So, you are already licensed to practice law in one state and now want to become licensed in a second jurisdiction. If you are really lucky, the second jurisdiction will admit you upon a motion and the completion of an application (see Iowa for example). If you took the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) you might be lucky enough to get reciprocity from another UBE jurisdiction.
However, other jurisdictions might force you to take the complete bar exam all over again unless you meet certain requirements allowing you to take a shorter version of the bar exam called the “Attorneys’ Exam.” The requirements to qualify for the Attorneys’ Exam often include a minimum period as a licensed practicing attorney (anywhere from three to five years), and whether your license and/or degree are from somewhere outside the United States. Should you qualify for the Attorneys’ Exam and you are truly motivated, the next step you should take is to develop a viable plan for success. When developing this plan recognize your time and financial restrictions, and consider the following:
[Read more…] about Taking the Attorneys’ Bar Exam? Plan Wisely
On May 28, 2019, the Mississippi Supreme Court granted a petition amending rules governing admissions to the Mississippi Bar. As a result of this change, many are taking notice and wondering if the change is an anomaly that will only impact the Mississippi bar, or an idea that could catch fire throughout the country. 
It used to be common to take the bar exam using a bluebook. Now, the vast majority of people use a laptop to take the bar exam, while a very small minority writes. This may be due to a generational shift, and a resulting reliance on technology. People now “keyboard,” they don’t “write” – just look at examples of signatures. Other than your parents, how many people do you know who still write letters, checks, or thank you notes? Instead, most of us communicate with our phones – not actually talking on them. We text, email, and use social media sources on our phones. We use laptops for work or school – but we do not “write.”
While there are some who have the ability to work while studying, the vast majority of us treat studying for the bar exam as an all-consuming endeavor, at least the first time. If you failed that first time however, there is a temptation to reduce the amount of time spent studying for the next bar exam claiming financial necessity or mental exhaustion.
When I took the bar exam, MBE’s only accounted for one-third of the overall grade. I assumed my writing skills would overcome a bad performance on the MBE’s, even though I had no trouble passing the MPRE, which had no essay component.