Maryland State Board of Law Examiners affirms plans for remote bar exam despite calls for temporary waiver amid COVID-19 pandemic

Maryland’s State Board of Law Examiners said Thursday that it believes prospective attorneys should take the bar exam remotely in October — despite calls from recent law school graduates and deans to waive the test amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision on whether to waive the two-day exam ultimately lies with the Maryland Court of Appeals, which also announced Thursday that it will accept public comment on the board’s statement before making a final determination. Comments must be submitted to the court by Monday at 4:30 p.m. to be considered.

Maryland courts have already delayed the bar exam, which is usually conducted in July. Applicants are scheduled to sit for the exam Oct. 5-6.

Before the pandemic, Wisconsin was the only state to allow graduates from its two accredited law schools to secure a law license without taking the bar exam — a practice known as “diploma privilege.”