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Yesterday I learned that I passed the CA bar exam after my 4th attempt. I assumed I failed and didn’t bother signing up for the November MPRE, so I have to wait until March to retake the MPRE. Assuming I buckle down and pass the MPRE, I still won’t be licensed until April 2019. Should I bother seeking legal employment before I’m licensed? Has anyone in a similar scenario had success selling bar passage (minus) to an employer? I make $60k/year at my current job, and I’m not willing to leave for a law clerk job where I’ll make less than $20/hr. I appreciate any insight.

First, congrats on passing the CA bar! That's a huge accomplishment, and you should be very proud of yourself for overcoming the odds.

I suspect there are very few people who've ever been in your situation, given how much harder it is to pass the CA bar vs. the MPRE. I think it can't hurt to test the waters. You're a much lower risk to a legal employer than someone who's passed the MPRE but not the CA bar. Make very clear that the only thing left for you is the MPRE, which you expect to take and pass in March. (There's no way you're going to fail the MPRE again, given that you've improved your test-taking skills to the point of cracking the toughest bar exam in the country.)

Best of luck!