Orlando, Fla. – Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law Professor Jennifer Smith has been selected to serve on a committee of the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).

"I am honored to use my background as a legal practitioner and professor to participate in shaping the bar exam for future lawyers,” said Smith.

“My background provides diverse representation that has traditionally been excluded from committees developing standardized exams.”

NEXT GENERATION

Smith will participate on the Content Scope Committee which is described as a cross-disciplinary and cross-functional committee composed of practitioners, including newly licensed lawyers, and academics who will work together to develop the test content specifications for the next generation of the bar exam.

The focus will be on what knowledge and skills entry-level lawyers need to practice competently.

“It is important to ensure a voice for institutions, like FAMU Law, that are historically underfunded and educate historically underserved students,” Smith added.

“I expect the committee’s work will help launch an exam that will enrich the testing experience and license a more diverse and better qualified body of lawyers, resulting in a legal profession that more accurately reflects our America.”

CLEARINGHOUSE

The National Conference of Bar Examiners, founded in 1931, is a not-for-profit corporation that develops licensing tests for bar admission and provides character and fitness investigation services.

NCBE also provides testing, research, and educational services to jurisdictions; provides services to bar applicants on behalf of jurisdictions; and acts as a national clearinghouse for information about the bar examination and bar admissions.

The FAMU College of Law is located in the heart of downtown Orlando, just steps from the George C. Young United States Courthouse and Federal Building, and blocks from governmental offices, major law firms, large corporations and legal service agencies.

The college’s prime location provides students with direct access to the area’s largest employers of individuals with law degrees, offering students and graduates avenues to gain practical experience in the legal profession.

With tuition among the lowest of the 13 law schools in Florida, along with a full-time day program and a part-time evening program, the college is positioned to offer the traditional student and the working professional a chance to earn a law degree while accruing minimal debt.

Thanks to its renowned faculty, the college focuses on academic excellence in the classroom; emphasizes practical experience and public service within its clinical programs; and stresses professionalism through its co-curricular activities.