New York Bar Exams

missy22

The requirements for sitting the ny bar are that your degree must be in common law and a duration of three years. Does it matter that the three years was full time or part time?

dienbienphu

missy22 wrote: »

The requirements for sitting the ny bar are that your degree must be in common law and a duration of three years. Does it matter that the three years was full time or part time?

why?

234

What university awards a part-time degree after three years?

missy22

You need to have studied law for three years and hold a degree in it to qualify to sit the ny bar to my knowledge. I think Griffith / Independent colleges have a three year part time degree, so once you have the degree does it matter that you've studied part or full time?

dienbienphu

missy22 wrote: »

I think Griffith / Independent colleges have a three year part time degree, so once you have the degree does it matter that you've studied part or full time?

unless you have a 3 year part time degree, i cant see why it would concern you.

No.2

missy22 wrote: »

The requirements for sitting the ny bar are that your degree must be in common law and a duration of three years. Does it matter that the three years was full time or part time?

I think there's some reference to part time degrees in the rules - have a look at 520.6 of the Rules of the Court / Board of Law examiners:

http://www.nybarexam.org/Rules/Rules.htm#520.6

lulu90

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience or comments to make on the Griffith prep course? Any feedback would be great Thanks

histories

Looking to purchase material for the NY Bar and was just wondering which is better, Micromash or barbri? Thanks in advance.

stewbacca

Hi all,

I'm thinking of sitting the NY Bar Exam next February but was wondering if it's too late to get the advance evaluation of eligibility completed in time (by Nov 30th) to apply? It says you should request an evaluation almost a year before you plan to sit but just wanted to check it really takes this long or if anyone has done it in a shorter period? Thanks in advance

guerito

stewbacca wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm thinking of sitting the NY Bar Exam next February but was wondering if it's too late to get the advance evaluation of eligibility completed in time (by Nov 30th) to apply? It says you should request an evaluation almost a year before you plan to sit but just wanted to check it really takes this long or if anyone has done it in a shorter period? Thanks in advance

They recommend sending everything over well in advance, but in reality you can send the materials over just before the deadline (a month or two before the exams). The benefit of getting everything over early is that they can notify you of any deficiencies on the documents well ahead of the deadline. Obviously if you leave it until the last minute, you run the risk of not being allowed to sit the exam due to lack of or a problem with the documents (as happened to a girl who was in my prep course this year).

stewbacca

guerito wrote: »

They recommend sending everything over well in advance, but in reality you can send the materials over just before the deadline (a month or two before the exams). The benefit of getting everything over early is that they can notify you of any deficiencies on the documents well ahead of the deadline. Obviously if you leave it until the last minute, you run the risk of not being allowed to sit the exam due to lack of or a problem with the documents (as happened to a girl who was in my prep course this year).

Thanks for the info. Do you know by any chance if you can send over all the evaluation material and then wait to see if all the documents are ok before paying the application fee or do you have to send everything together? It says the 750 fee is non-refundable I think.

stewbacca

I just had one other query in relation to the Foreign Eligibility form. One of the questions on it asks: Have you successfully completed all of the educational/academic requirements for admission to the Bar in your Country?

I'm not sure whether to tick yes or no to this? I have a law degree and the FE1s completed but not sure if they're just asking whether you'd meet the requirements to study to become a lawyer in Ireland or if you've actually taken the entrance exams etc.? Thanks all

guerito

Re timing: it's better to send your materials over well in advance (and before paying the exam fee) because, as you point out, the exam fee is non-refundable. I'm not sure if there is an earliest date you can send them over, but that info should be available on the website.

Re requirements for admission to the Irish bar: I also have a degree and the FE1s, but have not gone through Blackhall, and I ticked yes. I also got a letter from the Law Society stating that I have passed them. The NY board of examiners didn't raise any objection.

Are you doing a preparatory course? I would highly recommend that you do one if you can. I went to Friary, and their office staff were excellent with helping out on the application, advice on what to include, contacts for getting letters from the Law Society etc (just to point out: I have no affiliation with Friary).

stewbacca

guerito wrote: »

Re timing: it's better to send your materials over well in advance (and before paying the exam fee) because, as you point out, the exam fee is non-refundable. I'm not sure if there is an earliest date you can send them over, but that info should be available on the website.

Re requirements for admission to the Irish bar: I also have a degree and the FE1s, but have not gone through Blackhall, and I ticked yes. I also got a letter from the Law Society stating that I have passed them. The NY board of examiners didn't raise any objection.

Are you doing a preparatory course? I would highly recommend that you do one if you can. I went to Friary, and their office staff were excellent with helping out on the application, advice on what to include, contacts for getting letters from the Law Society etc (just to point out: I have no affiliation with Friary).

