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Legal Community
Board of Bar Examiners
Frequently Asked Questions
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Bar Exam
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 How do I get an application for the exam? |
The bar exam application is available online.
The application deadline for the July exam is May 1 and the deadline for the February exam is December 1.
| | When are the exam applications due? |
The deadline for all requests, including testing accommodation requests, to sit for the February exam is December 1. The deadline for all requests to sit for the July bar exam is May 1.
Requests for testing accommodations are encouraged to be submitted as early as possible to better ensure you can sit for the administration of the exam you apply for.
Applications must be postmarked by the due date, pursuant to Section 9(a)(2) of the Rules of Admission.
A petition filed after the due date must be accompanied by a letter demonstrating extraordinary circumstances justifying failure to meet the filing deadline. Acceptance of the applicant is at the discretion of the Board. See Section 9(c)
| | Can I take the exam on my laptop? |
Yes. Since February 2005 exam there has been an option to take the essay portion on your personal laptop for an additional $50 fee to the Vermont Board of Bar Examiners plus the approximately $50 software fee to ExamSoft.
Requests must be received by December 1 for the February exam and May 1 for the July exam.
| | Are there study materials or bar review courses? |
STUDY MATERIALS
BAR REVIEW COURSES
The Vermont Board of Bar Examiners does not certify, sponsor or have any relationship with any bar review or legal skills course. However, we are advised that the following bar review courses may be offered, and request that you direct any inquiries directly to them. The Board makes no representations concerning the completeness of this list, or the quality or accuracy of any course.
Micro Mash Bar (formerly SMH)
6402 South Troy Circle
Englewood, CO 80111-6424
800-BAR EXAM
Kaplan PMBR (Preliminary Multistate Bar Review)
700 S. Flower St.
Suite 2900
Los Angeles, CA 90017
800-523-0777
BAR/BRI
31 St. James Ave., Ste. 802
Boston, MA 02116
800-866-7277
Bar Exam Technique Course by Stavisky
327 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210
617-482-3777
Reed Multistate Bar Review, Inc.
414 N. Orleans, Suite 602
Chicago, IL 60610
800-852-3926
Rigos Bar Review Course
206-636-0716
Sol Software
P.O. Box 409
Washougal, WA 98671
360-335-0142
| | When and where is the bar examination held? |
The bar examination is held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July in Montpelier. Further details will be provided in registration material which applicants will receive on July 1 for the July exam and February 1 for the February exam.
Beginning with the February, 2012 administration, the exams will begin promptly at 9:30, instead of 9:00 as in previous years.
| | What does the Vermont bar examination consist of? |
The Vermont bar examination, which is offered twice a year, consists of two parts:
(1) An essay examination, consisting of four essay questions prepared by the Board of Bar Examiners plus two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). The MPT questions must be completed in a three-hour time period in the morning and the four essay questions must be completed in a four-hour time period in the afternoon. Potential testing subjects are listed in Section 10(a) of the Rules.
(2) The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) prepared by the NCBE. The MBE is an objective six-hour examination containing 200 questions. The examination is divided into two periods of three hours each, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with 100 questions in each period. The examination includes questions in the following areas: Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
In addition, applicants must take and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), also prepared by the NCBE, before they can be admitted. See § 6(a) of the Rules of Admission for the required score.
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Admissions without Exam
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| How do I obtain an application for admission without examination? |
You can also request a paper version by mailing a $15 check or money order made payable to Board of Bar Examiners, 111 State Street, Suite 9B, Montpelier, VT 05609-0701.
| | How does an attorney from another state become admitted to the Vermont Bar? |
If an attorney has been actively practicing law for five of the preceding ten years in the U.S. they can be admitted without examination. See Section 7(a) of the Rules of Admission.
Applicants will need to complete specially-certified CLE on Vermont practice and procedure within six months of submitting the application for admission.
| | What are the details of your agreement with New Hampshire and Maine regarding admission? |
Lawyers who are active members of the N.H. or Maine state Bar and have been actively engaged in the practice of law in N.H. or Maine for a minimum of three years immediately preceding their application may be admitted if they have attended at least 15 hours of specially accredited continuing legal education on Vermont practice and procedure. See Section 7(e) of the Rules of Admission for more details.
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Clerkship
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| Will I receive confirmation of registration of my clerkship commencement form? | Due to limited staffing and other priorities in this office, confirmation of receipt of any document cannot be provided. You are strongly encouraged to keep a copy of any document filed with this office for your records. A cashed check should be considered your confirmation of receipt. If you require further confirmation, you are encouraged to use the postal service's confirmation of delivery options. | | Is there a clerkship requirement for individuals applying for admission? |
Yes. Applicants for admissionby examination must serve a three-month clerkship under the supervision of a Vermont attorney.
