privilege to applicants registered for subsequent bar exams; and
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, stakeholders have expressed concern that the bar exam has a discriminatory effect on examinees of color and first generation examinees; and
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, on November 20, 2020, the Washington State Supreme Court entered Order No. 25700-B-649 establishing the Washington Bar Licensure Task Force (“WBLTF”); and
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, the WBLTF is asked to “examine current and past bar examination methods, passage rates, and alternative licensure methods, assess disproportionate impacts on examinees of color and first generation examinees, consider the need
for alternatives to the current bar exam, and analyze those potential alternatives”; and
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>WHEREAS, the WSBA supports the work of the WBLTF; <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>1. In order to ensure a competent, ethical and diverse legal profession, the WSBA supports the continued requirement of passing a bar exam before admission to the WSBA.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>2. The WSBA discourages diploma privilege as an alternative to a bar exam.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>3. The WSBA encourages a review of, and possible change to, the format and content of the bar exam to both strengthen and improve the bar exam as a tool to ensure the competent and ethical practice of law and to ensure there
is no discriminatory effect on examinees of color and first generation examinees.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps">___________________________</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps">Carla J. Higginson,
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps">Attorney</span><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#30452F">Higginson Beyer</span></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#30452F">, P.S.
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><u><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Friday Harbor Office</span></u></i><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">:</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">175 Second Street North, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250 | Telephone: (360) 378-2185 | Facsimile: (360) 378-3935</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><u><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Seattle Office</span></u></i><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">:</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5500, Seattle, Washington 98104 | Telephone: (206) 623-8888 | Facsimile: (360) 378-3935</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:carla@higginsonbeyer.com"><b><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:blue">carla@higginsonbeyer.com</span></i></b></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">HigginsonBeyer.com</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">*************************************************************************************</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information in this electronic mail is legally privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the
individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copy of the transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error,
please delete the message and immediately notify us by telephone at (360) 378-2185 or by e-mail. Internet Communications are not secure and subject to possible data corruption, either accidentally or on purpose, and may contain viruses. Furthermore, e-mail
is an informal method of communication and for these reasons, it will normally be inappropriate to rely on advice contained in an e-mail without obtaining written confirmation of it. If we receive a request from you via e-mail, we will treat that as authority
to reply by e-mail.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">*************************************************************************************</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps">___________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps">Carla J. Higginson,
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps">Attorney</span><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#30452F">Higginson Beyer</span></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#30452F">, P.S.
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><img border="0" width="96" height="26" style="width:1.0in;height:.275in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D72A49.B2DE47D0"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-variant:small-caps">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><u><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Friday Harbor Office</span></u></i><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">175 Second Street North, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250 | Telephone: (360) 378-2185 | Facsimile: (360) 378-3935<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><u><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Seattle Office</span></u></i><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5500, Seattle, Washington 98104 | Telephone: (206) 623-8888 | Facsimile: (360) 378-3935<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><u><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1C230F"><a href="mailto:carla@higginsonbeyer.com"><span style="color:blue">carla@higginsonbeyer.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">HigginsonBeyer.com<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:6.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">*************************************************************************************<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information in this electronic mail is legally privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the
individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copy of the transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error,
please delete the message and immediately notify us by telephone at (360) 378-2185 or by e-mail. Internet Communications are not secure and subject to possible data corruption, either accidentally or on purpose, and may contain viruses. Furthermore, e-mail
is an informal method of communication and for these reasons, it will normally be inappropriate to rely on advice contained in an e-mail without obtaining written confirmation of it. If we receive a request from you via e-mail, we will treat that as authority
to reply by e-mail.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">*************************************************************************************</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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