Thanks for that! Just wondering did you just write to you college and get them to send over the documents? Do you also have to contact the law society aswell to get them to send over a letter of accreditation (does it matter that the college and law society will send those documents separately?)

I'm not doing any prep course, planning to get the books and try and study myself. I'd prefer to do a course but I just can't afford it unfortunately! Any recommendations regarding materials to use are welcome! Thanks again for your help.

guerito

stewbacca wrote: »

Thanks for that! Just wondering did you just write to you college and get them to send over the documents? Do you also have to contact the law society aswell to get them to send over a letter of accreditation (does it matter that the college and law society will send those documents separately?)

I'm not doing any prep course, planning to get the books and try and study myself. I'd prefer to do a course but I just can't afford it unfortunately! Any recommendations regarding materials to use are welcome! Thanks again for your help.

Just ring your college admin office and ask for a set of your transcripts. They should be used to these requests and know what to do. The NY Board say that your law school should send the transcripts over to them directly, but I just got them in a sealed envelope and included that in my package of documents. If you call the Law Society they will direct you to the person who can issue you the letter.

It shouldn't matter that they are issued separately, but if you are worried, ask them to send the documents to you, or pick them up in person yourself, then send a full set of documents to the NY Board with an explanatory cover letter.

Regarding materials, I'm afraid I can't help you there. I used the Barbri materials given out by Friary, but haven't used any other set so I can't give a comparison.

histories

Hi All,

Hoping someone here can help me out. I'm going into third year this month and I am hoping to sit the New York Bar in July of 2012. When you apply to the NYB for assessment would they take into account the fact that I will have graduted by the time I go to sit the bar in July or will I have to wait until I have actually finished the year? Thanks in advance.

guerito

histories wrote: »

Hi All,

Hoping someone here can help me out. I'm going into third year this month and I am hoping to sit the New York Bar in July of 2012. When you apply to the NYB for assessment would they take into account the fact that I will have graduted by the time I go to sit the bar in July or will I have to wait until I have actually finished the year? Thanks in advance.

I don't know the full details because it didn't apply to me, but I know some people who were in the same situation, and the NY Board accomodated them. I think they had to send all their other documentation over as normal, with their exam results to follow once available.

histories

guerito wrote: »

I don't know the full details because it didn't apply to me, but I know some people who were in the same situation, and the NY Board accomodated them. I think they had to send all their other documentation over as normal, with their exam results to follow once available.

Ah, brilliant! Have my heart set on doing it in July. Cheers again.

histories

Well I have finally received the New York BarBri material, yay! Have to say though it does seem a bit overwhelming. Does anyone have any advice on which topic is the easiest to start with, did anyone do topics in a particluar order? At a loss as to where I should begin.

mectavba

Folks,

Just wondering if anyone can help me out here.

I passed the NY Bar in 08 and was admitted in November last year. I haven't gone over to practice yet but might at some stage in a few years.

I am pretty certain that I dont have to do any of the Continuing Legal Education if I'm not practicing over there, is this correct? What happens if I do go over, do I do some sort of catch up?

Also, it seems I will have to pay the biennial registration fee before my birthday next year. What happens if I dont pay this? Am I struck off the registrar for good or can I just pay up when and if I choose to go over?

Cheers

2ndtimer

Have full set of Micro mash materials for sale.

As new condition, Full MBE MPT and state bar exam texbooks. In total 8 books.

Also computer based tests available. Cost €1500, open to sensible offers.

Thinking about doing the New York Bar but I only have a BA, I seem to have completed the required amount of hours/credits from what I can deduce.
I was just wondering about the whole fulfilment of educational requirements, my degree isn't on the approved list from Kings Inns.
As far as I am aware the Law society of Ireland allows anyone with a degree to be accepted to take the FE1s,does this mean that someone with just a BA in legal studies could be deemed to have "the educational requirements for admission to practice law" or am I taking it up the wrong way?

paky

Deleted User wrote: »

Thinking about doing the New York Bar but I only have a BA, I seem to have completed the required amount of hours/credits from what I can deduce.
I was just wondering about the whole fulfilment of educational requirements, my degree isn't on the approved list from Kings Inns.
As far as I am aware the Law society of Ireland allows anyone with a degree to be accepted to take the FE1s,does this mean that someone with just a BA in legal studies could be deemed to have "the educational requirements for admission to practice law" or am I taking it up the wrong way?

ba in legal studies? i dont think that would qualify you to sit the bar exams. you need a bcl or llb.

matt555

dermot_sheehan wrote: »

I did them during the February sittings so have no idea if I passed yet.

