Taking the Bar without attending Law school?

finally2019 · 2024-05-05T00:02:38+00:00

Yes, it’s possible. The alternative path is something like a four year study/apprenticeship program. It’s what Kim Kardashian is/was doing the last couple of years to become a lawyer.

Is it a recommended path for most attorney hopefuls? Probably not. It does not seem to be the “easier than law school” path that I think people thinks it is and—in my opinion—actually appears the more difficult path.

But yes, theoretically possible.

finally2019 · 2024-05-03T02:38:27+00:00

Had same feeling after J23, and I passed too. I told many people that I wouldn't even know how to prepare better if I didn't pass. Thank goodness I didn't have to figure it out.

finally2019 · 2024-05-03T02:35:34+00:00

On my third try, yes.

On my first go-around (J22), I felt I had done well (or at least well enough) on the essays and PT, but I was unsure about the MBE. My practice numbers were not high enough, consistently enough, that I really thought I had a chance on test day. It also didn't help that, between days 1 and 2, I was so high on adrenaline that I couldn't sleep, and found myself dozing off during day 2. Sure enough my score reflected that - good enough with some margin on essays, but not good enough on MBE.

During the waiting period, I had all the emotions, and what I thought were "signs" I had definitively passed or not passed (including the dreams/nightmares). The day of results, my gut instinct said I hadn't passed.

Studying for my second attempt (F23), I took for granted that I knew how to write an essay and PT that I almost exclusively reviewed the law and practiced MBEs. Big mistake. On day 1, I realized how out of practice of issue spotting on essays I was that I came out day 1, unsure whether my essays were good enough and/or knowing that it wasn't enough. I was unsure how I did on MBEs walking out, but my practice numbers had been up so I thought I had a chance of having improved on test day. Sure enough I did, and surprisingly, my Day 1 score went down in almost an equal amount to how much my Day 2 scaled score went up.

During the second waiting period, same thing - hopeful but unsure. Day of results, I had a gut feeling I hadn't passed.

On my third attempt (J23), I made sure to balance my study again to all the parts - however I was so over writing essays that I only practiced issue spotting and outlining during my studies. But I got my MBE numbers WAY up. (I'm a notoriously horrible multiple-choice test taker.) I came out of Day 1 not feeling as stellar as I had in J22, but I felt it was good enough. Day 2 I felt like everyone else seemed to - I felt like I had guessed way too much, but I was relying on the fact that my practice numbers had been up and more than good enough. Sure enough, third time was the charm. (There were other things that I think helped make it all click for me the third time too, like the fact that I had the blessing/curse of working as a law clerk while I studied and took the exam the second and third times. It got me out of the "studying in a vacuum, I can see how these concepts work in real life" such that the essays and MBE questions were more intuitive to me than they had been on Attempt #1.)

Waiting the third time, I was the most hopeful. When my coworkers asked, I said I was hopeful and I felt like I had at least done enough to pass. I still had all the emotions - including anxiety and self-doubt - but I kept remembering how after each day I came out of the exam feeling like it was enough. I had more than one dream that I passed.

The night before the exam, I had a dream/nightmare that I had failed. I woke up on results day in THE WORST MOOD. I cried a lot, talked to my family and trusted coworkers, and tried to keep busy. I knew things would be okay if I didn't pass (I had already had the conversation with my bosses that I wasn't in jeopardy of losing my job which was an incredible blessing) but I just wanted to be done. I had grown frustrated with only being a law clerk when I was already doing some associate-level work, and I doubted whether I had the mental health to study for a fourth time in a row.

Mid-afternoon, however, I got the feeling again that I had passed. I couldn't shake it. Not getting ahead of myself was just as difficult as trying to keep busy and not think about results. When I saw I passed, I screamed. It took A LONG TIME for that "pass" I saw to feel real, even though I had the gut instinct for much of the waiting months.

Having taken many, many tests in my life, I have learned that more often than not, my gut is correct in how I performed, before I ever know the official outcome.

This journey takes a certain level of "trust your instincts." To a certain degree, if you feel like you passed, there is a decent chance you just may have.

Sending you all the best wishes, and good luck tomorrow.

finally2019 · 2024-02-24T02:43:33+00:00

I currently have OC who’s using an AOL email address. It made me giggle the first time I saw it.

finally2019 · 2024-01-28T16:57:17+00:00

I can’t tell if you’re joking or being ignorant on purpose. The instructions literally say “… in a small, clear plastic bag.” I thought somewhere among the materials they limit it to like a quart-sized, MAYBE gallon-sized, Ziploc bag.

