WPCG 3Cq8Ic I|ycmf_``m$в23W9^XA/4QKeTZA~>1LAsq!&ebj[>'GU3/r Z21Ht("$QY΋Ïa;-ogd #U:w % 0:N^ w4& m(?HP LaserJet 4 Plus,,,,,,0,cAZ"Arial RegularX($USUS.,kG' ps='+003|xU  !USUS.,  _TR[A' LegalX3' Letter A' Legal3'TX@ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @*ATNASHVILLE  INRE:PROPOSEDAMENDMENT@__0) R J TORULE21OFSUPREMECOURT@__0)0  NO.01S019901_OT_Ԅ0000980%% RULES@__0)   @. ߈XXORDER #XbX߈k#Ԉ h`  OnJanuary12,1999,theTennesseeBarAssociationfiledapetitioninthis  Courtseekingapprovalofa ProfessionalPracticeSkillsProgramoftransitionallegal  educationfornewadmitteestotheBarandadoptionofanamendmenttoRule21of  theSupremeCourtRulesauthorizingtheprogram.Becausetheproposed ~v amendmentraisedissuesofimportantpublicpolicy,theCourtenteredanorderon J B February1,1999,solicitingresponsestothepetitionfromtheBarandthepublic.The " orderrequestedthatresponsesbefiledintheAppellateCourtClerksofficein #  NashvilleuntilApril30,1999.TheCourtreceivedanumberofthoughtfuland %" constructiveresponsesfromvariouspracticingattorneys,legaleducators,andbar z'r $ associations. F)>"&  Thereafter,onAugust25,1999,thisCourtheardoralarguments,bothin ,%* supportofandinoppositiontothepetitionoftheTennesseeBarAssociation. .',  Followingathoroughreviewoftherecordinthismatter,includingthepetition, B2:+0 theresponsesthereto,andtheargumentsinsupportofandinoppositiontothe 4-2 petition,amajorityofthisCourtconcludesthattheproposedtransitionallegal 5.4 educationprogramshouldbedenied.AlthoughthisCourtagreesthatnewadmittees 706 totheBargenerallyarenotaseffectiveandefficientinthepracticeoflawasmore r9j28 experiencedattorneys,amajorityisnotconvincedthatnewadmittees,byandlarge,  areaslackingincompetenceaspresumedinthepetition.Further,evenassuming  thatmostnewadmitteesareasdeficientasarguedbythepetitioner,amajorityofthis   Courtisconcernedthatthetransitionallegaleducationprogramasproposedwould l d noteffectivelyaddressthosedeficiencies.AmajorityofthisCourtisalsoconcerned 80 abouttheprogramscoststothenewadmittees,theexclusivenatureoftheapproved   providersofthetransitionaleducation,andtheprogramsfailuretoincorporate   objectivemethodsortestingtoinsurethatthoserequiredtoattendthecourseindeed   benefitfromtheinstruction. h`  Basedupontheforegoing,itisORDEREDthatthepetitionoftheTennessee  BarAssociationseekinganamendmenttoRule21oftheSupremeCourtRulesbe,  andherebyis,overruledandthepetitionisdismissed.   JusticesDrowotaandBirchwouldgrantthepetitionfiledbytheTennesseeBar 0 ( AssociationtoamendSupremeCourtRule21torequirea ProfessionalPractice ! SkillsProgramoftransitionallegaleducation.Theyarethereforeshownas #  dissenting. %"  Costsincidenttotheproceedinginthismatteraretaxedtothepetitioner. ,)$"& %򀀀 .',   0      8   WilliamM.Barker,Justice v/n(- Concur: 3,1 Anderson,C.J.andHolder,J. 3,2 Dissent: 5.4 DrowotaandBirch,_J.J._