The Virginia Supreme Court (Photo by Brandy Brubaker)
A fresh flood of more than 300 attorneys are set to hit the market after passing the state bar exam in February, according to recently released figures from the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners.
Of the 547, people who took the exam in February, 325 – or 59.41 percent — passed.
Of the passing test-takers, 214 became licensed to practice law on April 24.
Another 111 still had to meet additional requirements to be licensed, as of April 24. However, many of those test-takers have since completed their requirements and have obtained or will soon receive their licenses, VBBE office manager Julie O’Kelly said. Some of the students were delayed because another test required for licensing was given late this year.
February’s overall pass rate was much lower than July’s, but O’Kelly said that is typical for that time of year.
In July, about 75 percent of the 1,632 people who took the exam received a passing score.
“In July, you’re getting a lot of first-time people right out of law school. In February, you’re getting a lot of repeats,” she said.
The University of Virginia and George Mason University once again led the pack with 72.73 percent and 72 percent of students passing the test, respectively. Students from the University of Richmond had a 68.57-percent pass rate, the fourth-highest of the state’s eight law schools.
Nearly 70 percent of February’s first-time test takers passed.
The bar exam is given twice a year. Usually, about 500 to 600 people take it in February in Norfolk, while 1,500 to 1,600 take it in July in Roanoke.
As of April 1, there were 30,550 active attorneys in Virginia, according to the state bar.
The Virginia Supreme Court (Photo by Brandy Brubaker)
A fresh flood of more than 300 attorneys are set to hit the market after passing the state bar exam in February, according to recently released figures from the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners.
Of the 547, people who took the exam in February, 325 – or 59.41 percent — passed.
Of the passing test-takers, 214 became licensed to practice law on April 24.
Another 111 still had to meet additional requirements to be licensed, as of April 24. However, many of those test-takers have since completed their requirements and have obtained or will soon receive their licenses, VBBE office manager Julie O’Kelly said. Some of the students were delayed because another test required for licensing was given late this year.
February’s overall pass rate was much lower than July’s, but O’Kelly said that is typical for that time of year.
In July, about 75 percent of the 1,632 people who took the exam received a passing score.
“In July, you’re getting a lot of first-time people right out of law school. In February, you’re getting a lot of repeats,” she said.
The University of Virginia and George Mason University once again led the pack with 72.73 percent and 72 percent of students passing the test, respectively. Students from the University of Richmond had a 68.57-percent pass rate, the fourth-highest of the state’s eight law schools.
Nearly 70 percent of February’s first-time test takers passed.
The bar exam is given twice a year. Usually, about 500 to 600 people take it in February in Norfolk, while 1,500 to 1,600 take it in July in Roanoke.
As of April 1, there were 30,550 active attorneys in Virginia, according to the state bar.