U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
BAR ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS IN SELECT U.S. JURISDICTIONS
A. INTRODUCTION
The following handout summarizes the bar admission requirements for select U.S. states, and provides students with a list of
websites and resources to which they may have regard in determining the options available to them.
REQUIREMENTS
CALIFORNIA
DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
ILLINOIS
(CHICAGO)
MASSACHUSETTS
(BOSTON)
MICHIGAN
NEW YORK
PRE-LEGAL
EDUCATION
Foreign law graduates
with a first degree in law
(i.e. JD) are not required
to prove pre-legal
education.
N/A
N/A
Graduation from high
school or equivalent,
and completion of work
acceptable for a
bachelor’s degree or
equivalent.
Two years of college - at
least 60 semester or 90
quarter hours.
N/A
FOREIGN LAW
DEGREE
Determination of
educational equivalency
is required for ‘general
applicants’.1 (The
Committee of Bar
Examiners posts a list of
approved credential
evaluation agencies on
their website).
Graduates from law
schools not approved
by the ABA2 cannot be
admitted to write the
Bar unless they
complete additional
study. See below.
Determination of
educational sufficiency is
required.3
Determination of
educational equivalency
is not required for
graduates of common
law programmes at
Canadian law schools.
Graduates in this
category can sit the
Massachusetts Bar Exam
on the same basis as
graduates of ABAapproved law schools.
The Board of Law
Examiners has
discretion to allow
applicants with JDs
from law schools not
approved by the ABA
to take the Bar Exam.
Such applicants must
petition the Board for a
waiver of the Rule on
approved legal
education, and provide
all required supporting
documentation.4
For assessment of
educational equivalency,
applicants need to
submit the Foreign
Credentials Evaluation
form, along with the
necessary supporting
documentation.
Foreign law graduates
with a first degree in law
are not required to pass
or establish exemption
**The Illinois Board of
Admissions does not
admit graduates of
foreign law schools solely
on the basis of
educational equivalency.
You must also be a
licenced foreign lawyer
with 5 years of legal
practice. See below -
U of T Law students who
have been ‘in residence’
for at least 5 semesters
and have received the JD
should be approved to
A “general applicant” is an applicant who has not been admitted as an attorney to the practice of law in any jurisdiction.
The law schools approved by the ABA are all situated in the USA:
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/aba_approved_law_schools.html.
3 In determining whether the education is sufficient – under Rule 715 for graduates of foreign law schools – the Illinois Board of Admissions may consider the
jurisprudence of the country, the curriculum and course of studies completed, accreditation of the law school, subsequent legal education, and bar admission in
the US.
4 See State of Michigan Board of Law Examiners Rule 2, Policy Statement 2(B)(2) Graduates of Non-Approved Law Schools at:
http://courts.michigan.gov/supremecourt/BdofLawExaminers/BLE%20Rules,%20Statutes,%20and%20Policy%20Statements.pdf#page=7.
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
REQUIREMENTS
CALIFORNIA
DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
from the First-Year Law
Students’ Exam.
ADDITIONAL
STUDY REQUIRED
All ‘general applicants’
with a foreign law degree
must complete one year
of legal education at an
approved US law school,
in areas of law prescribed
by the Committee.
**See below - alternative
basis for admission, as an
“attorney applicant.”
ILLINOIS
(CHICAGO)
MASSACHUSETTS
(BOSTON)
MICHIGAN
admission as a lawyer.
NEW YORK
write the NY Bar Exam.
In order to take the bar
exam, law grads from
non-ABA approved
law schools must
complete at least 26
semester hours of study
at an ABA-approved
law school in subjects
tested on the bar exam.
N/A
Additional education is
not required for
graduates from common
law programs at
Canadian law schools.
N/A
The New York Board of
Law Examiners regularly
permits graduates of
common law programs
at Canadian law schools
to write the Bar Exam
without additional
education which may
otherwise be required.
CHARACTER AND
FITNESS
STANDARDS
All applicants must
receive a positive “moral
character” finding on
Application for
Determination of Moral
Character.
All applicants must
submit a character and
fitness application
form.
All applicants must meet
character and fitness
standards and receive a
favorable
recommendation from
the Character and Fitness
Committee.
All petitions for
admission are referred to
the Board of Bar
Examiners for a report
on the character and
fitness of the applicant.
The Standing
Committee on
Character and Fitness
investigates and
recommends whether
applicants have the
character and fitness for
admission to practice.
For admission to the NY
Bar, within three years of
passing the Bar Exam, all
applicants must submit
supporting affidavits
from reputable persons
to the Committee on
Character and Fitness.
STATE BAR EXAM
The California Bar Exam
includes six essay
questions, two
performance tests and
The D.C. Bar Exam
includes six Multistate
Essay Examination
questions, two
The Illinois Bar Exam
includes three Illinois
essay examination
questions, six Multistate
The Massachusetts Bar
Exam includes 10 essay
questions and the
Multistate Bar
The Michigan Bar Exam
includes essay
questions prepared by
the Board as well as the
