September 10, 2004

Raising the Bar

By KATHERINE S. MANGAN

States impose tougher law-exam standards to get better lawyers, but critics say fewer minority students will pass

Koinonia M. Givens is looking forward to joining the very few black lawyers practicing in Florida. But first she will have to meet the new, tougher standard of the Florida bar exam.

Over the past two years, the Florida Supreme Court has raised the score needed to pass the state bar exam from 131 to 136 out of 200. The court approved the two-stage increase -- to

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