Taking NJ bar on top of NY? Forum

[Anonymous User]

3L here -- NY biglaw lined up post graduation. NJ resident, so NJ is one possible future destination, but not the only one. I've been planning to take both bars, but now seeing the price tag ($500 + to take the NJ bar, plus possibly paying for the additional materials) and thinking about the third day of testing, I'm hesitant.

Additionally, I saw the other day that the NJSC is considering adopting the UBE, based on a nearly unanimous committee recommendation in favor of doing so. Does that change the equation? How would it work if I passed the UBE now and NJ adopted it next year (or the year after, etc.)?

Appreciate the advice from anyone who has made this decision before or has any insight on the UBE aspect.

[Anonymous User]

My firm required it, so they paid all the fees and barbri stuff etc. If you can afford it and want to maybe end up in nj it's probably worth it, since they don't have reciprocity afaik. It's also much easier than NY - there is very little state specific stuff, and I only briefly reviewed the barbri nj supplement.

[Anonymous User]

NJ is a very easy bar exam - one of the easiest in the country. However, NJ also has very onerous CLE requirements, which made me drop my NJ membership after about a year because of all of the time, effort and vacation days I would need to take to maintain NJ compliance. Unless you think you're very likely to move to a NJ law firm, I would not bother despite the ease of the exam and the lack of reciprocity with NY.

[SemperLegal]

NJ is a very easy bar exam - one of the easiest in the country. However, NJ also has very onerous CLE requirements, which made me drop my NJ membership after about a year because of all of the time, effort and vacation days I would need to take to maintain NJ compliance. Unless you think you're very likely to move to a NJ law firm, I would not bother despite the ease of the exam and the lack of reciprocity with NY.

The CLE distinction is only valid for the first year (where you have to take like 12 particular NJ classes). Afterwards its full reciprocity (1/2 have to be live if you have additional NJ ties). I knocked out my NJ-specfic requirements before starting work in one afternoon for like $200. The bar itself is easy, it's just the MBE, law school style issue spotters, and one NJ specific question (probably on land use or something esoteric) that you merely need to make an attempt on. With a good MBE, It's a practical impossibility to fail.

Pretty much NJ makes it as hard as possible for NY attorneys to apply (no previous years MBE, time intensive first year requirements, early C&F process), but very easy for new graduates. The rationale is pretty straight forward. They don't want practicing NYC attorneys to swamp the market for local counsel, but they want us Jersey boys to compete in NY and still be able to come home.

[Anonymous User]

OP here -- appreciate the responses everyone!

Does anyone know how it works if NJ adopts the UBE (most likely starting next year)? Just for argument's sake, if I practiced in NY for 4-5 years and tried to transition back to NJ, would I be covered because they subsequently adopted the UBE? It would seem odd if I had a passing score on the UBE, but they had me taking the UBE again to gain admittance. But I have no idea how this all works, so any guidance is again much appreciated.

[kaiser]

NJ bar is super easy since nearly all of the essays are based on MBE topics. You have one essay on NJ procedure, but that is the only NJ-specific stuff you need to know (I honestly didn't even study it beforehand, and just used my knowledge of civ pro generally).

[Anonymous User]

http://judiciary.state.nj.us/pressrel/2 ... 41416a.pdf

OP here, gonna bump this one more time. As seen in the above link, NJ just adopted the UBE effective February 2017. For someone like myself who is starting in New York and simply considering working in New Jersey 4-5 years down the road, am I right in thinking that it makes no sense for me to take the NJ bar this year? Basically, I'm hoping that once the UBE is officially adopted in NJ, I can simply apply for admission based on my UBE score (sometime within whatever time frame they establish, I think 3 years) even if I won't actually be practicing in NJ at the time.

Does this sound right?

[Anonymous User]

My school just send out an email letting us know that UBE scores are valid for 36 months for NJ. So yes, no point in taking the NJ bar when you can wait until February to transfer your score.

Also, there's a group of lawyers trying to "persuade" NJ to allow admission by motion (They were accepting comment on the issue last year). There's also some lawyers who've said that NC Board of Dental Examiners might open up state bars to antitrust liability for not allowing admission by motion. So unless you're starting your legal career in NJ, I don't think there's any reason to take the NJ bar, especially not if you're taking another UBE state.

[Anonymous User]

Well that's a relief! Is it generally the case that you can be admitted to a state, even if you're not practicing there, as long as you go through the application process and then stay up to date on CLE requirements?