New Mexico adds supervised-practice path as alternative to bar exam

The New Mexico Supreme Court revealed that, beginning next year, law school graduates may obtain their license by completing a supervised practice portfolio of 675 hours under a qualified attorney or host organization, rather than solely relying on the two-day bar exam. Chief Justice Julie Vargas highlighted that two-thirds of the state’s counties have fewer than one lawyer per 1,000 residents, creating a “legal desert” that the new pathway hopes to alleviate.

Participants will submit a portfolio of their work for review by the Board of Bar Examiners. The traditional exam will still be offered for those who prefer it. With this change, New Mexico becomes the seventh state—following Oregon, Washington, Arizona, South Dakota, Utah and Nevada—to provide an apprenticeship-style alternative to the standard 12-hour test. The reform reflects a broader trend toward practical assessment in legal licensure.