The New York Bar Exam
includes 50 multiple
choice questions, five
essay questions, one
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
REQUIREMENTS
CALIFORNIA
DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
ILLINOIS
(CHICAGO)
the Multistate Bar
Examination.
Multistate Performance
Tests, and the
Multistate Bar
Examination.
Essay Examination
questions, one Multistate
Performance Test
question, and the
Multistate Bar
Examination.
Examination.
Multistate Bar
Examination.
Multistate Performance
Test, and the Multistate
Bar Examination.
DATES OFFERED
Twice per year (February
and July). Duration of 3
days.
Twice per year
(February and July).
Duration of 2 days.
Twice per year (February
and July). Duration of 2
days.
Twice per year
(February and July).
Duration of 2 days.
Twice per year
(February and July).
Duration of 2 days.
Twice per year (February
and July). Duration of 2
days.
MULTISTATE
PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY
EXAM (MPRE)
Applicants must pass the
MPRE prior to admission
to the bar.
The MPRE Score
Report must be
included with the
application to write the
Bar Examination.
Applicants must pass the
MPRE prior to admission
to the bar.
Prior to filing an
application to write the
Massachusetts Bar
Exam, applicants must
have attained a passing
score on the MPRE.
Applicants must pass
the MPRE prior to
admission to the bar.
Applicants must pass the
MPRE prior to admission
to the bar.
ADDITIONAL
ADMISSIONS
CRITERIA
All applicants must be in
compliance with
California court-ordered
child or family support
obligations.
To avoid delays in the
bar admissions process,
applicants are advised to
take the MPRE
examination and obtain a
passing score at least
three months prior to the
release of results from
the California Bar Exam.
All applicants must also
provide a Social Security
Number or request an
exemption.
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MASSACHUSETTS
(BOSTON)
The Petition for
Admission must be
recommended (signed)
by a US attorney, and
also accompanied by
two letters of
recommendation.5
MICHIGAN
NEW YORK
Applicants must provide
a certified handwriting
specimen.
For more information on the documents required for admission, see the Supreme Judicial Court website at: http://www.sjccountyclerk.com/filinginstruwhatforms.htm.
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
REQUIREMENTS
ALTERNATIVE
BASIS FOR
ADMISSION –
LICENCED &/OR
PRACTICING
LAWYERS
CALIFORNIA
Foreign law graduates
admitted to the active
practice of law - in good
standing - in any
jurisdiction can apply to
write the California Bar
Exam as “attorney
applicants“.6
DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
ILLINOIS
(CHICAGO)
MASSACHUSETTS
(BOSTON)
MICHIGAN
US attorneys who meet
certain legal practice
criteria are eligible for
admission on motion.7
To be eligible to write the
Illinois Bar Exam, foreign
law graduates must have
been licenced in their
jurisdiction for at least 5
years, be members in
good standing, and have
actively practiced law for
5 of 7 years immediately
preceding the
application.8
Lawyers who have
actively practiced
common law in the US
or Canada for 5 of the 7
years preceding the
application can apply for
admission on motion.10
Attorneys who have
actively practiced law in
the US for 3 of the 5
years preceding the
application may be
eligible for admission
without examination.11
Attorneys admitted to
active practice in a US
state for at least 4 years
can write the Attorney’s
Examination. All other
‘attorney applicants’
must write the standard
California Bar Exam.
NEW YORK
US attorneys and
attorneys licensed in
common law countries
who meet legal practice
criteria are eligible for
admission without
examination.12
US attorneys who meet
certain legal practice
criteria can apply for
admission on motion.9
An “Attorney Applicant” is an applicant who is or has been admitted as an attorney to the practice of law in any jurisdiction (US or foreign). For more information, see
the State Bar of California website at: http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=MK-p_BBvcAE%3d&tabid=265.
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D.C. App. Rule 46(c)(3).
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 715. Admission of Graduates of Foreign Law Schools at
http://www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Rules/Art_VII/ArtVII.htm#Rule715.
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Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705.
Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:01, Section 1.2 at: http://www.mass.gov/bbe/barrules.pdf.
11 State of Michigan Board of Law Examiners Rule 5. Admission Without Examination.
12 Section 520.10 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law, at: http://www.nybarexam.org/Rules/Rules.htm.
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
B. OVERVIEW OF BAR ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS IN THE USA
To access the Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements produced by the ABA-National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE),
refer to the website of the NCBE at http://www.ncbex.org/bar-admissions/.
Note: Bar admission requirements in the U.S. differ from state to state and change frequently. Refer to the individual state bar
association for the most current information.
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
C. WEB LINKS FOR BAR ADMISSION INFORMATION
California




