The Bar Exam Application Process: Nuts & Bolts Overview
Navigating the bar exam application process involves crucial steps such as determining which state to take the exam in, identifying application deadlines, understanding state-specific licensing requirements, meeting key deadlines, and passing character and fitness reviews. This comprehensive guide provides insights into the essential requirements and practical considerations for aspiring lawyers preparing to sit for the bar exam.
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NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE BAR EXAM 2022 Duke Law School
OVERVIEW OF TODAY Introduction Lewis Hutchison Nuts & Bolts Meredith Chilausky, Bethan Eynon, and James Lambert Character & Fitness Issues Lewis Hutchison
WHATS THE FIRST STEP IN APPLYING FOR THE BAR EXAM? In which state you will take the bar. If you do not yet know, consult with your If you do not yet know, consult with your Career Counselor to identify 2 Career Counselor to identify 2- -3 likely states for now and follow all closely. for now and follow all closely. Identify the application deadlines for your state(s). Understand your state s licensing requirements. Directory of state bar examiners http://www.ncbex.org List on home page 3 likely states
SOME APPLICATION DEADLINES General Application deadlines for the Top 5 jurisdictions chosen by Duke students: New York April 1st-30th, 2022 North Carolina January 4th, 2022 California April 2022 Texas February 1st, 2022 Illinois February 1st - 15th, 2022 Washington D.C. Likely May (will have a window open in May, similar to NY - no late period) - Specific dates not yet posted Latest Deadline and great option for students who are undecided on jurisdiction There may be separate, later deadlines for specific forms. Dean s Certificates/Law School Certificates/Character & Fitness Certificates usually due after graduation, but before Exam in July.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO THE BAR 1. Complete required forms It is student s responsibility to bring forms to Meredith Chilausky (the jurisdiction will NOT communicate with, or send forms to the Law School only with the applicant) 2. Passing the Bar Exam (2 or 3 separate tests) MPRE (Coming up!) MBE (part of the UBE AND State Bar Exams-Day 2) MEE + MPT (UBE States) OR OR State-Specific Essay Exam 3. Fulfilling additional state specific requirements Course of Study on State Law (like a CLE with online video and quizzes) State Specific Exam (NY) 4. Passing the character and fitness review
ADMISSION TO THE BAR Regulated by each state Each state governs the score that is required to pass for their state UBE scores needed to pass range from 260 - 280 Law degree, good moral character, and passage of a bar examination Bar exams are administered by state bar admission authorities (Board of Bar/Law Examiners) Reciprocity is limited and state specific
OVERVIEW OF A BAR EXAM Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) 2-day Bar Exam: Day 1: Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) or State- Specific Essay Exam UBE = Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) and Multistate Performance Test (MPT) Day 2: Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) 200 multiple choice questions State-specific online course and exam
PREPARING FOR THE BAR You are responsible for your bar admission, You are responsible for your bar admission, including (1) the application and (2) bar study. including (1) the application and (2) bar study. The main test is held annually on a Tuesday and Wednesday at the end of July (and February). There are deadlines within deadlines and potential delays in obtaining information needed map these out for your jurisdiction(s) now. EX: Driving Records and Birth Certificates There are late deadlines, but no exceptions.
BAR EXAM COSTS Application Fees* Approx. $1,000 regardless of jurisdiction There are also late submission fees (but still a hard deadline!) Bar Study Course Fees* All three major courses offer GPI-related discounts A Note About Bar Study Loans: These are private unsecured loans meant to cover the cost of your living and bar expenses after graduation. They can have extremely high interest rates. For more information, please refer to the Financial Aid Office. *Private sector employers may subsidize these costs; GPI employers are extremely unlikely to be able to subsidize.
BAR EXAM STUDY *Duke Law does not endorse any *Duke Law does not endorse any bar course companies* bar course companies* Most students opt to enroll in a commercial bar course if sitting in July, these begin in May after graduation and end just before the bar Three Options: Barbri, Kaplan, and Themis Courses are usually taken on-site (often in a local law school classroom), remotely, or both Reach out directly to each company for details and deadlines these are separate deadlines from bar application deadlines
BAR COURSE GPI DISCOUNTS Headed to the Private Sector: This is for you, too! Two options: (1) GPI Scholarships, (2) Firm/GPI Matches Kaplan and Themis offer completely free courses to GPI students who match with students headed to a firm! DBA has a matching program - reach out to sign up You do not need a job offer to demonstrate commitment this is done via statement of intent, resume reflecting GPI focus (including the PIPS Certificate), or job offer letter as applicable.
