Page 11 - CLT102620

NEWS OCTOBER 26, 2020 ¦ 11

Critics were quick to take issue with the deci- candidates health, privacy and identity security, as
sion to keep the exam online in February. New York well as the conditions that led so many to defer tak-
Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon, who is co-spon- ing it at all.”
soring a bill that would establish a diploma privilege In July 2019, 10,071 took the bar exam in New
for recent law graduates, said she is concerned the York, compared with 5,167 for this month’s online
Court of Appeals only looked at high-level data on exam, a decline of nearly 49%.
test completions, and ignored the actual experience The Court of Appeals’ early decision on the for-
of those who took the exam. Simon and New York mat of February’s exam looks to be an attempt to
State Sen. Brad Hoylman conducted a survey of bar avoid the multiple changes that led up to the Octo-
examinees in the state and found that of the nearly ber online test. It announced in March that the July
500 respondents, 41% said they experienced inter- in-person bar exam would be postponed to Sep-
net or software problems. Nearly three-quarters said tember. But the court changed course in mid-July,
the online exam was a “negative experience.” announcing that the exam would move to October
“Clearly, there wasn’t the meltdown anticipated, and be given online. Examinees complained that the
but far fewer people took the test than originally multiple delays took an economic and mental toll on
anticipated,” Simon said. “The data Sen. Hoylman them.
and I have collected reflect a great many problems ¦

in the administration of the October bar exam—and Karen Sloan is the Legal Education Editor and
the consequences of those problems to those candi- Senior Writer at ALM. Contact her at ksloan@
dates—that go far beyond the number of candidates alm.com. On Twitter: @KarenSloanNLJ Sign
who logged in and logged out. I respectfully suggest up for Ahead of the Curve—her weekly email
that before anyone claims ‘success,’ that we all look update on trends and innovation in legal edu-
more deeply into the remote exam, such as the soft- cation—here: https://www.law.com/briefings/
ware by which it was delivered, the intrusions into ahead-of-the-curve/

Adjusting the COVID-19 Response: How Law
Firms Are Altering Austerity Measures

By ALM Staff

Many law firms implemented pay cuts, layoffs Baker Botts
and other austerity measures in the spring Effective Sept. 1, Baker Botts restored 50% of
and summer in response to economic pres- the compensation reductions put into effect May
sures the coronavirus pandemic created. Months later, 1, which affected associates and staff making
some of them have either rolled back some austerity more than $70,000. The firm also said it would
measures or made additional cuts, or some combina- give interim bonuses to non-partner timekeep-
ers who have made “exceptional contributions”
tion of the two.
We will continue to update this page as more for the May 1 to July 31 period—more than 200
firms announce changes. For a more complete de- lawyers. The firm also said it would pay a $1,000
scription of the austerity measures implemented stipend to all non-partner timekeepers and staff
earlier this year, see our past coverage here. Please who use the firm’s technology systems for work-
send any updates and additions to: BusinessO- ing from home.

[email protected] ¦ Continued on PAGE 12

CONNECTICUT
Law Tribune