In the wake of a historic blizzard that blanketed the Northeast with over two feet of snow, resulting in 10,000 canceled flights and unprecedented travel disruptions, the response from bar examiners to the plight of examinees has sparked outrage and disbelief. Amidst the chaos, the New York Bar Exam officials informed candidates via a succinct voicemail that failure to appear due to weather-related travel complications would result in them being marked as withdrawn from the examination.

The lack of empathy didn't end there. At the Capital Center in Albany, test takers reported being abruptly ushered out into the storm-ravaged streets merely ten minutes after completing their exams, facing the bitter cold without the availability of transportation services like Uber. The ordeal for those who could attend contrasts starkly with the frustration of those still stranded, waiting for flights to be rescheduled.

Across the river in New Jersey, a seemingly considerate decision to delay the start of the exam by two and a half hours fell short of expectations. The delay did little to alleviate the unsafe road conditions or assist those struggling to dig out their vehicles in time for the exam. One distressed candidate shared their concerns on Reddit, voicing the inadequacy of the delay given the severe weather conditions and the lack of public transportation operating normally.

Further complicating matters in New Jersey, some examinees who managed to arrive at the testing center after the delayed start faced additional hours of waiting—not due to weather, but because the delivery truck carrying the test sheets was also delayed by the storm.

These incidents underscore a broader issue with the administration of the bar exam, which seems to prioritize rigid adherence to protocol over the genuine difficulties faced by examinees. This approach not only disregards the extreme weather conditions but also overlooks the potential impact on the mental and physical well-being of the candidates, who are, after all, future professionals of the legal industry.

As the bar exam continues amidst these challenging circumstances, the affected examinees and the broader legal community await actions that might restore faith in the fairness and humanity of the bar examination process. Meanwhile, the stories of those affected continue to emerge, painting a picture of an ordeal that could perhaps have been mitigated with more thoughtful and compassionate planning.