California bar exam results

cbkent,

As you know, I think highly of a legal career in government. However, most lawyers don't agree with me!

I know of one Glendale (CalBar accredited) grad who works for a Southern California county; there's no official discrimination against her but she says that not having gone to an ABA accredited law school has caused her some trouble with advancement.

But it seems to me that you have a major competitive advantage; you can AFFORD to take a state job becasue YOU don't owe $100,000 in student loans. Even most UC grads are in financial straits these days. I'm in this position myself and I have to tell you, it matters.

Well, whatever you decide to do, I'm sure that you will be successful!

 

Clarification

I meant to say, I DON'T owe student loans and have found that to be a major advantage in state government.

 

Christopher,

Congratulations!!!!

 

Congratulations!

 

Congratulations and welcome to the esteemed population that per capita is probably the butt of more jokes than any other single group! (except for presidents and people that put amputated fingers in their chili and ...)

 

Re: Re: California bar exam results

This is considered normal for licensing exams. For example, the same pattern occurs in engineering exams.

First-time examinees have varying probabilities of passing. Some first-timers are very smart and well prepared, and have relatively high "passing probabilities". Others are less smart and poorly prepared, and have relatively low passing probabilities. Most first-timers are somewhere in the middle.

After the test has been administered, some first-timers pass and leave the examinee pool. Others fail, and so they stay in the pool and become repeat takers. But the selection process is non-random. The smartest, best prepared first-timers -- those with the highest passing probabilities -- tend to leave. The less smart, less prepared first-timers -- those with the lowest passing probabilities -- tend to stay in and become repeaters.

So the "repeater" pool has a different distribution than the "first-timer" pool. The "repeater" pool contains a higher percentage of less smart, less prepared people, and a lower percentage of smarter, well prepared people. The overall "passing probability" of the pool will drop.

Some repeaters learn from experience, and increase their "passing probabilities" on subsequent exams. Others don't.

 

Nosborne--

One of my "virtual classmates" works for the FCC developing regulations. I asked her if she would be eligible for a promotion and/or salary increase after being admitted to law practice.

She advised that she is already at the highest pay grade, so it wouldn't really matter. However, people seem impressed by her CA admission. Apparently to work as an attorney for the FCC, you must be admitted to practice in one of the states or District of Columbia. It doesn't matter which one. "No one ever chooses California," she noted.

On another issue, you are correcyt about being effectively barred from plenary licensure in New Jersey. However, there is a new rule that now provides for a limited license as corporate counsel. There are no educational requirements or examination--an applicant need only be in good standing in another state with no disciplinary actions pending, etc.

The catch, of course, is that you can only provide legal services for the corporation, you must be a full time employee, and you cannot appear in court except under the pro hac vice rules.

Nevertheless, it is an interesting exception that may provide an opportunity for someone.

 

No one ever chooses California!

Or New York, either, I'll bet. That makes your accomplishment all the more impressive.

I thought your stats were interesting; First timers from Cal ABA schools ran 70% passing; out-of-state ABA schools ran 65%, BUT people taking the Attorney's Exam, most or all of whom have ABA degrees I should think, passed at a dismal 28.3%! That's crummier than CalBar accredited schools.

Kindly keep us posted on your career choices. Lots of folks on this board really want to know how it all turns out for you!