There are two exceptions to the clerkship requirement:
(1) Applicants for admission by examination who have completed a four-year law office study are not required to complete any additional law office study.
The form for registering the commencement of your clerkship must be filed within 30 days of starting the clerkship along with the $25 fee. You will see that there are two options for completing the clerkship. One is for a minimum of 25 hours during a 7-day period and the other is for a minimum of 30 hours during a 14-day period. Twelve weeks are required under the first option and 24 weeks are required under the second.
There is no requirement that the clerkship be completed before taking the bar exam.
| | What is the purpose of the three-month clerkship? |
The clerkship is an educational requirement designed in part to ensure that newly-admitted attorneys are familiar with Vermont law, particularly practice and procedures. The applicant should develop, with the supervising attorney, a systematic course of study for preparation in the general practice of law in Vermont. The supervising attorney should provide the greatest breadth of experience during the clerkship, including enlisting the assistance of other attorneys as appropriate.
The clerkship also serves a mentorship purpose: after completing a clerkship, the newly-admitted attorney will have developed a professional relationship with an experienced Vermont attorney with whom he or she may be able to consult during the early stages of professional practice.
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Multistate Bar Exam
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| What is a transferrable MBE score and how long may a passing grade on the essay or MBE part of the bar exam be used? |
An MBE score of 135 or better from another jurisdiction may be transferred to Vermont to satisfy the requirements of Section 6(a) of our Rules of Admission.
Beginning with the February 2007 administration of the bar examination, a passing grade on the essay or MBE part of the bar examination may be used for a period of four consecutive administrations. For example, a passing grade from the 2/08 exam was able to be used for the 7/08, 2/09, and 7/09 exams only.
| | What can you tell me about the Multistate Bar Examination? |
The MBE consists of 200 multiple choice questions prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. This exam is given in two three-hour sessions, from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm and from 2:00-5:00 pm on the last Wednesday of February and July.
The questions consist of the following:
34 in Contracts
34 in Torts
33 in Constitutional Law
33 in Criminal Law
33 in Evidence
33 in Real Property
| | What is the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) passing score, and how is it determined? |
A 135 scaled score is the MBE passing score in Vermont. It was established by the Vermont Supreme Court in 1982 after extensive study, including the recommendations of a special study committee appointed by the Supreme Court to review bar admissions procedures and policy. The Supreme Court considered, among other information, the historical Vermont and national distributions of MBE scores; the Vermont equivalent passing MBE score during years when scoring methods different than the present method were in use; the practices of other states, including the California Assessment Center Study; and the preparation, format and content of the MBE itself. The Supreme Court believes that at the present time a 135 scaled score meets the requirements of its Rules of Admission for the demonstration of minimal legal competence on this examination.
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4 Year Law Office Study
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| Can you tell me about your four-year law office study program? Do I have to be a graduate of an ABA-approved law school? |
Most applicants are graduates of ABA-approved law schools, but there are several other ways in which an applicant for admission by examination can fulfill Vermont’s educational requirements to be eligible for admission by examination.
Vermont has a “law office study” program to satisfy educational requirements in lieu of graduation from an approved law school. It requires not less than four years of study. That study is done in the law office and under the supervision of a Vermont attorney who has been admitted for at least three years at the time study commences.
It is the responsibility of the student to locate a sponsoring attorney under whom the study will take place. There is a recommended course of study list and a listing of suggested clinical experiences on this website.
With the approval of the Supreme Court and subject to the discretion of the Board, a four-year program can also be completed by:
(1) Attendance at an approved law school and not less than two years of law office study in Vermont, or
(2) Graduation or attendance at an unapproved law school and not less than two years of law office study in Vermont, or
(3) Law office study in another state that has an established program of law office study leading to admission and not less than two years of law office study in Vermont, or
(4) Admission in a foreign nation that is a common law jurisdiction and not less than two years of law office study in Vermont.
In addition, if you are admitted in another jurisdiction at the time of application in Vermont, the approved law school requirement may not apply.
| | Can students who attended law school receive credit toward the four-year law office study program requirements? |
In its discretion, the Board of Bar Examiners may give up to two years of credit toward the law office study program upon successful completion of one year of law school. You will need to request credit of the Board of Bar Examiners and include an official transcript and course descriptions from the time in which you took the courses.
| | Does the four-year clerkship really replace a law school education? |
The Vermont rules of admission recognize that despite being qualified to do so, not everyone has the ability to attend law school, either on a full-time or a part-time basis. The four-year program affords those individuals an opportunity to study for the law with experienced Vermont attorneys who closely supervise their studies so as to ensure an in-depth exposure to a variety of legal subjects.
