Missouri bar-passer rate increases | List of bar passers

Despite taking the exam under extreme conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, those who sat for the Missouri Bar exam in July passed at a greater rate than those the prior year, and with higher MBE and essay scores.

Overall, slightly more than 84 percent of test-takers, or 507 of the 602 people who took the test, passed the exam held in July, according to statistics released by the Board of Law Examiners on Sept. 16. That was a marked increase from the 78 percent pass rate in the July 2019 exam.

Also, compared to 2019, the July test takers had higher average MBE scores and higher average essay scores. The average MBE was 144.8, compared to 141.6 in 2019. The average essay score was also 144.8, compared to 141.5 the previous year.

A total of 602 people took the test, which was a significant drop from the 672 who took the test in 2019, and 641 in 2018.

The decision to hold the exam was controversial. Prior to the exam, the deans of all four Missouri law schools wrote a letter urging the Missouri Supreme Court to not hold an in-person exam, citing concerns about the pandemic.

Additionally, a group of nearly 300 people, including recent graduates, Missouri law school officials and practicing lawyers, signed a letter advocating for a one-time “diploma privilege” that would do away with the need for those registered in July to take the bar exam.

The court declined to cancel the exam, saying it was necessary to protect the integrity of the profession and members of the public.

In his speech at The Missouri Bar Annual Meeting earlier in the day, Supreme Court Chief Justice George W. Draper III said there were no reports of COVID-19 cases resulting from the test.

“I congratulate all those who took the July bar exam under the most unusual and stressful conditions,” Draper said.

Wanda Temm, director of bar services for the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, said the July cohort “was faced with an unprecedented season of bar prep.”

She said the pandemic and having to complete bar preparation entirely online exponentially increased test-takers’ stress beyond the normal bar-related level.

“Add in there almost every other day in July, the news of other states postponing their exam [or announcing they would allow] diploma privilege, which was quite distracting,” she said. “To have Missouri results as good as almost every [prior exam] administration is really saying a lot for Missouri students. I think they’ve done really well.”

University of Missouri School of Law Dean Lyrissa Lidsky said she is “thrilled and, frankly, relieved,” to see the results.

“I’m concerned about the legal market the graduates are entering right now, so it’s especially good that they can have their licenses, get sworn in, and get out there and start working,” she said.

She attributed Mizzou’s pass rate of 96.8 percent in part to a new program to support graduates as they take the bar exam.

“I also know they worked really, really hard,” she said.

Enrollment ceremonies for individuals who have passed the exam and met all other requirements for admission to the bar are set for Sept. 25.

An outdoor ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on the southeast lawn of the Missouri State Capitol Building. Attendees will be required to wear masks. A separate virtual ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. that day.

List of July 2020 Missouri bar exam passers

A

Accardi, Callista R.

Accardi, Max Carlson

Adams, Henry

Adrian, Allysen Claire

Afrassiab , Zaina Seddigheh Harrison

Agostini, Adam James

Ahal, Stephen Dennis

Alexander, Alyssa Breann

Allen, Alexis Marie

Amick, Mollie Wallace

Apfel, Gary Matthew

Armstrong, Blake Ryan

Armstrong, Nicolette Rodriguez

Arri, Taylor Michelle

Ash, Christopher Shane

Attias, Annabelle Danielle

Awan, Shehmin Suhail

B

Bachrach, Abigail

Bailey, Alexander Warren

Baker, Ashley

Baker, Malika

Baker, Timothy Haskell II

Balbes, Alexander James

Balfour, Abigail Williams

Barbiea-Li, Jingbang

Bartsch, Otto Matthew

Baumgart, Joshua

Beck, Carolina Catherine

Bedell, Christopher Jerard

Bedford, Hannah Elizabeth

Belmonte, Holly

Bement, Brendan Matthew

Bene, Michael

Benson, Quinn Patrick

Berger, Katherine E.