http://www.calbar.ca.gov/
http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/Education/LegalEducation/ForeignEducation.aspx (foreign legal education)
http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=1tegD1eQse0%3D&tabid=2267 (Guidelines for Implementation of Chapter 2,
Rule 4.30 of the Admissions Rules)
http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/4/documents/Education/Credential_Evaluation_Services-R.pdf. (credential evaluation agencies)
District of Columbia


http://www.dccourts.gov/
http://www.dccourts.gov/internet/appellate/admincommittee/main.jsf (admissions)
Illinois



www.ILBarAdmissions.org
https://www.ilbaradmissions.org/information-and-applications (Board of Admissions)
https://www.ilbaradmissions.org/appinfo.action?id=3 (admission of foreign graduates)
Massachusetts



http://www.mass.gov/bbe/
http://www.mass.gov/bbe/foreigneducated.pdf (foreign educated graduates; Rule VI.7 Canadian Law Schools)
http://www.sjccountyclerk.com/admissionbyexam.html (admission by examination)
Michigan


http://courts.michigan.gov/supremecourt/BdofLawExaminers/index.htm
http://www.michbar.org/professional/byexam.cfm (admission by examination)
New York


http://www.nybarexam.org/
http://www.nybarexam.org/foreign/foreignlegaleducation.htm (foreign legal education)
For other states, see the link to each state bar admission office on the website of the National Conference of Bar Examiners:
http://www.ncbex.org/bar-admissions/.
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
D. MULTISTATE EXAMINATIONS AND TESTS
The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is a six-hour long, 200-question multiple choice examination developed by the National
Conference of Bar Examiners. MBE questions cover constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, real property
and torts. For further information, see: http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mbe/.
The Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) developed by the NCBE has nine 30-minute questions that include three questions from
constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, real property, and torts, and six questions from business
associations, conflict of laws, family law, Federal Civil Procedure, trusts and estates, and Uniform Commercial Code. State and district
bars that use the MEE can select how many and which of the nine questions they would like to use. For further information, see:
http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mee/.
The Multistate Performance Test (MPT) developed by the NCBE includes two performance test questions. As is the case for the MEE,
the state and district bars that apply the MPT can select which of the questions to use. Each test case includes a file with the facts of the
case and case materials, as well as a library of case law, statutes and regulations. The test assignment is described in a memorandum
from a supervising attorney. For further information, see: http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpt/.
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) - a 60 question, multiple choice examination – is administered by the
American College of Testing on behalf of the NCBE. The MPRE is offered three times per year in March, August and November. To
register online or for further information about the MPRE, see: http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpre/.
Passing scores for the multistate exams and tests are determined by each state or district bar. For more information, consult the relevant
bar admission website. Statistics on bar examinations and admissions are available at: http://www.ncbex.org/bar-admissions/barexamination-and-admission-statistics/.
E. ADMISSION ON EXAMINATION vs. ADMISSION ON MOTION
Under the general admission procedure – ‘admission on examination’ – applicants are expected to write all of the requisite exams and
tests in order to qualify for admission to the state or district bar.
A number of state and district bars also provide for the ‘admission on motion’ (also referred to as ‘admission without examination’) of
licensed practicing attorneys from other jurisdictions, according to the criteria prescribed by each bar. Attorneys who are admitted to
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements
the bar ‘on motion’ are relieved of the need to write the state bar exam. However, they are generally expected to write the Multistate
Professional Responsibility Exam if they have not done so already.
The CLCDN would like to thank the Career Development Office at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law for the information contained in this guide.
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CLCDN Shared Resource Collection: U.S. Bar Admission Requirements