They are hard enough, especially since I didn't do any course for them but got the Bar Bri books (U.S. Company that specialises in cramming for bar exams) off one of my girlfriends friends who did it a few years ago.

The multiple choice section in particular is tricky and it is something most irish law graduates have not encountered before, there is a technique to learning what the examiner is looking for since the most obvious answer is quite often wrong.

The exam is over two days in either July or February. The exam fee is $250 look at The Board of Law examiners website for details on applying http://www.nybarexam.org/ *you have to send certified copies of your transcripts from your law school). The first days exam consists of 50 New York Law Multiple Choice questions, 6 essays on New York Law, and the Multi State Practical Test (where you have a problem question and are given the folio with statutes and precedents that govern, its designed to examine your legal analysis and argumentative skills). On the second day you have the Multi state bar exam where over two 3 hour sittings you have 200 multiple choice questions.

As well as the New York Bar exam to be qualified over there you must pass the Multi State Professional Responsibility Exam. This is taken at a different time then the bar exam (I did mine 10 days after the bar exam on march 7th), and can be taken in any state (I took mine in Washington DC). This examines your ethics and is more straightforward and easier to pass then the main bar exam.

Friary Law, Griffith and Independent Colleges all do preparatory courses for the New York Bar and have the details on their websites. They charge substantial enough fees. You could also source the Bar Bri books yourself and see how you manage with independent study. If you take that option the cost is $250 for the exam, $60 for the MPRE exam and whatever amount you spend on flights and accomodation. There exams are very difficult though(New York and Multistate law differs in many respects and you are examined on one one day and the other the next day).

im just wondering did you pass and was it as difficult as you expected or not? forgive me for sounding nosey but im just curious.

matt555

How were you able to teach english if you did law??? just wondering..

matt555

2ndtimer wrote: »

Have full set of Micro mash materials for sale.

As new condition, Full MBE MPT and state bar exam texbooks. In total 8 books.

Also computer based tests available. Cost €1500, open to sensible offers.

1500 for 8 books is that normal... sorry but that sounds insane..

Procrastastudy

Law books are like apple macs - ridiculously over priced because thats the way the industry wants it.

doney21

I did the NY bar in 2010. It was great to do it, it is a tough exam, but in reality it is not really worth doing unless you have a US visa and a US JD or LLM.
Course providers give the impression that it is a shortcut to a legal career. Definitely not so. I would challenge them to show how many of their students secured employment with the exam alone.
Teaching the exam seems to have become an industry, which, in a recessionary time with a surfeit of lawyers in the US, begs a lot of questions.
I did the exam using micro mash, studying alone. I would never spend 5k on the exam. All in all, if you count the opportunity cost of not working while studying, the cost is around 10k. If you fail the exam (50% do) you have to cross the Atlantic to sit it again. Makes no sense.
I would urge anyone thinking about it to have a hard think about it before investing so much money and time when 'biting the bullet' and doing local exams or taking the steps to changing careers would be a better use of their time and resources.
Caveat emptor!

FlyingLawMan

mectavba wrote: »

Folks,

Just wondering if anyone can help me out here.

I passed the NY Bar in 08 and was admitted in November last year. I haven't gone over to practice yet but might at some stage in a few years.

I am pretty certain that I dont have to do any of the Continuing Legal Education if I'm not practicing over there, is this correct? What happens if I do go over, do I do some sort of catch up?

Also, it seems I will have to pay the biennial registration fee before my birthday next year. What happens if I dont pay this? Am I struck off the registrar for good or can I just pay up when and if I choose to go over?

Cheers

Best to treat it like you are not non-res.

16 credits per year for the first 2 years.

meriksen

Longtime lurker, hopefully someone can help me. I applied for foreign legal evaluation and got my college to send over my transcripts last March. I contacted the law society to confirm my eligibility they said they no longer provided such letters, so I read here that all you needed was to print off the approved schedule of degrees for kings inn and highlight your degree. I sent the highlighted page along with a cover letter and I also included the email from the law society.

I never heard anything back from the NY Bar, so I rang them up and they said they had gotten all of my transcripts but that they hadn't my eligibility on file, I told her that I had contacted the law society that they no longer give out letters and had included an email from them to that effect and had included the highlighted page, she said that that was not sufficient and that they needed a letter. Shes going to pull my file to check that they did recieve the email and highlighted page and that someone will contact me about it.

She also suggested a letter from my law school that I'm eligible, has anyone gotten this off of the NUIG law school?

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and is there anyone else that can confirm ones eligibility to practice law in Ireland apart from the Law Society or Bar, both of which have not been very helpful when I contacted them.

Thanks