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Does anyone know if it is possible to withdraw your bar application after you have taken the exam, but before you have received the results?

If not, my only hope is that I failed the bar exam.

This is likely to be state specific, so I would call you local board of bar examiners.

I have to ask though, why must you avoid passing the bar?

luthersloan wrote:This is likely to be state specific, so I would call you local board of bar examiners.

I have to ask though, why must you avoid passing the bar?

I don't want to be an attorney. Failing/withdrawing is easier for me than passing and telling my employer (who has been very good to me) and family (who have high expectations) that I simply don't want to do it.

This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

manofjustice wrote:This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

I don't like it. I don't have the personality for it. The work is boring. I hate practically every aspect of it. I don't like the clients. I can't stand what you have to be to be a good attorney.

I can't envision doing this as a career. Particularly since I have very little debt, and I have my prior career to fall back on.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of my class does not have a job in the legal field. My conscience bothers me taking up a space doing something I hate, when one of them could probably use the employment and would actually like doing it.

Sounds like you have some experience. What do you have to be to be a good attorney? Which school?

wewallace wrote:

manofjustice wrote:This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

I don't like it. I don't have the personality for it. The work is boring. I hate practically every aspect of it. I don't like the clients. I can't stand what you have to be to be a good attorney.

I can't envision doing this as a career. Particularly since I have very little debt, and I have my prior career to fall back on.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of my class does not have a job in the legal field. My conscience bothers me taking up a space doing something I hate, when one of them could probably use the employment and would actually like doing it.

Very weird indeed. And quite unbelievable.

If you don't want to be an attorney, just go tell your employer you don't want to be one and quit. And what's the crap about your conscience again?

manofjustice wrote:Sounds like you have some experience. What do you have to be to be a good attorney? Which school?

IMHO you have to be a little bit arrogant, a little bit cut throat, and a little bit greedy. I can't stomach it.

A random TTTT.

With all respect, you don't make sense at all.

You'd rather tell people "I failed the bar, I won't be a lawyer," than "I passed the bar, but don't want to practice"?

If what you're saying comes from a rational place, I sympathize with a life situation where telling people you're a failure is the better option than telling people you've had a well thought out change of heart.

EDITED BECAUSE I WROTE THIS AS YOU WROTE YOUR LAST RESPONSES:

Your cogent response is perfectly logical - JUST SAY THAT IF ASKED! This is easy to say from my anon position here on the interwebs, but fuck everyone else and do what makes you happy.

You sound more sane saying "sure I could do this, but it sucks so I won't" than wishing you could lie and say you are a failure and not cut out for it.

I'll leave you with this - you're not a lawyer until you get sworn in, so even if you pass, just don't, tell whoever to suck it, and get on with life.

EDIT: I don't see it as arrogance, I see it as disgust. That's different. You aren't saying you're too good - you're saying you hate it. I bet I'd hate being an accountant, that doesn't mean I couldn't do it.

Good luck.

(der, edited to say "couldn't" above)

ajr wrote:

wewallace wrote:

manofjustice wrote:This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

I don't like it. I don't have the personality for it. The work is boring. I hate practically every aspect of it. I don't like the clients. I can't stand what you have to be to be a good attorney.

I can't envision doing this as a career. Particularly since I have very little debt, and I have my prior career to fall back on.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of my class does not have a job in the legal field. My conscience bothers me taking up a space doing something I hate, when one of them could probably use the employment and would actually like doing it.

Very weird indeed. And quite unbelievable.

If you don't want to be an attorney, just go tell your employer you don't want to be one and quit. And what's the crap about your conscience again?

My employer has been very good to me. I feel bad simply jumping ship. If I fail or withdraw, I at least have an excuse.

NotMyRealName09 wrote:With all respect, you don't make sense at all.

You'd rather tell people "I failed the bar, I won't be a lawyer," than "I passed the bar, but don't want to practice"?

If what you're saying comes from a rational place, I sympathize with a life situation where telling people you're a failure is the better option than telling people you've had a well thought out change of heart.

EDITED BECAUSE I WROTE THIS AS YOU WROTE YOUR LAST RESPONSES:

Your cogent response is perfectly logical - JUST SAY THAT IF ASKED! This is easy to say from my anon position here on the interwebs, but fuck everyone else and do what makes you happy.

You sound more sane saying "sure I could do this, but it sucks so I won't" than wishing you could lie and say you are a failure and not cut out for it.

I'll leave you with this - you're not a lawyer until you get sworn in, so even if you pass, just don't, tell whoever to suck it, and get on with life.

