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Passing the Bar


Depending on which State or jurisdiction you’d like to practice law, admission to the bar requirements may vary. All States require you to pass their written bar examination, and almost all States require you to pass a separate written ethics exam. It’s important that prospective licensed lawyers choose which State they’d like to practice law in wisely. In most cases, if you’d like to practice law in another State, you have to take that State’s bar examination. Rarely can experience and good moral character alone get you admitted into a new States bar because there is no nationwide bar examination. Instead, States individually decide which exams examinees must take to meet their State’s requirements. Exams that a prospective attorney may have to take to pass the bar may include:

  • MBE (Multistate Bar Examination)
  • MEE (Multistate Essay Examination)
  • MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination)
  • MPT (Multistate Performance Test)

In most states, passing the bar requires 3 days of ones time. Usually, one of those days is designated for the MBE, which is given every six months. Most jurisdictions schedule their own exams around these dates. Something to keep in mind about your bar exam is that the entire process is designed to drive you nuts and overwhelm you. Jurisdictions do this on purpose to ‘weed out the weak.’ Try to take one step at a time, relax and don’t panic. There are many different study materials examinees can find ahead of time to study for their bar exam. Online resources is a great place to start, especially your state’s or school’s website. The ABA is another great place to find study materials for each state.

Bar Admission Requirements

In order to obtain a license to practice law, you must meet all requirements set by your State or jurisdictions bar. Generally, the following factors are similar throughout the 50 States when trying to gain admission into the bar. They include:

  • Must be a resident or employed in the State
  • Must have good moral character
  • Must pass a bar examination
  • Must have graduated from an accredited law school

Repeating the Bar Exam

If possible, try to find out what questions you got wrong and start studying there. Determining why you failed can help you understand the situation better. Buying better study material, making flash cards, or getting loved ones to help quiz you can also help your confidence levels. You’re probably feeling nervous, but don’t be. Taking the bar exam the second time around can actually benefit you, as you’re already prepared and know what to expect. Try to get enough sleep the few nights before the exam. Eating properly is also known to help you focus and think clearly. Focus on the positive things, the questions you got correct and build from there. Good Luck!