BAR COURSE GPI DISCOUNTS (CONTD) Scholarships (Barbri, Kaplan, Themis) $700-$800 off full price depending on the company Must apply by a certain date (usually in the Spring but check) Must make a $200-300 deposit to secure the rate and cover nonrefundable shipping and refundable materials deposit May include contractual agreement/not cancelable Firm/GPI Student Matches (Kaplan, Themis) May be able to match retroactively when in doubt ask! Firms do not find out/are not affected by this arrangement no risk to the firm-bound student to sponsor a GPI classmate GPI student still covers nonrefundable shipping fee and refundable materials deposit
DUKE-SPECIFIC SUPPORT PILF Bar Grants for GPI Students Must complete 15 hours of service* (*At least 6 hours through a Duke Law pro bono project) Must have a demonstrated commitment to a GPI career immediately after graduation or clerkship A job offer is not expected nor necessary Can be used to cover any bar-related expenses Including bar application and course fees and living expenses during the bar study period Applications open mid-Spring and will be due mid- April 2022
THE MULTISTATE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY EXAM (MPRE) The MPRE (Ethics Exam) is a prerequisite to being admitted to practice in every state except for Wisconsin. Offered 3 times per year in November, March, and August. Please Note: Some states require you to take the MPRE BEFORE taking the rest of the Bar, so be sure to check your jurisdiction's requirements. March MPRE Filing Deadline: Regular Receipt Deadline January 21, 2022 ($150) Examination Date March 23 or 24, 2022
THE BAR EXAM MBE MBE Subjects The BIG 7 Civil Procedure, Contracts, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Torts, & Real Property 25 questions on each the remaining 25 are test questions that are not scored MEE MEE Essay Subjects (in addition to the Big 7) Business Associations (Partnerships, Agency, Corporations) Conflicts of Law Family Law UCC Article 9 (Secured Transactions) Trusts & Estates MPT Lawyerly skills (closed universe, not a test of substantive law) UBE: The UBE consists of the MBE, MEE, and MPT. States not offering the UBE will still use the MBE (except Louisiana) and may use the MPT, but will typically offer their own essay questions. Note: No Professional Responsibility or Ethics on the UBE (MPRE is the substitute), BUT, usually a separate section on state bar exams
NEW YORK AND ITS COMPONENTS 1. MPRE October/March/August 2. Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) (2 days) 3. New York Law Course (NYLC) & New York Law Exam (NYLE) NYLC: ~17 hours of video-taped lectures available any time online (up to one year before until three year after UBE) NYLE: Offered four times per year; can take up to a year before and three years after UBE; 50-item, two hour, open-book, multiple-choice test (administered online). Register after you complete the NYLC. Upcoming dates: Dec. 16, 2021; March 10, 2022; June 16, 2022; September 22, 2022
NEW YORK AND ITS COMPONENTS CONT D 4. 520.18 Skills Competency Requirement for Admission There are multiple pathways for meeting this requirements. JD students graduating in May 2021 or later typically will be certified under Pathway 1. Click here to review Duke Law s Pathway 1 plan.
2. STATE-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT NEW YORK STATE PRO BONO 50-Hour Pro Bono Requirement prior to Admission applicants . . . must demonstrate they have performed 50 hours of qualifying pro bono service before applying for admission to practice. law-related , supervision , Form Affidavit of Compliance and certification Students Complete 50 Hours of Pro Bono Through Clinics, externships or summer internships Attorney-supervised pro bono projects Other Key Points Can fulfill the hours with more than one project. NB: Must have ORIGINAL signed affidavit. Work may be done post-graduation but before applying for Admission.
CHARACTER & FITNESS Working with the Law School on Character & Fitness Issues Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Lewis Hutchison
CHARACTER & FITNESS Law School Application Questions 1. Have you ever been placed on academic probation or received a warning at any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school for poor academic performance, under enrollment, or other reasons related to satisfactory academic progress? Yes No 2. Have you ever been warned, dropped, suspended, placed on disciplinary probation, disciplined, expelled, requested or advised to resign from any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school? Yes No 3. Have you ever (i) been arrested, charged or cited for a crime or (ii) been convicted of any offense other than a minor traffic violation? You are not required to report any matter that has been expunged by a court of law. Yes No
CHARACTER & FITNESS Law School Application Questions Have you ever been: Arrested? Charged for a crime? Cited for a crime? or Convicted of any offense (other than a minor traffic violation?) You are not required to report any matter that has been expunged by a court of law.
CHARACTER & FITNESS Law School Application Questions What is a minor traffic violation? Speeding Parking It is not: DUI Careless or reckless driving (speeding over 80 mph)
CHARACTER & FITNESS Law School Application Addendum If you need to add an arrest, charge, or citation to your file, email me, in PDF format, a request to add this information to your file. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL LATE IN THE SPRING TO DO THIS.
CHARACTER & FITNESS Law School Application Addendum The information you send should include: 1. A request to add this material to your file. 2. Tell us why you did not disclose it in your application. 3. Tell us what happened. (How you arrived in this situation.) 4. What was the original charge? 5. What was the final charge? 6. What was the final disposition of the matter? 7. Any additional information.
INFORMATION AND RESOURCES Before making an appointment do your research! http://www.ncbex.org https://law.duke.edu /academics/barappli cation/ https://law.duke.edu /academics/barappli cation/newyorkbar/
NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE BAR EXAM 2022 Duke Law School
