The Florida Bar Results

The Florida bar results came in two weeks ago. The school results were: University of Miami: 61.1%; Florida International University: 81.5%; University of Florida: 64.9%; Nova Southeastern: 72.5%; Florida State University: 65.0%; Stetson University: 80%; Florida Coastal: 66.1%; St. Thomas University: 70.4%; Barry University: 54.5%; Florida A&M University: 52.3 %; Non-Florida Law Schools: 73.7%. After the higher results in July 2008, people have asked us about the drop. Did the schools not prepare the students, did bar review courses get fooled, did the students not study? In my opinion, the Florida Bar Examiners readjusted the exam in light of the results in July. I thought the three essays questions were more difficult than in prior years. For example, the essay the students said was family law with some homestead thrown in was actually more of a real property question with issues like ejectment and a foreclosure action. The torts essay had elements of contracts and professional responsibility. The contract essay dealt with UCC, a subject that students find difficult as they try to remember the exceptions to the Code.

Right now, the schools are doing a bit of scratching its collective heads and wondering if this was just an aberration or is it a warning of things to come. Do the schools continue the course or will they have to intervene with new approaches to bar prepping their students to pass? What about the students taking the July 2009 bar? Do they need to continue the same old methods or do they try something new?