Migrants passing through the courtroom of the U.S. Detention Center in Port Isabel, Texas, often don’t have lawyers representing them. Texas is among the states that, in an effort to get more lawyers to underserved communities, are considering an alternative pathway for law school graduates to become licensed. (Veronica Gabriela Cardenas | Pool photo via The Associated Press)
PORTLAND, Ore. — Before Bailey McQueeny-Rose attended law school at the University of Oregon, she worked in reproductive health care, first as a medical assistant and then as a trainer, teaching others to do the same job. The work opened her eyes to how access to health care differed based on the laws in the six states where she oversaw training, and she began to consider becoming a civil rights lawyer.
She’d planned to take the bar exam after law school, but in late 2023, Oregon began offering graduates an alternative pathway to practicing law. Instead of sitting for the multiday bar exam, which most states offer twice a year, new graduates can be admitted to practice in Oregon through on-the-job training.