Why does a law graduate skip the bar exam? Does it happen often?

[Anonymous]

I took the bar and never practiced. But you're right. It gave me more of a scent of legitimacy. Thank god no CLE requirements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone confident that they would pass the bar would take it. For a competent person, it's just 3-4 weeks of concentrated study.

This. I knew I would never practice as did a few of my classmates and we all took the bar. It looks bad if you dont. IMO it makes people assume you didnt pass or couldn't pass.

+1 to both of these.

[Anonymous]

If you're inheriting a billion dollar business you don't need to work hard at anything.

[Anonymous]

No ethical obligations.

[Anonymous]

I'd say he worried about character and fitness? Didn't his dad donate to a bunch of political parties in Jared's name? He probably didn't want to relive that crap.

On the other hand, I recall reading about two UCLA (?) Law grads in a business magazine like Fortune who skipped the bar because they found law so damn boring and started their own business. I can't remember the company but these guys were clearly smart enough to pass and seemed to be sorta bragging they "skipped the bar exam" as in, eff you I don't need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I took the bar and never practiced. But you're right. It gave me more of a scent of legitimacy. Thank god no CLE requirements.

Never practiced? Did you just skip OCI? What sort of industry did you enter? I assume law classmates give you a hard time when you do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took the bar and never practiced. But you're right. It gave me more of a scent of legitimacy. Thank god no CLE requirements.

Never practiced? Did you just skip OCI? What sort of industry did you enter? I assume law classmates give you a hard time when you do this.

Ha. I had to google OCI. I went to law school at night while working full-time on the Hill, then advanced to a successful lobbying career afterwards. Nobody gives me a hard time given my salary - ha!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw Jared Kushner got a BA from Harvard and a JD from NYU, then skipped the bar exam. Made me wonder if this is a common thing. If so, do these law students just sit out on campus interviews because they have a job in business, or some other non-law industry, lined up?

It's not that common. Most people who get a JD but skip the bar exam do have some other job lined up, so yes, they sit out OCI. But again, it's not that common. Most law students do no have a non-law job lined up before graduation, so they do take the bar exam to keep their options open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw Jared Kushner got a BA from Harvard and a JD from NYU, then skipped the bar exam. Made me wonder if this is a common thing. If so, do these law students just sit out on campus interviews because they have a job in business, or some other non-law industry, lined up?

It's not that common. Most people who get a JD but skip the bar exam do have some other job lined up, so yes, they sit out OCI. But again, it's not that common. Most law students do no have a non-law job lined up before graduation, so they do take the bar exam to keep their options open.

I graduated from NYU law around the same time as him and can think of at least three classmates who didn't bother to take the bar. I think one was going to work for a hedge fund (not as a lawyer) and the others were going into consulting. If I recall there are consulting firms that come to OCI so you could def do OCI even if you didn't plan to take the bar. I don't know if this is more common at NYU than at other schools but seeing someone who didn't take the bar wouldn't even make me bat an eye if he/she had other career plans.

[Anonymous]

Why would you take the bar exam if it wasn't necessary? My guess is he knew he was never going to practice and had no need for a fall-back career, so chose not to spend his time preparing. And let's face it- the exam is not that difficult that anyone with average intelligence who puts the time into prep can't pass. Those who fail either don't study enough or choke up with nerves. I know a lot of lawyers who aren't too bright but managed to pass the bar. I'm sure Kushner would have no problem if he were dedicated to studying. And I very much doubt any Bar would hold his dad's ethical issues against him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you take the bar exam if it wasn't necessary? My guess is he knew he was never going to practice and had no need for a fall-back career, so chose not to spend his time preparing. And let's face it- the exam is not that difficult that anyone with average intelligence who puts the time into prep can't pass. Those who fail either don't study enough or choke up with nerves. I know a lot of lawyers who aren't too bright but managed to pass the bar. I'm sure Kushner would have no problem if he were dedicated to studying. And I very much doubt any Bar would hold his dad's ethical issues against him.

Jared was tangled up in his dad's donor bundle crimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another reason could be some states have diploma privilege, at least they did years ago when I was in law school (WI).

Go Bucky!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone confident that they would pass the bar would take it. For a competent person, it's just 3-4 weeks of concentrated study.

This. I knew I would never practice as did a few of my classmates and we all took the bar. It looks bad if you dont. IMO it makes people assume you didnt pass or couldn't pass.

This. You never know where you career might take you, or when having the Bar might come in handy.

I'm guessing when your family is worth a billion or so, you worry less about this than the rest of us.

Very true. But if you don't care about the degree, why waste 3 years of your life in law school? Not taking the bar just seems like you knew you weren't smart enough to pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone confident that they would pass the bar would take it. For a competent person, it's just 3-4 weeks of concentrated study.

This. I knew I would never practice as did a few of my classmates and we all took the bar. It looks bad if you dont. IMO it makes people assume you didnt pass or couldn't pass.

This. You never know where you career might take you, or when having the Bar might come in handy.

I'm guessing when your family is worth a billion or so, you worry less about this than the rest of us.

+1. I would not assume that he did not or could not pass the bar. He likely just knew he was never going to be grinding it out reviewing docs like the rest of us. I had a couple of classmates from HLS who went back to banking/finance without taking the bar and they did not even have family money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think anyone confident that they would pass the bar would take it. For a competent person, it's just 3-4 weeks of concentrated study.

This. I knew I would never practice as did a few of my classmates and we all took the bar. It looks bad if you dont. IMO it makes people assume you didnt pass or couldn't pass.

This. You never know where you career might take you, or when having the Bar might come in handy.

I'm guessing when your family is worth a billion or so, you worry less about this than the rest of us.

Very true. But if you don't care about the degree, why waste 3 years of your life in law school? Not taking the bar just seems like you knew you weren't smart enough to pass.

It just seems like it would be REALLY awkward, especially during 2L and 3L when everyone is trying to get on with a firm. What does someone who plans to skip the bar do during the summers?