Supervised Practice Portfolio Examination Offers Alternative to the Bar Exam
Lewis & Clark Law grads now have an alternative pathway to licensure from the Uniform Bar Examination: the Oregon Supervised Practice Portfolio Examination (SPPE).
Beth Sethi, a 2024 graduate, is one of the first to take advantage of the SPPE. “I feel so lucky to have this option,” says Sethi. “I went to law school to be an immigration attorney, and being able to get right to work rather than spend several months studying for the Bar feels like a gift. My employer (an immigration law attorney) was willing to take this route because I had already worked for him for 18 months. He already knew what kind of work product I produce and that we work well together.”
Sethi adds, “Immigration law is not tested on the bar exam, and neither are many of the skills required to be an immigration attorney, such as highly specialized legal research and writing, representing clients in court, and counseling clients. Furthermore, this pathway is perfect for me because immigration law is a federal practice and I can practice in immigration court anywhere in the country with my Oregon license.”
Lewis & Clark Law grads now have an alternative pathway to licensure from the Uniform Bar Examination: the Oregon Supervised Practice Portfolio Examination (SPPE). Applicants on the SPPE track must commit to practicing for 675 hours under the supervision of a licensed Oregon attorney and have a portfolio of their work assessed for competence by the Board of Bar Examiners. Attorneys satisfying the SPPE requirements can practice in Oregon.
This is the culmination of three years of work and collaboration between the Oregon State Bar Board of Bar Examiners, practicing attorneys in Oregon, the Oregon bench, Oregon law schools, and national leaders including IAALS (Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System) and the NCBE (National Conference of Bar Examiners).
A number of Lewis & Clark faculty and administrators led this movement, including Interim Dean John Parry, Associate Dean Libby Davis, former Assistant Dean of Career Services Devra Hermosilla, Advocacy Center Director Jo Perini-Abbott, and professors Sandy Patrick and Tung Yin.
“There was unanimous support for this program from all the stakeholders including the Oregon Supreme Court, the Board of Bar Examiners, the licensure reform committee, and the advisory group that was made up of over 50 practicing lawyers, judges, and members of the legal community,” said Professor Perini-Abbott. She co-chaired the Oregon State Bar Task Force that designed the SPPE. “The SPPE is at least as rigorous as studying for, and taking, the traditional bar exam.”
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