Bergstresser, John Andrew

Berning, Grant

Bieniek, Christopher

Bilyeu, Brad Patrick

Bira, Benjamin

Birkinsha, Andrew

Bishop, Brooke Monet

Blair, Daniel Ryan

Blakey, Delaney

Bock, Madison Elaine

Bohannan, Kenneth William

Borella, Nicholas Charles

Boston, Jennifer

Bracken, Mason David

Brandes, Kelsey Louise

Brazdeikyte, Berta

Brenner, Daniel Patrick

Bridge, Lauren

Briggs, Brittany Lauren

Britt, Dakota

Brooks, Alexandra

Bross, Kevin Stewart

Brown, Madeline Lu

Buchmiller, Rhett Michael

Buckner, Clayton Tyndale

Buettgenbach, Tanya Joyce

Burroughs, Timothy Edward Wilson

Butler, Ryan

C

Capps, Charles Frederick

Carosello, Patrick J.

Carper, Grant William

Carroll, Nathan Alexander

Carter, Anne Meredith

Carter, Christopher Anthony

Caverly, Isaac Thomas

Champion, Brian Edward

Chappeau, Onalee Rose Yousey

Charles, Rebecca Marie

Chen, Yiying

Chin, Lillian Alexandra

Cho, Joyce

Clark, Christopher

Clark, Rachel

Clite, Aaron Nathaniel

Coffman, Jacqueline Kiley

Connelly, Sean Peter

Connolly, Madison Ann

Cook, Kylie Renee

Copeland, Brad

Cowling, Kevin Delaney

Cox, Marc Allen

Crawford, Margarete Elizabeth Lamons

Crawford, Michael Todd II

D

Danner, Matthew Shane

Dantzler, Denise

Daoud, Maysa Hassan

David, Stefon Jeffrey

Davis, Kimara

Day, Griffin Van Buren

DeClue, Melissa Lauren

DeJoode, Zachary Michael

Devers, Evan Trimble

Diaz, Connor

Dickerson, Andrew Richard

Dietrich, Ashton Kathleen

Dobard, Olivia Claire

Dolan, Erica Jean

Donaldson, Emily Victoria

Dowd, Clayton Lawrence

Dowell, Sydney Lauren

Dunker, William Frederick Henry

Dunn, Mary Ann

Durham, Michael Rene

Dwyer, Aubrey Marie

Dwyer, Tyler

E

Earll, Brian

Eberhardt, Charles Stephen III

Eder, Jenilee Viola

Eggleston, Elizabeth Chandler

Eichhorn, Francine Catherine

Elder, Megan

Elliott, Samuel Francis

Ellis, Elizabeth

Embrey, Shameeza Shamie

Endsley, Eric

Epsten, Michael McCollum

Ernst, Sarah Elizabeth

Escobar, Christopher James

Esposito, John Stephen

Essma, Michael Joseph

Estornell, Jake Dalton

Exposito, Jonathan Broc

Ezell, Dillon Robert

F

Farris, Kasey

Fears, Nicholas Raymond

Felzien, Slater

Ferguson, Deionna Estera

Fernandez, Kristopher

Findley, Joseph

Fink, Elizabeth Hope

Fiske, Jocelyn Baldwin

Fitzgerald, Amber

Fitzgerald, Stephanie Leigh

Flores, Teresa Christine

Freeman, Aaron William

G

Gacanich, Mirjana K.

Gaddis, Lowell Ross

Gamble, Benjamin

Garcia, Kyle Louis

Garvey, Colleen Elizabeth

Gass, Alexander William

Gavlick, Remi Lynne

Geders, Alyssa LeeAnn

Geiger, Emma R.

Gerwitz, Marisa C.

Gilmore, Lindsay

Gipson, Brook D’lin

Gliklad, Kristina Alexandra

Gottsacker, Jessica Alexandra

Green, Austin William

Gregory, Colin Terence

Gregory, Kaleb Duane

Groeller, Thomas Robert

Grohs, JoEllen

Groves, Rachel Carmen

Guy, Alec Douglas

Guye, Helena Marie

H

Hackett, Jason Christopher

Hall, Danielle Rose

Hamilton, Riley Patrick

Hamilton, Tyler James

Hansen, Robert

Harden, Kirstin

Harden, Michael Joseph

Hart, Amanda Rene

Harvey, Robin

Hasic, Najla

Haskins, Lauren Hunter

Hatfield, Blake Edward

Hayes, Augustus T.

