NY Bar Exam Application Forum

[EvelynS]

Waiting on the last employment affidavit form for 2 months already. The person is so unresponsive. I don't want to be rude, but it gets really annoying. On the top of it, I do not have a job yet. So this waiting game with my license is adding even more stress. Just venting.

[bosox]

Does anyone know approximately how long the Jan 21 swearing-in ceremony in Albany will last? Safe to buy a 3:10 pm train ticket if the ceremony starts at noon?

On this thing it says an hour. https://www.nycourts.gov/ad3/Admissions ... Letter.pdf

I'm taking the same train. Did you notice that's the only train that has no wifi? Kinda sucks, but whatever.

[sd5289]

I have a C&F interview next week (2d Dept). Friend of mine who just did her interview said that they asked her an ethics hypo in hers (albeit very easy one, but didn't realize they did that). Is this common? What other kinds of questions do they ask during the interview?

[cocoabean250]

I have a C&F interview next week (2d Dept). Friend of mine who just did her interview said that they asked her an ethics hypo in hers (albeit very easy one, but didn't realize they did that). Is this common? What other kinds of questions do they ask during the interview?

I'm thinking it depends on who's interviewing you and how many bad things you have in your file. I just had one thing for a ticket I got rid of a couple of years ago, and my interviewer didn't even ask me about it, just said how great it was that my "bad page" had one line on it, commented positively on my work experience and what people said about me, gave me some tips on my job search, and recommended me for admission right there and then. It was fairly quick and quite pleasant, lady was super nice.

[JenDarby]

I have a C&F interview next week (2d Dept). Friend of mine who just did her interview said that they asked her an ethics hypo in hers (albeit very easy one, but didn't realize they did that). Is this common? What other kinds of questions do they ask during the interview?

lol that's really weird

For the 1st department most interviews were like 2-5 minutes (you watch people sit down and stand up in an open air space as you wait). I checked a lot of boxes and my interview was maybe ten minutes. We just talked about my past (I explained my perspective on incidents and he asked about each of my previous legal positions), my present (he asked about my wedding plans and insisted that my fiancé needed to go to the swearing in ceremony) and concluded with "well I see these were all isolated incidents, and you've clearly learned from each of them, let's go ahead and get you sworn in!"

[blueenigma]

I actually submitted so late. I passed the July 2014 bar and submitted in June 2015.

Did you mean to say that you failed July 2014, then passed February 2015, and that's why you submitted your application in June 2015?

On another note, there is indeed a time restraint on Moral Character Affidavits for the 1st department. They must be no older than six months prior to bar application submission or they are no longer valid. Please stop informing people that there is no such time restraint for the 1st department. That's simply not true.

[sd5289]

^ that was uncalled for.

And thanks for the replies! I thought it was weird that she got that kind of an interview as I'd never heard of it happening before. Talk about a flashback to DA job interviews.

[JenDarby]

I actually submitted so late. I passed the July 2014 bar and submitted in June 2015.

Did you mean to say that you failed July 2014, then passed February 2015, and that's why you submitted your application in June 2015?

On another note, there is indeed a time restraint on Moral Character Affidavits for the 1st department. They must be no older than six months prior to bar application submission or they are no longer valid. Please stop informing people that there is no such time restraint for the 1st department. That's simply not true.

Uh no. 162 MBE in July 2014. I work in-house at an investment bank so getting all that documentation together and sitting in for an interview just wasn't a priority since I don't NEED to be barred to do my job.

As a matter of fucking fact, the 1st department accepted my moral character affidavits even though one was 8 months old. That being said I think I informed mainly on employment affidavits, which the second department had a deadline for and the first department does not. You can have your mailman write your moral character affidavit on your way out the door so those don't matter much anyways.

Clearly everyone should read their instructions carefully as things do change. But really, I was here to help, and I'm glad to stop.

[Danger Zone]

Lol this profession

[JenDarby]

Lol this profession

interacting with lawyers where you think "this is why everyone hates us" is one of my least favorites aspects

[sd5289]

Lol this profession

interacting with lawyers where you think "this is why everyone hates us" is one of my least favorites aspects

For real.

There are plenty of lawyers in my office who didn't get around to the admission process until their 2nd year. It's not exactly unheard of.

I'm just neurotic and want the process over with asap.

[Danger Zone]

One of our second year associates has given no indication that he even plans to get the NY application filled out. He's corporate so I guess it doesn't matter, but I'd sure want it done so I never have to take that exam again.

[sd5289]

Getting admitted next week. Thank goodness this whole process is over, and I no longer need a notary on any of my court filings.

[ipsojure]

Does anyone know the code to video no. 4 for the Second Dep't? I have literally watched this video four times. If don't think I can hear this comingling lecture again. WHERE IS THIS CODE--IS IT BLACK TEXT ON A BLACK BACKGROUND???

[kidfromny]

Does anyone know the code to video no. 4 for the Second Dep't? I have literally watched this video four times. If don't think I can hear this comingling lecture again. WHERE IS THIS CODE--IS IT BLACK TEXT ON A BLACK BACKGROUND???

Code for what video?

