IRVINE, Calif. (June 2, 2025) — Mary Basick, Assistant Dean of Academic Skills at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, was honored with the 2025 Impact Award by the Association of Academic Support Educators (AASE) in recognition of Basick’s tireless advocacy on behalf of bar exam applicants in California. The award was presented on May 21 at the AASE’s annual conference in Boston.
“While it has been hard to witness the California bar exam’s pervasive difficulties, I felt obligated to highlight the issue in an effort to ensure the licensure process is fair and valid,” said Basick. “The legal community has taken note and last week the California Supreme Court published a series of Proposed Amendments to the rules governing the bar exam process and the Committee of Bar Examiners adopted additional scoring remedies for the February 2025 bar takers, which are both welcome steps in the right direction.”
“The UC Irvine Law community congratulates Mary Basick on this well-deserved honor,” said Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law Austen L. Parrish. “Mary’s dedication to student success is palpable in everything she does. Her advocacy around the bar exam reflects her commitment to supporting future lawyers as they enter the profession.”
Basick has been a leading voice calling for transparency and fairness in the wake of serious issues with the administration of the February 2025 California Bar Exam, including concerns about the use of AI-generated questions and widespread technical malfunctions. Her efforts have been widely covered in the legal and national media, including Law.com, ABA Journal, Los Angeles Times, KCAL News, Inc.com, AP, San Francisco Chronicle, KCRA, Daily Journal, MSN, and others.
At the AASE conference, Basick presented a session titled “Mistakes Were Made – Unpacking California’s Bar Exam Disaster and Its Impact,” where she analyzed the exam administration failures and discussed their implications for aspiring lawyers, bar exam reform efforts, and the legal profession at large.
Mary’s dedication to student success is palpable in everything she does. Her advocacy around the bar exam reflects her commitment to supporting future lawyers as they enter the profession.
Austen Parrish
Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law
A nationally recognized expert in academic skills and bar preparation, Basick has authored several best-selling bar preparation books and developed widely adopted curriculum innovations. Her teaching and scholarship have focused on helping all students thrive, especially those from communities historically underrepresented in the legal profession. Her most recent book, Essay Exam Writing for the California Bar Exam, Bar Review Series, 3rd Edition (with Tina Schindler) (Aspen Publishing 2025), was published in April.
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