California bar examination.

Assembly Member Dixon's proposal to replace California's state-specific bar examination with the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) marks a fundamental shift in how the state evaluates prospective attorneys. The legislation mandates that the State Bar of California's examining committee implement the UBE, developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, by January 1, 2028.

The measure removes current requirements that the examining committee provide two years' notice before substantially modifying the bar examination or its preparation requirements. Under existing law, the State Bar Act authorizes a board of trustees to establish an examining committee that administers the California-specific examination for attorney licensure. The proposed change would align California's attorney licensing process with other UBE jurisdictions across the United States.

This transition carries implications for multiple stakeholders in California's legal community. Law schools may need to adjust their curricula to prepare students for the standardized UBE format rather than state-specific content. The examining committee must develop new administrative procedures to implement the national examination. Additionally, prospective attorneys will prepare for an examination that tests general legal principles rather than California-specific law, though the bill does not address whether California-specific components might supplement the UBE.