Preparing for the Bar
(A Timeline Created by a Student)
First Year
- Learn the fundamentals of your first-year courses; the bar will later revisit this information.
- Consider where you would like to practice after graduating law school and consider summer placements that will introduce you to that legal market.
- Considering where you want to practice prepares you to register for the exam and potentially secure a discounted application price if you register within 100 days of the end of your final semester.
- When registering for 2L classes, consider enrolling in bar-tested courses such as Secure Transactions, Evidence, and Wills & Trusts.
Second Year
- Take Professional Responsibility and register to take the MPRE.
- Understand and compile necessary documents for the Character & Fitness portion of the bar. Meet with Dean Crain if you have any concerns about fulfilling the requirements of your jurisdiction’s Character & Fitness examination.
- Speak to Bar Prep representatives to compare prices and packages.
Third Year
- Attend bar workshops conducted by Career Services and the Dean of Students.
- Visit NCBE or your state bar’s website to identify deadlines for registering and applying for the bar examination in your state.
- Enroll in a Bar Prep course.
The timeline can be found here with specific suggestions regarding the California bar exam as an example.