Do you have to be a college graduate to take the bar exam? Can work experience count?

Question

I have been a paralegal for 17 years and often wondered what the requirements are for the Bar Exam.

Answer 1

please look up your state's requirements on the state website. Google will help you find it.

:)

Answer 2

Every state I've been to (Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Texas) requires that you graduate law school before they will allow you to take the Bar exam. I've been a paralegal specialist for over 14 years and would be interested in taking the exam myself, but it appears that most states (if not all of them) require a Bachelors Degree and completion of law school first.

Answer 3

Then as a paralegal you should know that every state sets it's own standard. I have taken a section of California law on the subject.

Studied law diligently and in good faith for at least four years in any of the following manners:

(i) In a law school that is authorized or approved to confer professional degrees and requires classroom attendance of its students for a minimum of 270 hours a year. A person who has received his or her legal education in a foreign state or country wherein the common law of England does not constitute the basis of jurisprudence shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the examining committee that his or her education, experience, and qualifications qualify him or her to take the examination.

(ii) In a law office in this state and under the personal supervision of a member of the State Bar of California who is, and for at least five years last past continuously has been, engaged in the active practice of law. It is the duty of the supervising attorney to render any periodic reports to the examining committee as the committee may require.

(iii) In the chambers and under the personal supervision of a judge of a court of record of this state. It is the duty of the supervising judge to render any periodic reports to the examining committee as the committee may require.

(iv) By instruction in law from a correspondence law school authorized or approved to confer professional degrees by this state, which requires 864 hours of preparation and study per year for four years.

(v) By any combination of the methods referred to in paragraph (3) of this subdivision.

The entire section from California code can be found at this link.

Answer 4

you have to have been in law school and...... probably gradutated