Admission to the New York State Bar
Before Admission to State Bar
- MPRE Exam (March/August/November): Check the MPRE website for detailed information.
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Applicants to the New York bar must establish that they have acquired skills and professional values necessary to competently practice law. Applicants may satisfy this requirement by completing one of five separate pathways. Graduates of the UC Irvine School of Law may satisfy this requirement under Pathway 1.
- Uniform Bar Examination for New York State
New York State administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). In addition, applicants for admission in New York must complete an online course on New York law and take and pass an online examination on New York law, as a requirement for admission.
The Uniform Bar Examination Informational Guide is available on The New York State Board of Law Examiners website: www.nybarexam.org/UBE/UBE.html.
March 28, 2016 notice from BOLE regarding updates to UBE, NYLC, and NYLE >- New York Law Course (NYLC): The NYLC is an online, on demand course on important and unique aspects of New York law in the subjects of Administrative Law, Business Relationships, Civil Practice and Procedure, Conflict of Laws, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Matrimonial and Family Law, Professional Responsibility, Real Property, Torts and Tort Damages, and Trusts, Wills and Estates. The NYLC consists of approximately 15 hours of videotaped lectures with embedded questions which must be answered correctly before an applicant can continue viewing the lecture.
- New York Law Exam (NYLE): The NYLE is a 50-item multiple choice test, offered at least four times per year. The dates and times of the exam administration can be found here. Applicants must complete the NYLC before they can take the NYLE. The NYLE will be an open-book test. An applicant who fails the NYLE will be required to retake both the NYLC and the NYLE.
- 50 Hour Pro Bono Requirement for the New York State Bar
All candidates seeking admission after January 1, 2015, with the exception of admission on motion candidates, will need to file documentation showing that they have completed 50 hours of qualifying pro bono work, as required by Rule 520.16 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals. For further information regarding the implementation and requirements of the new rule, along with Frequently Asked Questions, please visit http://www.nycourts.gov/attorneys/probono/baradmissionreqs.shtml. The FAQs contain information on the web address and toll free telephone number in the event that you have an inquiry. -
Complete the Character and Fitness Form
Check the Department-specific rules for when the Character and Fitness forms should be submitted. Some Departments allow applicants to file before the bar results are posted; others require applicants to wait until after they receive pass notification. Access the NY state form here.
By March 31
NY Bar Application Deadline: The online application for the exam will be available starting April 1 at http://www.nybarexam.org/. Students who wish to use a paper application should contact The New York State Board of Law Examiners (BOLE) office at (518) 453-5900 for further information. All online applications must be received through the BOLE online system between March 1 and March 31.
Strict Adherence to Bar Application Deadline: The New York State Board of Law Examiners imposes strict deadlines for applications to take the Bar Exam. Students who do not adhere to the above deadline will not be able to sit for the July Bar Exam.