For those taking the Maryland Bar Exam:
You can learn all the details about the Maryland bar from the Board of Law Examiner’s web site.
There is a one day six part 200 point essay exam testing on Agency/ Partnerships/ Corporations, Maryland Civil Procedure, Commercial Law, Family Law, and Professional Responsibility plus the subjects tested on the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) which is administered on day two (200 questions multiple choice). The MBE subjects are Constitutional Law, Contracts/Sales, Criminal Law/Procedure, Evidence, Real Property and Torts. For more information on the MBE, visit The National Conference of Bar Examiner’s web site.
Consider taking bar exam subject courses at the School of Law to supplement your education in preparation for the bar exam and your future legal practice.
The filing deadline for the Original Petition (certifying law school graduation) is May 20th for a July examination and December 20th for a February examination. You should read the complete rules before you file AND after you take the Bar you must also submit to the State Board of Bar Examiners an official transcript showing that you did, indeed, actually graduate. Keep in mind, the School of Law does NOT prepare transcripts. That function, like diplomas, is exclusively the province of the (campus) Office of the Registrar. You can request an official transcript online. Please note that if you intend to request a transcript before you have officially graduated, you will want to mark the box under Special Instructions "Hold for Degree" since your transcript must show that your JD was ACTUALLY conferred on a specific date to satisfy the Board of Bar Examiners.
The Office of Student Affairs will NOT be able to help you get the transcript if you forget, didn’t give it enough time, etc. The Board of Law Examiners has now placed the responsibility for (1) timely filing a notarized Original Petition, and (2) timely filing a transcript showing degree conferred on the individual student/applicant.
The School of Law does NOT complete the Certification as to College Education (Pre-Legal) form for the Maryland Bar.
As part of the Character Committee review, the Committee member selected to perform document review and interview will forward to the School of Law the "Certification as to Law School Education." This form certifies attendance and specifically asks whether the student/applicant’s record "indicates any instances which may bear negatively on the applicant’s moral character and fitness for the practice of law."
For those taking other states’ bar exams:
Each state sets its own bar registration and admission rules. Students/applicants are encouraged to investigate the rules in any state in which they plan to live and practice, especially those associated with registration deadlines and required courses. For more information about bar admission in states other than Maryland visit The National Conference of Bar Examiner’s web site or the American Bar Association's website on state bar admissions.
Some states (not Maryland) require the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) as part of their Bar Requirements. For more information on the MPRE, please visit the National Conference of Bar Examiner’s web site.
Bar Certifications are completed by the Office of Student Affairs in the order in which they are received. Thus, when yours is received, it will be placed in order behind all requests made prior to yours. Due to the high volume in which we receive these requests, please realize that there is sometimes a 4-6 week turnaround time. While we endeavor to meet all reasonable requests, please realize that out of respect for the other petitioners, there is no such thing as "same day" or "walk in and wait" service. Bar forms or requests for certification letters can be mailed to the attention of Shanti Narinesingh at 500 West Baltimore Street, Suite 280, Baltimore, MD 21201 or faxed to (410) 706-2103. Be sure to include your full name, social security number, date of graduation, return address, due date for the document and a contact phone number or email address. For any additional questions, please call (410) 706-5235.