[ndp1234]

Does anyone know the code to video no. 4 for the Second Dep't? I have literally watched this video four times. If don't think I can hear this comingling lecture again. WHERE IS THIS CODE--IS IT BLACK TEXT ON A BLACK BACKGROUND???

BUMP. Have this same question. Really annoying.

[WahooLaw24]

Third Department here with a question about the affidavits for past legal employers. During my 2L year I did "directed research" for a professor in which I received 2 credits for doing research and writing a paper. It was unpaid and the credits were ungraded. Does this count as something I need to get an affidavit for? The question talks about "law-related employment for academic credit only," but I'm thinking/hoping this wouldn't qualify.

Any thoughts are appreciated, thanks.

[Danger Zone]

Third Department here with a question about the affidavits for past legal employers. During my 2L year I did "directed research" for a professor in which I received 2 credits for doing research and writing a paper. It was unpaid and the credits were ungraded. Does this count as something I need to get an affidavit for? The question talks about "law-related employment for academic credit only," but I'm thinking/hoping this wouldn't qualify.

Any thoughts are appreciated, thanks.

You're definitely going to need an affidavit for that.

[ndp1234]

Does anyone know the code to video no. 4 for the Second Dep't? I have literally watched this video four times. If don't think I can hear this comingling lecture again. WHERE IS THIS CODE--IS IT BLACK TEXT ON A BLACK BACKGROUND???

BUMP. Have this same question. Really annoying.

Edit: Haha I found it but it didn't catch my eye. It's in white text in the second half of the video.

[bwh8813]

Does anyone know the code to video no. 4 for the Second Dep't? I have literally watched this video four times. If don't think I can hear this comingling lecture again. WHERE IS THIS CODE--IS IT BLACK TEXT ON A BLACK BACKGROUND???

BUMP. Have this same question. Really annoying.

Edit: Haha I found it but it didn't catch my eye. It's in white text in the second half of the video.

I was out of state but have now moved into the 2nd Dept but have not heard from them yet. I got the instructions from the 3rd Dept, but there was nothing about videos, so I'm guessing these are just 2nd Dept? I assume when transferred to the 2nd Dept I'll learn about these. What are these videos? How long/annoying?

[ChocolateTruffle]

A bit late to the game. Decided I should start working on my bar admissions application just in case I somehow miraculously pass the bar.

This is a really stupid question, so apologies in advance.

For the Pro Bono form in the notary box, it says:

STATE (Country) OF: ..........) ............) ss: COUNTY (City) OF: ...........)

That is confusing to me. What goes where? Do I put the state in the first blank, but then what goes in the second blank? And do I put the city or county in the third blank??

Thanks!

[JenDarby]

You don't fill out anything in the notary box, the notary will take care of all of that for you.

[ChocolateTruffle]

Oh, oops, thank you!

One more question. For employment history in part C, it says list employment for past 10 years. I've had more jobs than they give space for! Do I have to attach extra sheets with the information? Or just list the last 6 jobs that they give space for? And what if I can't remember all the jobs I've had? And they want ALL the jobs, not just law related jobs, right? But for law related jobs, we have to also submit the affidavits, right? Thanks!

Also, I've had 4 speeding tickets. With my Indiana license which I had from August 2006 to May 2009, I received three speeding tickets (two in Indiana, one in New York). With my Connecticut license which I had from August 2010 to May 2013, I received one speeding ticket in New York. I have had a New York license since May 2013 with no speeding tickets. I don't think speeding tickets are misdemeanors. From a search it seems they are infractions, so I don't need to list my speeding tickets on my application, right? Thank you!

[JenDarby]

If there are any questions that you need more space for, you fill them out in the rider below in numerical order:

https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/ad1/Com ... llable.pdf

They want all jobs "you have had since you reached the age of 21, or in the last 10 years, whichever period is shorter," including non law jobs. So if 10 years is shorter than the length of time since you turned 21, then yes you need to list them all. But as you said, law jobs are the only jobs that require affidavits. If you can't remember the past jobs you have had, I would say do your very best due diligence checking taxes, account statements, etc. There should be some trace in your records of past employment that was reportable to the IRS.

I don't remember exactly what the application asks, but if it only asks for misdemeanors, and the tickets you received were infractions, then no you would not have to report them.

[AndroidLawyer]

Oh, oops, thank you!

One more question. For employment history in part C, it says list employment for past 10 years. I've had more jobs than they give space for! Do I have to attach extra sheets with the information? Or just list the last 6 jobs that they give space for? And what if I can't remember all the jobs I've had? And they want ALL the jobs, not just law related jobs, right? But for law related jobs, we have to also submit the affidavits, right? Thanks!

Also, I've had 4 speeding tickets. With my Indiana license which I had from August 2006 to May 2009, I received three speeding tickets (two in Indiana, one in New York). With my Connecticut license which I had from August 2010 to May 2013, I received one speeding ticket in New York. I have had a New York license since May 2013 with no speeding tickets. I don't think speeding tickets are misdemeanors. From a search it seems they are infractions, so I don't need to list my speeding tickets on my application, right? Thank you!

When I emailed them about the space for employment history, they said that you could just make copies of the employment page (page 5) and attach them to the rest of the application.