New York State Board of Law Examiners
1 Executive Centre Drive, Suite 202
Albany, NY 12203
(518) 452-8700
www.nybarexam.org
Effective January 1, 2015, all applicants to the State Bar of New York must comply with a 50-Hour Mandatory Pro Bono Requirement. Certification that the applicant has completed 50 hours of pro bono representation must be completed before admission. Alternatively, completion of a Pro Bono Scholars program conducted during the applicant's last semester of law school will make the applicant eligible for accelerated admission.
For information on the Mandatory Pro Bono Requirement and the Pro Bono Scholars program, see Mandatory Pro Bono Requirement and Pro Bono Scholars Program.
Admission to the Bar of the State of New York can be applied for with or without examination; the application for each is identical. Admission without examination is intended for members in good standing of jurisdictions outside New York.
In New York, the applicant submits his/her application to the particular Department of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court in which he/she (1) resides, or, (2) if not a resident, is employed full-time, or, (3) if not residing or employed full-time in New York, the Third Department.
Applicants for admission with examination must complete the following:
Applicants for admission without examination must apply for and receive a Certificate of Legal Education as a first step in the application process, which requires a $400 fee. Only applicants admitted to practice in jurisdictions with reciprocity are eligible for admission without examination.
After receipt of the Certificate of Legal Education, the applicant must file the standard bar application as above, presumably without the need for the bar exam fee.
Additional information on the application process can be found at Admission Information, Admission on Motion, and at Frequently Asked Questions
Effective with the July 2016 Bar Exam, New York has adopted the Multistate Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). For information on the UBE, see the appropriate tab in this LibGuide.
For more information on New York's specific exam administration procedures, see The NYS Bar Exam.
The Character and Fitness portion of the application requires submission of two original good moral character affidavits, one preferably by an attorney in good standing. The form affidavit can be found here: Part II Affidavit: Good Moral Character.
Affidavits must also be obtained from prior employers attesting to legal-related employment. In the case of solo practitioners, the affiant must be an attorney. The form affidavit can be found here: Part III Affidavit: Law Related Employment
In addition, all applicants must submit to a Character and Fitness interview, conducted by a member or members of the Appellate Division Committees on Character and Fitness, to take place prior to admission.