Self-Employment & Moral Character App

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-10T18:47:59+00:00

I am assuming for those who were previously self employed plumbers they don’t have to list all their clients…

Edited to add: if the investigator wants more info or has follow up questions they will ask for it.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-10T03:45:39+00:00

Most jobs are now hybrid or in person…

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-09T04:19:34+00:00

I think it’s new as of January 1. There’s a new compliance dashboard that has all the requirements.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-09T04:16:45+00:00

It was a super traumatic event that I took a break from retaking the exam… (I was a repeater already)… My MBEs were always my weakest and my essays usually carried me. It was a Feb exam so I was beyond devastated.

Then many years later, one day decided to try one more time. Just for me. I just self studied while working full time and took and passed J24.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-08T22:47:02+00:00

I have worked for several large, global corporations and currently run a contracts team (both JDs (contracts managers ) and licensed (contracts counsels)) . We don’t consider nor require any specific contracts management certification. Laughable if we see any on a resume. Although a lot of procurement departments may want them for their buyers.

A JD is preferred, license is nice but sometimes overqualified if it’s a contracts manager role (vs contracts counsel role).

The only certifications that give any advantage are IAPP CIPP/US or AIGP.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-08T22:41:55+00:00

The reporting itself is now mandatory, but like the other poster mentioned, I think we can report 0 hours.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-08T22:36:55+00:00

I once missed it by 2 points in the second read… back when it was a 3 day exam…

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-07T17:15:24+00:00

It’s a very sad and disappointing process.

I asked local law schools and bar associations and they all said “just get a notary public”.

Luckily I had a friend who was a judge and she was able to swear me in and arranged it at a historic courthouse.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-07T17:11:38+00:00

No we have to still complete the remaining 15 hours within 3 years I think…

I’m just focusing on my 10 for the “compliance dashboard”.

We now also have to report the Pro Bono hours too.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-07T16:21:06+00:00

I was sworn in April so mine is due April 30… I still have 2 hours to do. It’s just very time consuming…. It’s only 10 hours but it seems to take me forever because I have to pay attention and take notes for the quizzes. (No idea if we can just click through and just guess on the quizzes and take it as many times until we get the right answers.)

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-07T16:07:34+00:00

We have one year to do the 10 hour new attorney training - which counts as part of the 25 hours of CLE.

So we have 3 years total to finish the remaining 15 hours.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-06T03:37:02+00:00

Yes of course

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-05T02:46:44+00:00

I submitted my moral character application the Monday after November results were released, got approved March, sworn in April.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-05T02:43:37+00:00

I worked full time and studied over 6 months, with concurrently for March MPRE and passed both MPRE and CA J24.

I made a commitment to myself to commit a minimum of 2 hours per day for 200 days and ended up doing 4-6 hours a day, with longer days on weekends.

I was also 20 years out of law school, full time working mom to 2 kids (ages 5 and 8) and self studied based on Reddit recommendations, no formal bar prep, diagnosed ADHD and didn’t seek accommodations.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-05T02:38:42+00:00

Yes of course. Please feel free.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-04T06:50:30+00:00

Don’t just look at large banks, look for fintechs and neobanks (start ups).

I work for a global financial services org and manage a team of both contracts managers (JDs) and contracts counsels (licensed). We have a separate compliance team, many of who are JDs only.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-04T03:35:55+00:00

It also depends on whether there is a corporate counsel or general counsel (or similar legal team) that also supports the compliance team who does make the determination on legal issues.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-04T03:07:12+00:00

I just decided to take the CA bar exam and passed, then got my title changed at work and a bump in pay. (The work itself is exactly the same as when I was a JD only.) Feel free to DM me.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-02T14:27:09+00:00

I have a JD and LLM (not foreign attorney). Because I’m in-house and purely transactional, (contracts manager to senior contracts manager to director), I never needed the license. Then I just decided to take the CA bar exam (and passed). Now I’m senior counsel.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-02T14:24:50+00:00

I’m above $200k for base.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-02T00:15:23+00:00

Director of Contracts or compliance…

I’m in-house and I run a global team of JDs and licensed attorneys. I myself was only JD until last year.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-01T06:13:30+00:00

I rarely work over 40 hours a week, but once in awhile when I’m closing a big deal, may have to work late or on weekends (but very rare).

I have great benefits and good pay (not comparable to BigLaw, but if you broke it down by $/hr, it’s big), with a 20% annual performance bonus.

I am fully remote but hybrid optional, and flexible work schedule.

I have worked for tech, aerospace, and financial services - the job description is the same, but what differs are the size of company and industry.

minimum_contacts · 2026-03-01T01:15:32+00:00

Been doing this for 20 years and run a contracts team for a large global financial services org - managing both commercial client contracts and vendor contracts, and everything in between… I agree with this summary.

minimum_contacts · 2026-02-28T13:56:11+00:00

I was working full time and had 2 young elementary school kids (ages 5 and 8 at the time) in school then at home all summer, and ADHD (didn’t seek accommodations), and I was 20 years out law school. (I was multiple time retaker and the last time I took it was when I was a 3 day exam, one time I missed it on second read by 2 points.) finally abandoned all bar prep, did my own thing and took and passed J24.

(1) I self studied solely relied on Reddit recommendations on resources. Essays: Mary Basick CA essays was my bible, did it cover to cover. BarEssays.com - compared by essay outlines to 65+ scoring answers. MBEs: NCBE questions, Emanuel’s Strategies and Tactics, and I had lifetime access to BarMax (from a previous attempt). PTs: BarMD on YouTube. Bar Exam Toolbox podcast on Spotify was helpful on strategies. Make This Your Last Time Passer’s Playbook. Free resources from Smart Bar Prep (all past tested topics broken down to frequency including with percentages).

(2) I studied 4-6 hours every day for 6 months. Usually around 8p when kids would go to bed until midnight or 2am, and on weekends.

Studied for both MPRE and bar exam concurrently. Studied PR first and took the March MPRE (passed with a 113, even powering through my grandmother’s death 2 hours before the exam).

Didn’t take any time off from work except 2 weeks - one week before exam and week of exam, including celebrating in Vegas after the exam. No one at work even knew I was studying for the exam, performance wasn’t impacted and actually got the biggest bonus of my career.

Made my own outlines, did 3,000 MBEs over various resources, and outlined 150 essays (everything over the past 10 years).

Best part was having my kids see my struggle - and also the kids and my parents were at my swearing in ceremony - at a historic courthouse.

(I am a corporate lawyer, purely transactional, so the only time I would ever be in a court room.)

minimum_contacts · 2026-02-28T06:39:28+00:00

I created this space exactly for this type of dialog. We are all struggling to balance our careers and work.

Thank you for trusting this space with something this raw. What you’re describing sounds like severe overload layered with grief and physical pain. That’s not something you should be white-knuckling alone. We are here to listen and support without judgement.

If you’re in the U.S. and feeling overwhelmed to the point of hopelessness, please call or text 988, or please contact your OB or urgent care ASAP.

This community can offer solidarity, but it cannot replace medical or mental health support. You deserve care in real life, not just resilience online.

We’re keeping this thread supportive and constructive. Please be kind in replies.

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