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SALT LAKE CITY — Future Utah lawyers will be using a newer evolution of the bar exam, beginning in July 2028.
The Utah State Bar announced Wednesday that the Utah Supreme Court has approved the use of the NextGen Bar Exam.
Emily Lee, the Utah State Bar's deputy counsel for admissions, said the exam will improve access to the legal profession.
"We are excited to take this step forward," she said.
The test is still being developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners; questions are being written by law professors, deans, attorneys and judges. It will first be administered in July 2026 in Maryland, Missouri and Oregon. Six other states, in addition to Utah, have also committed to using the new exam.
The Utah Board Bar of Commissioners recommended the new exam be used in Utah, and said it is "the logical and sensible evolution" of the current exam.
The NextGen exam will focus on nine foundational concepts and seven foundational skills that research has shown are crucial to practicing law.