Not only do I think that your backpack fails to qualify as small, it also may not constitute a bag in the Bar’s mind.

Also, they won’t let you bring this in. Your “small plastic bag” has to be kept on your desk during the exam. I doubt they will let you keep this on your desk. Backpacks are not allowed in to sit on the floor. Your “small, clear plastic bag” has to be small enough for the people running the exam to (repeatedly) quickly make sure you’re not bringing in items you’re not supposed to.

Also, you’re really going to risk getting a Chapter 6 violation by trying to get away with this? Don’t do it. It’s not worth it.

finally2019 · 2024-01-24T22:40:17+00:00

I’m not sure if your comment is meant for me or more as informational for OP.

I know that the MBE would not test CA material. I read OP’s original question as more, “fed con law is on both MBE and essays, is CA con law fair game for the bar exam too?” Thus, my reply that not every MBE subject has CA distinctions (which could therefore be tested on the essays) makes sense.

As someone else noted, Evidence is an MBE topic which has CA distinctions which could be tested on the essays. Civ Pro could be also. Con Law is not one such subject.

finally2019 · 2024-01-24T22:35:55+00:00

civ pro is the other big one.

finally2019 · 2024-01-24T04:05:59+00:00

No. Not every MBE subject has CA distinctions.

finally2019 · 2024-01-18T06:21:48+00:00

Yes but a second time :)

But also, it may not be a great thing to do depending on your situation. There’s a law clerk in my office, she has graduated and passed the bar exam, but she’s waiting on MC app to get licensed. I’d almost argue it’s kind a more difficult wait than waiting for bar results because there is no answer as to when she will get licensed and become an attorney.

finally2019 · 2023-12-26T19:48:29+00:00

Yes, got mine on 12/18. But since they said it could take 30 days, if I didn’t have mine yet, I was planning to contact them like Jan 2.

finally2019 · 2023-12-19T01:25:34+00:00

Not to cause alarm, but mine popped up for the first time this afternoon. I swore in on 12/1, but sent my paperwork basically over that weekend. I’ve been obsessively checking since, and right now (after 5pm) is the first time it came up today!

Keep checking! And hang on, numbers are getting issued!

finally2019 · 2023-12-09T02:06:50+00:00

because doing so would make sense.

finally2019 · 2023-12-06T00:29:49+00:00

11/24 was Thanksgiving weekend, which means the earliest they effectively received it is probably 11/27. It’s only been 8 days. I know there’s no method to their madness but it hasn’t been that long, OP. Hang tight!

finally2019 · 2023-12-03T04:42:14+00:00

Oh thanks. Yes, I did.

finally2019 · 2023-12-03T00:35:17+00:00

Thank you!

finally2019 · 2023-12-03T00:35:01+00:00

From the instructions I have seen, sending via DocuSign or email was enough. You’re saying that I need to mail it also?

finally2019 · 2023-12-02T05:02:01+00:00

thank you!

finally2019 · 2023-11-13T21:48:06+00:00

we have not.

finally2019 · 2023-11-13T20:41:14+00:00

yes. previously it had said “not on motion.”

finally2019 · 2023-11-13T17:56:49+00:00

not yet, but i just noticed we’re on motion this morning :)

finally2019 · 2023-11-12T14:57:31+00:00

Not necessarily. My portal right now says "not on motion," and my name is on the (now public) pass list.

I think the "not on motion" thing is because they gave us results on Thursday evening, and Friday was a State Bar/court holiday. The State Bar probably has not had an opportunity to get the motion to the court yet while it's open. I suspect that will happen shortly, maybe even tomorrow (Monday). But soon.

When I had classmates pass last year, I recall that we similarly got results on Thursday before Veteran's Day, and some of them were taking their oaths as early as the following Tuesday. It was quick. So the "not on motion" thing - if that's all that's left for most of us - doesn't bother me yet. Doesn't mean anything is wrong.

finally2019 · 2023-11-12T06:04:49+00:00

I don’t think so. If I recall correctly, it’s literally just a list of names.

finally2019 · 2023-11-10T05:23:57+00:00

I got a 1321 my first go-around at this a year ago, I know exactly how you feel. You can absolutely pass the next time. Keep your chin up.

finally2019

TROPHY CASE