Heili, Matthew James

Hennessy, Michaeli Miracle

Hepler, Morgan Patrick

Herron, Andrea Caroline

Hershberger, David Lee

Hinkle, Joshua Caleb

Hirsch, Mary

Hodge, Kourtney Brianne

Hoehn, Travis Dean

Hoemeyer, John

Hoffman, Richard

Hogan, Virginia Madeline

Holden, John D.

Hosterman, Montanna

Hotujac, Marissa

Houston, Brenna Noel

Howell, Joshua Ben

Hughs, Joseph Aaron

Hunt, Caleb

Hutcheson, Alexis Marie

I

Idicula, Isaac Abraham

Imburgia, Joseph Francis

Intagliata, Gabrielle Haley

J

Jaffri, Shajiah

James, Jack William

Johnson, Lance

Johnson, Martina Eva

Johnson, Sydney Kathleen

Johnston, Cassidy

Joyce, Emily

Jurgiel, Ryan James

K

Kantchev, Alexander

Kapolis, Alicia Rose

Kappelman, Brianna Renee

Kaufman, Matthew Alexander

Kavanaugh, Haley Marie

Kelly, Ryan Patrick

Kentch-Herbek, Erica Lynn

Kernell, James Wyatt

Kerns, Brandon Dwight

Kilburn, Fluffy Alexis

Kime, Ryan James

Kinnaw, Eric Patrick

Kirksey, Tanner Addison

Kittilstad, Eleanor Grace

Klar, Brandon Jacob

Klaus, Kathrine Ann

Knudsen, Maxwell Lewis

Koelsch, Shannon Mary

Kong, Brian Inbae

Kramer, Anthony Christopher Jr.

Kramer, Dana

Krause, Kyle P.

Kurdi, Jordan Kristine

Kusmer, Jennifer Marie

Kusnerick, Jason

L

Lanagan, Kathleen Marie

Landman, Hayley Nicole

Langrehr, Zachary Walter

Laytham, Adam Scott

LeCompte, James William III

Lee, Abbey

Level, Madeline

Locke, Holly F.

Long, Brett

Long, Katesha Denise

Lotspeich, Amanda Sue

Lucero, Fabian

Luedecke, Nicholas Jerome

Luisetti, Nicholas

Lustman, Hannah Rae

Luton, Matthew Davis

Lyu, Cheng

M

Mace, Alexander Edward

Mace, Gina Marie

Maddock, David F.

Mader-Twillmann, Corri Rae

Maerz, Mary Elizabeth

Mank, Kylie Paige

Mariani, Alysia Grace

Mason, Kevin R.

Mattoon, Kylee Rae

Mayes, Ryan

McAreavy, McKenna Layne

McCarty, Charles Parker

McCrae-Coley, Tammy Charlamagne

McCruden, Theresa Clare

McDowell, Garrett Scott

McManus, Sean Conor

McPherson, Arielle Brionne

Meagher-Manson, Austin

Meglan, Daniel Charles

Mehdirad, Adrian Sam

Meidl-McWhorter, Katelynn Ann

Merritt, Jeffrey Jason

Meyer, Shawn Anthony

Meyer, Zachary William

Middlebrooks, Madeline

Middleton, Lydia Michelle

Miller, Abigail Lauren

Miller, Samuel Edward

Moll, Quinlan Braden

Morina, Greta

Mosely, Darius M.

Moulton, Joseph

Mujanovic, Selma

N

Nelson, Wyatt Randall

Neuhaus, Caitlin Elizabeth

Nicholas, Charlotte

North, Rachel

Nweke, Martha Onyinyechukwu

O

O’Connor, Robert Michael

Odigwe, Ijeoma

Ogurkiewicz, Natalia A.

Ojeniyi, Lola

Osborn, Thomas Harold

P

Palmer, Rachael Elyse

Parker, Alexander Scott

Parkinson, Robyn Lane

Patel, Raj Larry-Bharat

Patterson, Samantha Rae

Patton, Lorren

Peppard, Tomei Oretha

Peters, Alisha Christine

Pettet, Fawn Lindsey

Pfeiffer, Ava Louise

Phillips, Luke Timothy

Pipes, John Michael

Pluviose-Philip, Wesley Joshua

Podleski, Anna Makenzie

Pool, Matthew Avery

Pottberg, Amy M.

