The legal profession is often conservative and reluctant to implement changes beyond what is absolutely necessary. But that’s not to say change never happens. As a new pathway for potential new lawyers passed in Utah shows, change is indeed in the air.
On October 1, 2025, the Utah Supreme Court passed the Alternate Pathway to Attorney Licensure, which eschews the traditional bar exam administered by the American Bar Association (ABA). This system, developed by the Bar Admissions Working Group and to be administered by the Utah State Bar, offers an alternate path to become a licensed attorney able to practice law in Utah. It will co-exist with the traditional path of law school graduates taking the Uniform Bar Exam, or UBE. It would also replace the NextGen Bar Exam scheduled to start in 2028. Utah is now offering two separate but equal licensing paths.
Utah is following the footsteps of other jurisdictions like Oregon, Washington, Texas, and California in offering alternatives or replacements to the ABA’s Multistate Performance Test, which has been in place since 1972. As of January 1, 2026, those pursuing a legal education in Utah will have two choices for their goal of entering the legal profession.
A Different Kind of Paper Chase
For almost 150 years, the ABA has stood as the entity overseeing the legal profession. In 1921, it moved to make written exams the standard for proving one’s lawyerly knowledge, as opposed to diploma privilege. 1931 saw the formation of the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), which was tasked with standardizing an exam for admission to the bar.
For decades, going through an ABA-accredited law school before extensively studying to take one of the two UBEs offered each year in February and July was the only way to become a licensed attorney in the legal community. After accommodations were made for law school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, the seeds for a different method of becoming a practicing attorney began to take root.
The system created by the Utah Bar Admissions Working Group is intended to maintain the same level of licensing standards as the traditional ABA route. Those looking to enter the world of legal practice through Utah’s new path face requirements that include the following:
- Passing a written exam administered by the Utah State Bar to confirm minimum competencies
- Completing all required skills coursework from an ABA-approved law school (Utah currently has two university-based law schools at Brigham Young University and the University of Utah)
- Completing at least 240 hours of supervised practice and real-world legal work overseen by either a licensed attorney with at least five years of experience, a Utah or federal judge, or someone approved to serve as a Qualified Supervisor Attorney
In approving this path, the Utah Supreme Court affirmed the state bar’s belief that the new system doesn’t compromise the standards for becoming a practicing attorney.
That’s Okay, the Box Is Empty
The Bar Admissions Working Group believes the alternative pathway can produce lawyers better prepared to jump right into legal service without incurring the traditional amount of law school debt or lost time spent doing bar prep for the UBE. Public comments submitted while the plan was finalized praised the hands-on experience the path provides. Still, those considering the approach should be aware that Utah’s alternative path licensing is not portable to other jurisdictions.
It’s a good bet that no new attorney would be upset with having less law school debt and access to a toolbox of practical skills as they set off on their new career. Still, potential legal practitioners should carefully review the pros and cons of each available path to becoming a licensed lawyer in Utah.
Related Resources
- ABA Proposes Greater Course Uniformity Across Law Schools (FindLaw’s Practice of Law)
- What Is on the Bar Exam? (FindLaw’s Law Students)
- Why Go to Law School? (FindLaw’s Pre-Law)
