How to Take the California Bar Exam Without Law School in 5 Steps
The first question is… can anyone take the bar exam?
Currently, there are only 4 states that allow you to take the Bar Exam without going to Law School; California, Vermont, Washington and Virginia.
California is one that offers its lucky residents, an alternative way to bypass law school and still be eligible for the Bar Exam.
Email me at info@lawprentice.com for more tips on how to pass the California Bar Exam.
General Eligibility for the California Bar Exam
Here are the general eligibility requirements for the California bar exam:
- Receive a Legal Education
- Determine if you must take the First Year Law Students Exam
- Apply for a Moral Character Determination
- Comply with California’s rules for court order for child or family support.
- Get a passing score on the MPRE
- Pass the California Bar Exam with Ease
1. Receive a Legal Education in California
There are many ways to receive a Legal Education in California.
Accredited Law School
The first way is the typical path of going to an accredited university. At university, you receive a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or a bachelor of laws (LL.B) degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association or accredited by the Committee.
Unaccredited Law School
The second way is to study at an unaccredited law school. An unaccredited law school is a correspondence, distance-learning, or fixed facility law school operating in California that is not accredited by the Committee.
Correspondence and Distance-Learning Law School requires 864 hours of study via mail, email, or interactive online classes per year for 4 years.
A Fixed-Facility Law School requires 270 hours of study via in person classes per year for 4 years.
Study in a Law Office or Judge’s chambers
Thirdly, you can take learning into a more personalized approach by studying in a Law Office or Judge’s Chambers and gaining experience / getting paid at the same time.
You must have 2 years of completed college courses and spend 4 years studying under a practicing attorney with 5 years of practice in California.
During the 4 years of study, you must study a minimum of 18 hours a week of study with 5 of those hours being under direct supervision from your Lawyer.
Legal Education in a Foreign State or Country
Lastly, you may be eligible if you have already received legal education in another state or country and have met the education standards of California’s Accredited Law School or American Bar Association.
This will not exempt you from continuing further legal education in California, but you may be able to receive credit for any law study completed.
2. Determine if you must take the First Year Law Students Exam
All students who have not attended an Accredited Law School are required to take the First Year Law Students Exam, also known as the BabyBar.
The BabyBar is a 1 day test that is offered every June and October. It is recommended that you apply for the First Year Law Students Exam 3 months before you plan on taking the test.
Although there are only three topics covered; Torts, Contracts and Criminal Law. This test is just as hard if not harder than the California Bar Exam.
When taking the BabyBar, it is important that you study well as you must pass within the first 3 consecutive attempts.
If you don’t pass, you will not receive your year of law study credit and may have to repeat your first year of legal education to be eligible to take the test again.
Pass the BabyBar the first time! Although there are some pricey courses out there, spending $5,000 on a worthwhile exam prep-course will be worth the money you save by not going to law school. However, I can help you with this and make the cost much less. Email me at info@lawprentice.com.
3. Apply For Moral Character Determination
As soon as you’ve received the equivalent of one year of legal education, you should apply for a positive Moral Character Determination. This eligibility can sometimes take up to a year, so it is important to apply as soon as possible.
Being a lawyer holds a lot of responsibility and power. Applying for a positive moral character determination demonstrates that you are someone who is ethical!
The Moral Character Application will take a look into your character fitness, criminal history, academic records, debt, driving records, references and other factors that go into consideration when the State Bar reviews the application.
If you have experienced anything that may negatively affect your application, that doesn’t necessarily disqualify you from receiving a positive determination.
Email me at info@lawprentice.com to discuss what your options are if you are concerned about your eligibility.
4. Get a Passing Score on the MPRE
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination is a two-hour multiple-choice exam that is offered 3 times a year in March, August and October.
In order to pass you must receive a score of at least 86.
The multiple-choice examination is the perfect test to take after you have applied for your Moral Character Determination as the MPRE is created to measure a candidate’s knowledge and understanding of the ethical and professional conduct of a Lawyer.
5. Pass the Bar Exam
Now that you’ve determined how you want to pursue your Legal Education to become eligible for the California Bar it’s time to pass the Bar Exam.
Practicing lawyers in California must be licensed by the State Bar. The State Bar’s admission requirements are set by the California Business and Professions Code.
These are the subjects covered on the California Bar Exam: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, CA Civil Procedure, Corporations, Agency, Partnership, CA Community Property, CA Evidence, CA Professional Responsibility, Remedies, Trusts, CA Wills & Succession, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Constitutional Law, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
The California Bar Exam is THE hardest Bar Exam in all 50 states and is known as one of the hardest exams offered period. Don’t fret, as there are many resources out there to help you accomplish your dreams of becoming a lawyer.
Whether you are in an unaccredited law school, law office or accredited law school, investing in a Bar Prep Course can be the factor that makes or breaks whether you will become a practicing lawyer in the state of California.
What to Do Next
If you’re wondering how to pass the California Bar Exam without going to law school, review the 5 steps to enroll in the Law Apprenticeship program: 1. Receive a Legal Education in California, 2. Determine if you must take the First Year Law Students Exam, 3. Apply for a Moral Character Determination, 4. Get a Passing Score on the MPRE, 5. Pass the Bar Exam with Flying Colors.
Start your path to accomplishing your Law Dreams today!
If you would like free resources on how to pass the Bar Exam or If you have any general questions, email me at info@lawprentice.com or visit lawprentice.com
You can also call or text me at 818–876–2450
