COVID-19 Impact on July 2020 Bar Examination
April 9, 2020, San Francisco—The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) sent a letter to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and members of the Committee of Bar Examiners urging careful consideration of the impacts of the current public health crisis and shelter-in-place order on the law school class of 2020 and others planning to take the California bar examination in July.
"In times like these," the letter states, "well-trained and capable attorneys are needed more than ever to provide effective representation."
The impacts of a delay in bar examination on law school graduates and the legal profession are significant. A delay in being able to practice affects their ability to find and retain employment, pay off student loans and support themselves and their family.
The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) is a nonprofit voluntary membership organization of attorneys, law students, and legal professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 1872, BASF enjoys the support of more than 7,500 individuals, law firms, corporate legal departments, and law schools. Through its board of directors, its committees, and its volunteer legal services programs and other community efforts, BASF has worked actively to promote and achieve equal justice for all and oppose discrimination in all its forms, including, but not limited to, discrimination based on race, sex, disability, and sexual orientation. BASF provides a collective voice for public advocacy, advances professional growth and education, and attempts to elevate the standards of integrity, honor, and respect in the practice of law.