# I'm taking the bar exam tomorrow. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281 "2014-07-28T22:35:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/81 "2014-10-30T22:38:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I don’t have the second part of C&F clearance yet because the Board of Bar Examiners lost one of my forms and I missed the letter where they asked me to resubmit it. I’d hoped they would complete it by now but it didn’t happen. > > My law school does a mass swearing in ceremony which is presided over by the chief judge of the circuit court for the county. It would have been Belvin Perry (the Casey Anthony judge) but he retired last month. I’ll stand for the ceremony tonight and take the oath but it will be “unofficial” since the judge can’t sign my oath form until I get clearance. … and today, I got my clearance letter. So tomorrow, I run down to a judge’s office and officially become an attorney! ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/82 "2014-10-30T23:57:14Z")
And then you can sue the Board of Bar Examiners for emotional pain&distress because you knew that your swearing-in — a once-in-a-lifetime event — didn’t really count. Oh, and . . . congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/83 "2014-10-31T00:04:17Z")
I took the LSAT, never took the bar. Good luck to you and keep us posted! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/84 "2014-10-31T03:02:53Z")
Congratulations and welcome to the bar! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/85 "2014-10-31T03:04:24Z")
Congratulations on bellying up to the bar. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/86 "2014-10-31T04:53:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It turns out I demonstrated “minimal technical competence”. Which means I passed. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Q: You know what they call the guy that got the lowest passing score on the Bar Exam? A: A lawyer! Congrats! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/87 "2014-10-31T13:12:08Z")
I actually scored pretty well. “Minimal technical competence” is just what they say the bar exam is supposed to test. Thanks guys! ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/88 "2014-10-31T14:21:54Z")
I just received my box o’barbri in the mail myself. Let the fun begin! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/89 "2014-10-31T14:24:42Z")
Oooh. That’s a wonderful and also horrible feeling. That box is fucking _huge_, innit? Word to the wise: tear out one of the sample answer sheets (they should be pre-perforated) and make like 50 copies. You’re going to need them. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/90 "2014-10-31T15:44:42Z")
Congratulations & well done! What’s your area of specialty to be? I missed it upthread!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/91 "2014-11-01T03:19:19Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Oooh. That’s a wonderful and also horrible feeling. That box is fucking _huge_, innit? Word to the wise: tear out one of the sample answer sheets (they should be pre-perforated) and make like 50 copies. You’re going to need them. Thanks for the heads up! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/92 "2014-11-01T04:31:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … and today, I got my clearance letter. So tomorrow, I run down to a judge’s office and officially become an attorney! Congratulations! I got to witness a swearing in last week. The Judge went through the normal docket call drill just like he always does, called all the non-DHS cases…and then would normally have released the lawyers to confer, try to settle, etc. This time, he told us there was a special matter that wasn’t on the docket, but we were not allowed to leave just yet. Interesting. He then called the DHS cases (child support), before announcing that the “special matter” was a swearing in of a new attorney. The kid is the son of local lawyer, who was present along with lots of family. The Judge took his time, really made it seem like a Big Deal–because it is. Afterwords, all the lawyers present got to shake the kid’s hand and welcome him to the profession. Pretty cool. So consider your hand to be virtually shaken, and welcome to the Bar! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/93 "2014-11-01T17:43:05Z")
I was sworn in yesterday but one of the local workers’ compensation judges (essentially, they are state ALJs). I called the JA in the morning and asked if Judge X was available - he teaches one class a semester at my law school, and was my academic advisor for two of my papers - and she said, “yeah, but it’s casual today, because we have no hearings. If you want him in robes come in on Monday.” I said, “I don’t care if he’s swearing Speedos and a Viking helmet. The faster the better!” He gave “the room” (my boss and another associate came to watch, and some of the judges’ staffs were there since I’ve known them for many years) a brief speech about protecting your reputation, and civility to opposing counsel. Then I took the oath, posed for a handshake picture, and that was pretty much it. So, after three years of dithering about law school, four years of being in law school, three months of bar exam prep, two months of waiting for results, and one month of waiting for character and fitness clearance, I’m a lawyer! > [@Grrlbrarian](#): > > Congratulations & well done! What’s your area of specialty to be? I missed it upthread!😃 Thanks! I’ve been working in insurance defense (mostly workers’ compensation) with the same firm for seven years, including all four years of law school and bar prep. I basically told them\* that if they could come close to the best offers my classmates got (and named numbers) salarywise I wouldn’t even interview elsewhere. We started negotiations in earnest right after the bar exam and had them resolved in a week. I’m very happy with what they ultimately offered and they are happy to have me stay on. I never had any serious plans to leave and I would be quite happy to keep doing what I’m going to be doing for ever. \*My boss is a partner and the managing partner of his practice (WC and employment law). He basically has carte blanche to spend his budget as he sees fit but he confers with the overall managing partner on hiring decisions since it’s a smallish office and we all have to get along. It’s a midsize firm (50ish attorneys) but spread across three offices. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/94 "2014-11-02T21:04:59Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … and today, I got my clearance letter. So tomorrow, I run down to a judge’s office and officially become an attorney! Big congats on your admission. In WV, all attorney must be sworn in by the full state Supreme Court. It was a great admission process. The Chief Justice explains that the usual rule against taking pictures is suspended and that members of the gallery may stand and move to the front to take video if they choose. An attorney must make a motion for your admission to the bar. If you don’t know anyone, the Clerk, who is an attorney, will move for your admission. Many others bring their relatives who are members of the bar. He also states in a jovial manner that unlike normal cases, the attorneys shouldn’t worry because all of the motions to admit on that day will be granted. The Justices quiz each applicant about where they will be practicing and talk in a cordial manner about local restaurants, a lawyer they know in that area, etc. Time is made for pictures with the Justices afterwards. I’m guessing that isn’t practical in large state like Florida, but it is an experience I won’t forget. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/95 "2014-11-03T01:45:37Z")
That sounds pretty cool, actually, but with 3,500 people taking the bar exam twice a year and 2,700 passing it would probably take a _long_ time. Plus I hate Tallahassee. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/96 "2014-11-03T02:17:08Z")
I’m not sure what it says about us that we have 2,700 new lawyers a year in Flori-duhh. In fact, I’m certain I don’t want to know. Regardless, congratulations and felicitations to you sir, on your noteworthy achievement. ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/97 "2014-11-03T05:51:21Z")
good luck ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/98 "2014-11-03T14:07:45Z")
> [@CannyDan](#): > > I’m not sure what it says about us that we have 2,700 new lawyers a year in Flori-duhh. In fact, I’m certain I don’t want to know. Regardless, congratulations and felicitations to you sir, on your noteworthy achievement. Plus 500-700 who pass in February. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281/99 "2014-11-03T15:05:23Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Plus 500-700 who pass in February. Well, bless all their precious little hearts! 😃 As long as I’m here again anyway, I’ll say that the signature shown on my previous post was unintentional and really had no place in this thread. I forgot it just appears automatically when posting from Tapatalk. And I’ll reiterate my sincere congratulations for the recognition you’ve earned by a massive amount of work and dedication. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-taking-the-bar-exam-tomorrow/694281.md?page=4)