A four-year clerkship places a significant responsibility upon the clerk to engage in, and the sponsoring attorney to provide, a thorough and systematic study equivalent to a formal law school education.
Four-year law clerks should realize that not every law office engages in the variety of substantive and procedural law established in Section 10(a) of the Rules as the base of legal knowledge necessary to demonstrate minimum legal competence. It may be necessary to undertake independent studies beyond the duties ordinarily assigned by the supervising attorney.
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Admissions Process
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| What is the procedure to be admitted after I have been approved for admission? |
Beginning September 1, 2012, eligible attorneys are no longer required to attend an admission ceremony in order to be admitted to the Vermont Bar.
Once an attorney has completed all requirements for admission and has been determined eligible for admission by the Character and Fitness Committee, a motion will be sent to the Supreme Court once a month for approval. Once the Court has notified the Attorney Licensing office that an attorney is eligible for admission, an email will be sent to that attorney with the forms that are required to be submitted within 90 days. An attorney is not eligible to practice law in Vermont until they receive their licensing card.
The following persons are qualified to administer the oaths: Any justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, a Vermont Superior Court judge, a Vermont probate judge, a Vermont magistrate, a Vermont assistant judge, the clerk or deputy clerk of the Vermont Supreme Court, or a clerk or court operations manager of a Vermont Superior Court. A judge, justice or other equivalent judicial officer of another jurisdiction of the United States may also administer the oaths of admission.
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Certificate of Good Standing
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| Am I currently in good standing? |
An active attorney is considered in good standing if admitted in Vermont and current on licensing requirements and fees, as well as mandatory continuing legal education requirements. An inactive attorney is considered in good standing if admitted in Vermont and current on licensing requirements and fees.
An attorney is NOT considered in good standing if suspended for any reason, retired or disbarred in Vermont.
| | How do I obtain a Certificate of Good Standing for my Vermont license? |
Please send your request for a Certificate of Good Standing to Attorney Licensing, 111 State Street, Suite 9B, Montpelier, VT 05609-071, along with the fee of $3.00. Please allow two weeks for processing. Your certificate will be mailed to the address you provide; there is no need to provide a return envelope. No phone or fax requests, please.
If you also need your disciplinary history, please mail a separate request for a Grievance History Report to the Vermont Supreme Court, Professional Responsibility Program, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609-0703 Attn: Deb Laferriere
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Change of Address
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| How do I change my address? | |
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General Questions
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| How does a graduate from an unaccredited or foreign law school become admitted in Vermont? |
The education must be evaluated by the Board of Bar Examiners to determine whether it is equivalent to that of an approved law school or whether additional law office study must be completed before being eligible to take the bar exam. See sections 6(h) and (j) of the Rules of Admission
Graduates of a non-accredited U.S. law school must establish that the school is in the process of seeking accreditation by the American Bar Association or approval by the American Association of Law Schools. A form is available to guide you through the process.
Foreign educated applicants must establish that they have been admitted to the bar of a court in another nation which is a common law jurisdiction. A form is available to guide you through the process.
| | What are the general requirements for admission to the Bar of the Vermont Supreme Court? |
An applicant for admission must have completed certain educational requirements, demonstrate professional competence by passing a bar examination or through experience in the active practice of law for a specified period of time in another jurisdiction, be of good moral character and fitness, be at least eighteen years of age, and be a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully present in the United States.
| | What are the responsibilities of the Board of Bar Examiners? |
The Board interprets and applies the Rules of Admission to the Bar of the Vermont Supreme Court. Its major responsibilities include the following:
1) Preparing, administering, and grading the essay questions which comprises one part of the bar examination;
2) Reviewing, administering and grading the Multistate Performance Test, which comprises one part of the bar examination;
3) Administering the Multistate Bar Examination, which comprises one part of the bar examination;
4) Receiving applications for admission and determining whether applicants have met the several requirements for admission either by examination or admission on motion;
5) Certifying to the Supreme Court those applicants found to meet the requirement of minimal professional competence and qualified for admission under the Rules;
6) Ruling on petitions for discretionary action, primarily requests to interpret or waive provisions in the Rules of Admission; and
7) Making recommendations for rule changes to the Supreme Court as appropriate.
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