Bar Exam Information - UDC David A. Clarke School of Law

Basic Overview of Bar Admissions from the ABA
- A law school graduate cannot practice law until he or she is licensed, and a license requires bar admission. To get a general idea of the bar admission process, read this one page overview.
- Note that bar admission includes consideration of a bar applicant's character and moral fitness for practice. It is important for law school applicants and students to be familiar the bar admission requirements of the state(s) in which they intend to practice.
Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements from the National Conference of Bar Examiners
- Annual summary of the bar admission requirements in every U.S. jurisdiction (updated each spring)

Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)
- Administered by 48 states and DC in 2012
Multistate Essay Examination (MEE)
- Administered by 23 states and DC in 2012
Multistate Performance Test (MPT)
- Administered by 33 states and DC in 2012
Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)
- Administered by 47 states and DC in 2012
- Law students may take the MPRE prior to graduation

State Bar Admissions
State Bar of California Admissions District of Columbia Committee on Admissions Florida Board of Bar Examiners Maryland Board of Bar Examiners	New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners New York Board of Law Examiners Virginia Board of Bar Examiners More: Directory of Bar Admissions Offices (includes websites and mailing addresses)
Note: As of 2012, the following states had some registration requirement or option for current law students: Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas. Depending on a state's rules, students may be able to save a significant amount of time or money by registering for the bar exam during the first or second year of law school.

Maryland Bar Exam Essay Questions and Sample Answers from the Maryland Board of Law Examiners
Being admitted to a state's bar does not mean that a lawyer is automatically admitted to the federal courts physically located in that state. Each federal court sets its own admission rules. For example:
- U.S. Supreme Court Bar
  - Requires 3 years good standing in another jurisdiction and sponsorship by another member.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Admissions
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Admissions (Patent Bar)
Membership in voluntary bar associations is not required in order to practice law, but it often plays an important part in a lawyer's career development. See, for example:
- State & Local Bar Associations (ABA)
- DC Voluntary Bar Associations (DC Bar)

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