Powers, Joshua Daniel

Prather, Summer

Propst, Michael John

Prosser, Heidee Kristine

Pruitt, Shelby

R

Rader, Shane Clinton

Re, Cassidy Brianne

Redeemer, Gianna Irene

Reed, Miles Michely

Reinhardt, Alyssa

Reinhardt, Jordan

Rempe, Shannon K.

Resnik, Taylor Rae

Rieth, Sarah Lynn

Rizzo, Natalie A.

Roberts, Michael Victor Jr.

Rockers, Joshua John

Rolfes, Tanner C.

Ronnebaum, Blake Andrew

Rosenblum, Reed Jordan

Rosenthal, Harrison Michael

Ross, Emily Ruth

Rowan, Michael Edward

Ryan, Lynn

Ryan, Tyler

S

Sabates, Kelly Marie

Salazar, Joseph Hijinio

Salisbury, Tate

Salter, Robert Brandon

Salvator, Piper Mary

Sanchez, Hannah Taylor

Sanders, James Charles II

Scheidker, Matthew Steven

Scherer, Ethan Gerard

Schwend, Scott Patrick

Scoggin, Allison M.

Scott, Jaden Frances Arlie

Scott, Michael Ryan

Sears, David Ward

Selig, Thomas Roman

Shanes, Shoshanah Mae

Short, Meredith

Shuler, Kayleigh S.

Siefkas, Caleb

Sievers, Alexandra Suzanne

Silvey, Madison Louise

Simmon, Robert Eagle

Skocy, Gregory Scott

Sloan, Kaylee Elyzabeth

Slovikoski, Nicholas David

Smith, Arin Hillary

Smith, James Larkin

Smith, Kyle Patrick

Smith, Lauren Elizabeth

Smith, Ryan Stanley

Smith, Saundra Winn

Solomon, Kayla Isabelle

Solomon, Mekebib Teferra

Sosnoff, Connor Melvin

Sovich, Clifford Joseph

Spalding, Margaret Caroline

St. John, Katie Elizabeth

Stepp, Devin Michael

Stewart, Emma Galen

Stilley, Hannah T.

Sullivan, Evan James

Summerville, Kyle Wayne

Sumners, Taylon McCafferty

Sweeney, Lillian Marie

Swinger, Aaron Lynn

Sword, Megan

T

Tahan, Paul Joseph

Tarnock, Sarah Rose

Taylor, Christian

Taylor, Grace Katherine

Taylor, Jordan Scott

Tehrani, Bryan

Thomas, Ellen Antonia

Thomas, Samuel Brewster

Thompson, Elizabeth Ann

Thompson , Kylie Alissa

Thompson, Taylor Matthew

Todd, Kevin Andrew

Toennies, Jonah

Tomey, Kathryn Elizabeth

Tyler, Jackson Clay

V

Van Becelaere, Derek Michael

Vandiver, Ashley Nicole

Varenhorst, Benjamin P.

Vojas, Katherine Lynne Hubbard

Vysotsky, Paul

W

Walker, Lindsey Muse

Walters, Rachel

Warden, Renee Christine

Waterman, Mary Rachel

Waters, Emily Butler

Watkins, Tony Calvin III

Watts, Andrew Douglas

Waughn, Casey Elizabeth

Wayman, Matthew Garth

Weber, Brett Anthony

Weinstock, Katherine Jane

Weiss, Holly Rachel

Welde, Madison

Wells, Robert Bruce Grayson Kent

West, Brock Jordan

Weyhofen, Cody

White, Peter K.

Wieprecht, Trevor Stephen

Wiggley, Alexis

Wilkerson, James Zak

Wille, Paul Martin

Williamson, Shawn

Willis, William J.

Wimmer, Allie

Winter, Zachary Miller

Withiam-Leitch, Matthew Frank

Woods, Wells Matthew

Worsham, Sabrina L.

Y

Yaw, Mackenzie Ann

Young, Allison

Young, Erica

Z

Zender, Rachel Anne

Zima, Daniel Zachary

Zoelzer Chad William