The 1979 Session of the Virginia General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution No. 126, which requests the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council to study the effects on the citizens of this Commonwealth of permitting a person to take the examination for admission to the Bar after studying law for three years in the office of a licensed attorney, under § 54-62(2) of the Code of Virginia. The Resolution also charges the Council to recommend to the Assembly whether § 54-62(2) should be retained, amended or repealed.

The Council appointed the following persons to the committee to conduct the study: Delegate George E. Allen, Jr., of Richmond, Chairman; Delegate C. Hardaway Marks, of Hopewell; Delegate A. L. Philpott, of Bassett; Senator Joseph V. Gartlan, Jr., of Fairfax; Senator Elliot S. Schewel, of Lynchburg; Senator Lawrence Douglas Wilder, of Richmond; Dean Emerson G. Spies, of the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville; Dean Thomas A. Edmonds, of the T. C. William£ School of Law in Richmond; Dean William B. Spong, of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law in Williamsburg; Dean Roy L. Steinheimer, Jr., of the Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington; Dr. George M. Modlin, Chancellor of the University of Richmond; Dr. Calvin M. Miller, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Virginia State University; Dr. Richard S. Vacca, of Richmond; Mrs. Deborah W. Witcher of Richmond; Mr. Edward G. Kidd, Clerk of the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond, Division I; Mr. Vernon C. Womack, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Prince Edward County in Farmville. The Committee above, pursuant to Section 13 of the Standing Policies and Procedures of the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council, adopted January 4, 1978, filed its report with the Council in December, 1979. This Report was adopted by the Council in January, 1980.