EDIT: I don't see it as arrogance, I see it as disgust. That's different. You aren't saying you're too good - you're saying you hate it. I bet I'd hate being an accountant, that doesn't mean I could do it.

Good luck.

I appreciate that. I just feel like I'd be letting my employer and family down by saying it so bluntly.

wewallace wrote:

ajr wrote:

wewallace wrote:

manofjustice wrote:This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

I don't like it. I don't have the personality for it. The work is boring. I hate practically every aspect of it. I don't like the clients. I can't stand what you have to be to be a good attorney.

I can't envision doing this as a career. Particularly since I have very little debt, and I have my prior career to fall back on.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of my class does not have a job in the legal field. My conscience bothers me taking up a space doing something I hate, when one of them could probably use the employment and would actually like doing it.

Very weird indeed. And quite unbelievable.

If you don't want to be an attorney, just go tell your employer you don't want to be one and quit. And what's the crap about your conscience again?

My employer has been very good to me.

Precisely why you should just say you don't like it. If you are looking for an excuse, failing the bar is a bad one. Normal people expect you to take it again.

wewallace wrote:

ajr wrote:

wewallace wrote:

manofjustice wrote:This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

I don't like it. I don't have the personality for it. The work is boring. I hate practically every aspect of it. I don't like the clients. I can't stand what you have to be to be a good attorney.

I can't envision doing this as a career. Particularly since I have very little debt, and I have my prior career to fall back on.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of my class does not have a job in the legal field. My conscience bothers me taking up a space doing something I hate, when one of them could probably use the employment and would actually like doing it.

Very weird indeed. And quite unbelievable.

If you don't want to be an attorney, just go tell your employer you don't want to be one and quit. And what's the crap about your conscience again?

My employer has been very good to me. I feel bad simply jumping ship. If I fail or withdraw, I at least have an excuse.

Seriously, with all respect - NUT UP. Life is short and you owe no one anything. They (employer) paid you for the work done so far, and I guarantee they don't want to employ a truly miserable employee. If anything, you can leave with respect having gained the opportunity and declined than losing it because you're a failure (and not even a real failure if you're asking to fail intentionally).

Maybe I need to be more concise in my opinion:

Have integrity, tell the truth, and don't lie to make it easier on you or anyone. Life is hard - deal with it honestly. I suspect, once it blows over, you'll be more respected than before your revelation. Lying that you are a failure? Less respect (either for lying or for people thinking you failed).

Ok, good luck, tough spot.

Grow up.

ETA: you sound like a 15 year old hoping to get cut from the soccer team so you don't have to be accountable for your own choices.

You're an adult now, and you need to think longer term than what you feel like doing next week. How long have you even been working? Before you quit, you need an exit plan. It may take a year or two for a suitable exit plan to materialize. That is part of building your career.

wewallace wrote:

ajr wrote:

wewallace wrote:

manofjustice wrote:This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

I don't like it. I don't have the personality for it. The work is boring. I hate practically every aspect of it. I don't like the clients. I can't stand what you have to be to be a good attorney.

I can't envision doing this as a career. Particularly since I have very little debt, and I have my prior career to fall back on.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of my class does not have a job in the legal field. My conscience bothers me taking up a space doing something I hate, when one of them could probably use the employment and would actually like doing it.

Very weird indeed. And quite unbelievable.

If you don't want to be an attorney, just go tell your employer you don't want to be one and quit. And what's the crap about your conscience again?

My employer has been very good to me. I feel bad simply jumping ship. If I fail or withdraw, I at least have an excuse.

Maybe you shouldn't be a attorney.

wewallace wrote:

ajr wrote:

wewallace wrote:

manofjustice wrote:This seems weird.

Why don't you want to be an attorney?

I don't like it. I don't have the personality for it. The work is boring. I hate practically every aspect of it. I don't like the clients. I can't stand what you have to be to be a good attorney.

I can't envision doing this as a career. Particularly since I have very little debt, and I have my prior career to fall back on.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of my class does not have a job in the legal field. My conscience bothers me taking up a space doing something I hate, when one of them could probably use the employment and would actually like doing it.

Very weird indeed. And quite unbelievable.

If you don't want to be an attorney, just go tell your employer you don't want to be one and quit. And what's the crap about your conscience again?

My employer has been very good to me. I feel bad simply jumping ship. If I fail or withdraw, I at least have an excuse.

Just to be clear:

If you are looking for an excuse, failing the bar is a bad one; saying that you withdrew the application to the bar is worse; withdrawing and then lying that you failed is probably the worst -- if you are planning on doing the last, maybe you should re-consider not being an attorney?