My brother’s fiancé is going to take the Illinois Bar Exam which is currently scheduled to be taken in-person, inside, in a big conference hall in downtown Chicago. While Mayor Lightfoot has enacted strong leadership in our city during the crisis, the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar recently stated they plan to move ahead with administering the Bar in person this September.

The exam will bring hundreds — possibly thousands — of people together to take an exam indoors over a two-day period. We feel this is incredibly dangerous as we now know that the virus easily spreads between people who are indoors over a long period of time. The administration of this test goes against every guideline from the mayor’s office and exceeds the limit of 50-person gatherings as outlined in the governor’s five-stage plan. And they’re even requiring people to sign a waiver saying they accept the risk of COVID by taking the test.

After emailing the mayor, we’re now trying to help spread the word. We're sure this problem extends to every Bar Association across the country, and we encourage you to contact your state Bar Associations regarding this health crisis. Together, we can help save lives.