Sons of Goodman, Miller among 352 passing bar

Monday, Oct. 14, 2002 | 11:15 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court has released the names of 352 prospective lawyers, including the sons of former Gov. Bob Miller and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who have passed the bar examination.

Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, did not pass the examination.

Kenny said her study time for the test was interrupted when University Medical Center's trauma center closed for a period after doctors resigned during the medical malpractice crisis. Kenny, who chairs the hospital board, said she continued attending her bar exam classes, but wasn't able to do any other preparing for the test while working to reopen the trauma center.

"I spent 12 days working on that, which left only 11 to study for the bar ... But it was the right thing to do," Kenny said.

Kenny said she will take the test again next year.

"I'll never give up," she said.

Goodman said he called Kenny when he heard the news.

"So many great lawyers don't make it the first time, some not even the second time," the mayor said. Before tackling the bar, law students need time to study and "you have to be a good test-taker," Goodman said.

Patrice Eichman, director of admissions for the State of Nevada Bar, said that 599 took the examination, meaning the exam had a pass rate of 59 percent.

Among those test-takers were 127 graduates or students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Boyd School of Law, 54 percent of whom passed the test, law school Dean Richard Morgan said.

The 101 first-time takers from UNLV had a slightly better pass rate: 58 percent, Morgan said.

Eichman confirmed that Ross Miller, son of former Gov. Miller, and Eric Goodman, son of the Las Vegas mayor, were among those who successfully completed the examination.

"We're doubly blessed this week, as our eldest son also passed his medical boards," Goodman said Sunday. "We're very, very happy."

Eric Goodman passed the bar while Dr. Oscar Goodman Jr. passed his exams in internal medicine, the mayor said. The doctor is doing cancer research and practicing oncology in New York, Goodman said.

Admission ceremonies into the bar will be held in Las Vegas at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at Artemus Ham Hall at UNLV. A reception will follow at Stallion Mountain Country Club, 5500 E. Flamingo Road.

Admission ceremonies in Reno will be Oct. 30 at the Thompson Federal Building with a reception to follow at the Siena hotel.

Sun reporters

Dan Kulin and Mary Manning contributed to this story.