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I graduated this past spring and currently work as a law clerk in a state with no reciprocity with any other. While I love it here and plan to stay, I also want to leave some options open, so plan to take a second bar exam in February (while everything from law school and this first bar exam are fresh in my mind). I want to take the bar in a state that has reciprocity with a large number of other states, which will provide me with the most options in the future, just in case I do move.

Right now I am leaning heavily towards New York. They have reciprocity with numerous other states. I am also interested in international business law, and New York Bar seems like it would be a decent add-on to my resume if I ever apply overseas (at least compared to my current state).

Any thoughts on this? One concern I have is that I actually have to practice law in NY for a certain amount of years (usually seems like 5) to be admitted in another state without taking their bar. Is this the case, or is holding an active license good enough to meet that requirement?

Thank you in advance for your advice/opinions.

Mobster1983 wrote:I graduated this past spring and currently work as a law clerk in a state with no reciprocity with any other. While I love it here and plan to stay, I also want to leave some options open, so plan to take a second bar exam in February (while everything from law school and this first bar exam are fresh in my mind). I want to take the bar in a state that has reciprocity with a large number of other states, which will provide me with the most options in the future, just in case I do move.

Right now I am leaning heavily towards New York. They have reciprocity with numerous other states. I am also interested in international business law, and New York Bar seems like it would be a decent add-on to my resume if I ever apply overseas (at least compared to my current state).

Any thoughts on this? One concern I have is that I actually have to practice law in NY for a certain amount of years (usually seems like 5) to be admitted in another state without taking their bar. Is this the case, or is holding an active license good enough to meet that requirement?

Thank you in advance for your advice/opinions.

It means you are a member of the NY Bar actively practicing law (which is a very broad term) not necessarily in NY. If you're going to go NY then get NJ as well, night be worth something as well. Best of luck!!!!

hockeyman969 wrote:

Mobster1983 wrote:I graduated this past spring and currently work as a law clerk in a state with no reciprocity with any other. While I love it here and plan to stay, I also want to leave some options open, so plan to take a second bar exam in February (while everything from law school and this first bar exam are fresh in my mind). I want to take the bar in a state that has reciprocity with a large number of other states, which will provide me with the most options in the future, just in case I do move.

Right now I am leaning heavily towards New York. They have reciprocity with numerous other states. I am also interested in international business law, and New York Bar seems like it would be a decent add-on to my resume if I ever apply overseas (at least compared to my current state).

Any thoughts on this? One concern I have is that I actually have to practice law in NY for a certain amount of years (usually seems like 5) to be admitted in another state without taking their bar. Is this the case, or is holding an active license good enough to meet that requirement?

Thank you in advance for your advice/opinions.

It means you are a member of the NY Bar actively practicing law (which is a very broad term) not necessarily in NY. If you're going to go NY then get NJ as well, night be worth something as well. Best of luck!!!!

NY bar is now UBE by the way- so you can waive your score into NJ as they require the same passing score. (I did this).

cnk1220 wrote:

hockeyman969 wrote:

Mobster1983 wrote:I graduated this past spring and currently work as a law clerk in a state with no reciprocity with any other. While I love it here and plan to stay, I also want to leave some options open, so plan to take a second bar exam in February (while everything from law school and this first bar exam are fresh in my mind). I want to take the bar in a state that has reciprocity with a large number of other states, which will provide me with the most options in the future, just in case I do move.

Right now I am leaning heavily towards New York. They have reciprocity with numerous other states. I am also interested in international business law, and New York Bar seems like it would be a decent add-on to my resume if I ever apply overseas (at least compared to my current state).

Any thoughts on this? One concern I have is that I actually have to practice law in NY for a certain amount of years (usually seems like 5) to be admitted in another state without taking their bar. Is this the case, or is holding an active license good enough to meet that requirement?

Thank you in advance for your advice/opinions.

It means you are a member of the NY Bar actively practicing law (which is a very broad term) not necessarily in NY. If you're going to go NY then get NJ as well, night be worth something as well. Best of luck!!!!

NY bar is now UBE by the way- so you can waive your score into NJ as they require the same passing score. (I did this).

Thank your for elaborating on what I implied lol.

hockeyman969 wrote:

cnk1220 wrote:

hockeyman969 wrote:

Mobster1983 wrote:I graduated this past spring and currently work as a law clerk in a state with no reciprocity with any other. While I love it here and plan to stay, I also want to leave some options open, so plan to take a second bar exam in February (while everything from law school and this first bar exam are fresh in my mind). I want to take the bar in a state that has reciprocity with a large number of other states, which will provide me with the most options in the future, just in case I do move.

Right now I am leaning heavily towards New York. They have reciprocity with numerous other states. I am also interested in international business law, and New York Bar seems like it would be a decent add-on to my resume if I ever apply overseas (at least compared to my current state).

Any thoughts on this? One concern I have is that I actually have to practice law in NY for a certain amount of years (usually seems like 5) to be admitted in another state without taking their bar. Is this the case, or is holding an active license good enough to meet that requirement?

Thank you in advance for your advice/opinions.

It means you are a member of the NY Bar actively practicing law (which is a very broad term) not necessarily in NY. If you're going to go NY then get NJ as well, night be worth something as well. Best of luck!!!!

NY bar is now UBE by the way- so you can waive your score into NJ as they require the same passing score. (I did this).

Thank your for elaborating on what I implied lol.

just wanted to clarify
I saw someone asking about the notorious difficulty of the NY bar a while ago on here/how much they should study for the state law multiple choice part and I was thinking oh no apparently they are not aware of the UBE change! lol

Thank you for the advice. One of the reasons I chose NY is because it is now UBE. Just makes things a bit easier (not the exam itself, but future options).

If you're at all worried about reaching that 266 in NY, it may be beneficial to take the UBE in Missouri. Missouri has been administering the UBE the longest (since 2011), which means their essay graders are a tad more forgiving. This gives you an opportunity to grab points on the MEE and MPT. Missouri also grades their essays on a 10 point scale, which can be beneficial. Just some food for thought.