On March 4, 2026, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an order advising that the Board will accept NextGen UBE scores of 620 or higher on an interim basis beginning with the July 2026 examination.  The Court emphasized that this order should not be taken as an indication that the court will adopt 620 as Minnesota’s passing score but will instead allow the Board time to carefully consider the data and develop and recommend a passing score for the NextGen UBE to the court.  Please refer to the order for additional information.

Date posted: 3/5/2026

On March 12, 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an order accepting the Board’s recommendation to adopt the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination effective July 2027 and creating an Implementation Committee to develop a curricular-based pathway for assessment. The order also directed the implementation committee to further explore a supervised practice-based pathway for assessment. More information on the Implementation Committee’s work can be found here.

Join the Implementation Committee members for a community conversation designed to share details about the proposed pathways, answer questions, and gather feedback from the community.

On March 12, 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an Order creating the Alternative Pathways Implementation Committee to further explore and develop a curricular-based pathway for assessment.  The Order further stated that while the deadline for submission of a report and recommendation addressing a curricular-based pathway should be given priority (on or before July 1, 2026), the Implementation Committee should also explore and submit a report and recommendation addressing a supervised practice-based pathway for assessment (on or before July 1, 2027).

A curricular pathways subcommittee has approved an initial draft of a proposed plan for a curricular-based pathway.  The committee is in the process of reviewing the comments submitted to Committee Chair, Tom Boyd.  Any additional comments may be sent to ble@mbcle.state.mn.us Attn: Tom Boyd.

A CLE on the curricular pathway committee that took place on October 20, 2025, has been approved for 0.5 standard CLE credits under event code 538472 for the live webinar.  CLE credit has not been requested for the recording.  Individuals interested in viewing the presentation may reach out to director@mbcle.state.mn.us for a link to the program.

If you are interested in receiving future updates on the work of the committee, please send a message to director@mbcle.state.mn.us to be added to future updates.  Thank you.

Date posted: 9/18/25; updated 9/29/25, 10/8/25, 10/13/25, and 10/24/25

In March 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an Order adopting the Board’s recommendations to move to the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination.  The Court requested that the Board provide annual updates to the Court on the status of the implementation.  The Board filed its first update to the Court on June 30, 2025.

Date posted: 7/1/2025

On March 12, 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an Order creating the Alternative Pathways Implementation Committee to further explore and develop a curricular-based pathway for assessment.  The Order further stated that while the deadline for submission of a report and recommendation addressing a curricular-based pathway should be given priority (on or before July 1, 2026), the Implementation Committee should also explore and submit a report and recommendation addressing a supervised practice-based pathway for assessment (on or before July 1, 2027).

On August 15, 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an Order appointing the membership of that Committee.   The Committee has been meeting since last fall, and has recently approved an initial draft of the core competencies that should be demonstrated through the curricular and/or supervised practice-based pathways for assessment.  The Committee invites public comment on these criteria.  Throughout this process, the Committee will consider and refine these competencies and appreciates your feedback.

Members of the legal community and the public interested in providing comments regarding this initial draft of the core competencies should address their comments to Committee Chair, Tom Boyd, and submit the comments to ble@mbcle.state.mn.us on or before April 25, 2025, to be considered at the May 5, 2025, meeting. Members of the public and legal profession are encouraged to provide comments even if not able to submit by that deadline.

Date posted: 3/25/2025; updated 4/21/2025

The Minnesota Supreme Court has issued an Order appointing membership to the Alternative Pathways Implementation Committee.  The Court has appointed Tom Boyd to Chair the Committee.  The Board of Law Examiners will provide the Committee with technical and administrative assistance.  The Committees first report related to an alternative curricular based pathway for assessment is due to the Court on or before July 1, 2026.  Recommendations related to an alternative supervised practice-based pathway for assessment will be due to the Court on or before July 1, 2027.

As noted in the Court’s March 12, 2024, Order, Minnesota will administer the NextGen examination beginning in July 2027.

Date Posted: August 19, 2024

On June 21, 2021, the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners (Board) announced plans to commence a two-year study of the bar examination to provide the Minnesota Supreme Court with a report and recommendations.  The Board engaged in a comprehensive two-year, and on June 1, 2023, filed its report and recommendations with the Court.  View the report and appendices.

On March 12, 2024, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an Order related to the Board’s Competency Study.   The Court accepted the Board’s recommendation to adopt the Next Gen, recognizing that details related to the implementation need to be determined.  Beginning July 1, 2025, and each year thereafter, the Board must keep the Court apprised of proposed rule revisions and standard setting, and unless otherwise recommended by the Board, the first administration will be July 2027.

The Court is also forming an Implementation Committee.  The Committee will begin meeting this summer and will consist of 25 members, as outlined in the Court’s Order.  The deadline to submit a letter of interest to the Clerk of the Appellate Court is April 5, 2024.  The Implementation Committee is to file its report with recommendations for rule amendments related to an alternative curricular-based pathway for assessment on or before July 1, 2026.   The Implementation Committee has also been asked to look at a supervised practice pathway and to make recommendations on or before July 1, 2027.

The Board is grateful to the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Minnesota Law Schools, the members of the public and the bar who provided the Board with public comment, and the Board’s Working Groups for their collaboration with the Board in this process.

Date Posted: 3/13/2024

The Minnesota Supreme Court has issued an Order dated March 1, 2021, granting the Board’s Petition to amend Rules 4 and Rules 10 of the Rules for Admission to the Bar to broaden the pathways for admission in Minnesota for foreign educated graduates. The revisions to the Rules are effective May 1, 2021. As discussed in the Order, the Board will continue to study this issue.

Date Posted: 3/2/2021

The Minnesota Board of Law Examiners has been carefully studying the issue of foreign legal education. The Board has posted additional information related to this issue here and requests additional input on or before June 1, 2020. You may send that to the Board office at 180 E. 5th Street, Suite 950, St. Paul, MN 55101 or to ble@mbcle.state.mn.us.

Date Posted: 4/24/2020