California State Bar Appoints New Executive Director Amid Exam Issues

California, September 19, 2025

News Summary

The California State Bar has appointed Laura Enderton-Speed as its new executive director. This decision comes as the agency grapples with significant challenges following a problematic bar exam rollout. Additionally, California’s law school deans are advocating for the adoption of the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination by 2028 due to technical issues and poorly designed questions encountered during the February 2025 exam. The California Supreme Court has ordered exams to revert to the Multistate format in July 2025 while the State Bar faces lawsuits related to the exam’s administration.

California – The California State Bar appointed Laura Enderton-Speed as the new executive director on Thursday. Her appointment received unanimous approval at the State Bar’s Board of Trustees meeting. Enderton-Speed previously directed the office providing leadership support to the Judicial Council of California and serves as an adjunct professor at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law and California State University. She will lead the agency as it confronts the repercussions of the problematic bar exam rollout.

Deans from California’s leading law schools have urged the California State Bar to adopt the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination by 2028. This call for change has emerged in light of the disastrous bar exam conducted in February, where candidates faced significant technical difficulties, along with erroneously designed questions. Due to these issues, the California Supreme Court has mandated that the upcoming July 29 and 30 exams revert to the existing Multistate Bar Examination.

In February 2025, a total of 3,886 examinees completed the bar exam, with numerous reports regarding technical problems. Moreover, the California Supreme Court is seeking explanations regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in developing certain multiple-choice questions for the botched exam. The introduction of AI aimed at drafting a subset of questions has raised concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest, particularly since the Court was only informed of this usage after the exam had taken place.

The concerns regarding the adequacy of the review process for the exam’s reliability have intensified, especially considering that California law mandates a two-year notice period for changes affecting bar exam preparation. This might suggest potential violations during the development of exam questions. The State Bar’s executive director, Leah Wilson, expressed confidence in the validity of the multiple-choice questions created with AI assistance; however, the intention to implement such technology was not previously approved by the Committee of Bar Examiners.

Additionally, the hiring of a non-legally trained psychometrician to create questions using AI has drawn criticism for being a conflict of interest. The California State Bar is now facing heightened scrutiny, having initiated a lawsuit against ProctorU over allegations of the company failing to meet expectations during the exam. Alongside this, a legislative audit is anticipated to assess the administration issues faced during the February exam, with two class action lawsuits currently pending against Meazure Learning.

The lawsuit initiated by the State Bar claims fraud and other breaches by Meazure Learning, alleging the vendor was unprepared for the scale of the examination. Furthermore, the State Bar has terminated its previous contract with ProctorU as a result of these issues.

CEO

Laura Enderton-Speed

Exam Dates

July 29 and 30, 2025

Exam Version

Reversion to existing Multistate Bar Examination

February Exam Examinees

3,886

Pending Lawsuits

Two class action lawsuits against Meazure Learning

FAQ

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

• Bloomberg Law: California State Bar Appoints New Leader
• Wikipedia: California State Bar
• Daily Journal: Law Deans Push for NextGen Bar Exam
• Google Search: California State Bar Exam
• Above the Law: California Bar Changes
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Law School
• Reuters: Thousands Get Chance to Practice After Bar Exam Issues
• Google Scholar: California State Bar Lawsuits
• LA Times: Supreme Court Demands Answers from State Bar
• Google News: California State Bar 2025

Author: Anaheim Staff Writer

Anaheim Staff Writer The Anaheim Staff Writer represents the experienced team at HEREAnaheim.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Anaheim, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as major conventions at the Anaheim Convention Center, including NAMM and VidCon, exciting games at Angel Stadium and Honda Center, and developments at Disneyland Resort Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and Visit Anaheim, plus leading businesses in hospitality, entertainment, and innovation that power the local economy As part of the broader HERE network, including HERECostaMesa.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERESantaAna.com, and HERELosAngeles.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Southern California's dynamic landscape.