So you’ve completed your law school education and now you’re ready to take your final step to becoming a Washington lawyer. Now, however, you must face the task of taking the Washington Bar Exam. With an overall pass rate of 80-83% you have a good chance if you prepare to pass this professional hurdle. There are many things you need to know before you sit for the Washington Bar Exam including: application procedures, test form, and what will be covered on the exam. This article will provide you with this information and hopefully arm you with the knowledge you need to prepare for the great challenge of sitting for the Washington Bar Exam.
About the application process
Washington State Bar Association
C/O Admissions Department
2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 400
Seattle, Washington 98121-2330
(800) 945-WSBA
www.wsba.org
To sit for the Washington Bar, you must (1) have a law degree from an American Bar Association approved, law school in another US, or licensed to practice law in a state or territory, either for five years or before 3 years, or (3) licensed to practice law in the common law of England and have been actively practicing there for a minimum of three (4) years. Unlike other states, the MBE and MPRE are not administered in the Washington Bar Exam.
For more information on the Washington Law Clerk Program please see: http://www.wsba.org/lawyers/licensing/faq-rule6.htm.
The application file will contain:
1. (II) Application models
2. General information about taking the Washington Bar Exam
3. (1) A copy of the Admission to Practice Rules and Policies booklet
4. (1) Copy of the Washington Rules of Procedure (Use this to study for the three-day WA Bar Exam)
5. Information on hotels near the test site
To download or request a complete application package with information on the tests, requirements, and general information you must visit the Washington State Bar website at the address listed above. All forms must be filled out and submitted by the set deadlines, and must include the appropriate application, examination, and . These fees change annually, however, to give you an idea of the expected costs, the 2006 fees are $460 for the general auditor, $735 for the petitioner’s attorney, $985 for the external counsel, $360 for the substantive portion of the exam only, and $235 for the Rules. Professional Conduct portion of the exam only, and if you need to take all portion of the exam again then the price is the same as if you are the first time applicant.
Test Format
The Washington Bar Exam lasts two and a quarter days and is given twice a year. Once in late February, and once in late January at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Washington.
The first day of the Washington Bar exam will be broken up into three hour two and fifteen minute sessions with a half hour morning break and an hour lunch break. In each session you will be given three questions to try to answer.
Day two will be structured the same as day one, and will be given the same number of questions to try.
The three days will consist of (1) two hour and fifteen minute sessions in which you will have six essay questions to answer on the Washington Rules of Professional Conduct.
Each attempted question is worth 10 points, with a possible total of 180 points. You must score at least 126 points on the essay questions and at least 42 points on the professional responsibility section to pass the Washington Bar Exam. The results of your exam will be mailed to you 71 days after the exam is completed, and the results will be posted on the WASB website the Monday after the results are mailed.
Study Tips
A study at the Washington Bar will suffice. You will have to spend several months studying the laws and information that you learned during the three years of law school. To help guide your study it is highly recommended that you enroll in a Bar Exam Review course. Law schools and Self Institutes offer these courses. For a list of quality Bar Exam Review courses please check out the following WSBA website: http://www.wsba.org/lawyers/licensing/bar-review-course.htm
In addition to writing an order on the Bar Exam Review, you should also learn what will be on the exam and which study guides you can go to.
Topics to be Covered on the Washington Bar Exam
The following topics will be covered in both classes, and some cases will be examined on how Money Laundering Laws They make an attack. You should be aware of the rules, regulations, and general applications and policies that apply to these topics.
1. Administrative law
2. Corporations
3. Limited Liability Corporations
4. Criminal Law, including substantive charges and defenses
5. Torts
6. UCC Articles I, II, III, IV, IX
7. Real and Personal Property
8. Conveyancing, financing, false use and zoning.
9. Family Law
10. Wills, probate and trusts
11. Business Law
12. Companies
13. Constitutional Law for both federal and Washington applications.
14. Commercial Transactions
15. Community Property
16. Contracts
17. The trial process
18. Customer Action
Study Resources
To help you study, the following pages provide the official rules of procedure for Washington state and for federal procedures.
In addition to Washington Bar Exam questions, application forms and general information, go to:
http://www.wsba.org
For the Washington Rules of Civil Procedure to:
http://www.courts.wa.gov/courts_rules/?fa=court_rules.list&group;=sup&set;=CR
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure apply to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp
The Washington Rules of Professional Conduct go on to:
http://www.courts.wa.gov/courts_rules/?fa=court_rules.list&group;=ga&set;=RPC
The Vienna Rules of Evidence go on to:
http://www.courts.wa.gov/courts_rules/?fa=court_rules.list&group;=ga&set;=ER
The Federal Rules of Evidence go on to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre
