IAALS Launches Groundbreaking Multi-State Study on Legal Licensure Reform

IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, is proud to announce the launch of Pathways to Legal Licensure: Individualized & Comparative Outcomes, a landmark empirical study examining multiple approaches to attorney licensure across the United States. Supported by AccessLex Institute®, the project seeks to assess how different licensure pathways measure and uphold minimum competency in the legal profession.

IAALS’ two-year, mixed-methods study will explore multiple dimensions—such as validity, reliability, fairness, and feasibility—of different pathways to licensure, including the traditional bar exam and alternative pathways. This study represents the culmination of decades of scholarship by legal educators and thought leaders in the profession who have recognized the deficiencies in the traditional bar exam and have issued calls for change. Now that these changes are coming to fruition, states across the country recognize the need for empirical evidence to guide decision-making.

“As a lawyer and someone actively involved in improving the legal profession, I’ve seen firsthand how our licensure system can fall short, especially for those who are fully capable but left behind by a one-size-fits-all exam. What we’ve needed is data, not just debate,” said Jordan Couch, Partner at Palace Law and member of Washington’s Licensure Pathways Implementation Steering Committee. “That’s why this study matters. IAALS is bringing empirical integrity, transparency, and insight to conversations and innovations that demand an evidence-based approach.”

The research will not only evaluate each pathway on its own merits but also draw thoughtful insights across models. Findings will inform courts, bar examiners, legal educators, and policymakers seeking to reform licensure in ways that better reflect real-world competency and expand access to the legal profession, while preserving rigor in assessment of competence.

"States are actively rethinking how we license lawyers, and it's imperative that these efforts are grounded in rigorous, independent data," said Logan Cornett, IAALS Director of Research, Legal Education & Licensure and project lead. "Our study is designed to give stakeholders the information they need to make informed, impactful decisions."

The final report is expected in late 2026, with ongoing stakeholder engagement and public updates throughout the project. For more information and updates, visit the project page.