Are you studying to become an attorney in the state of California? If so, you will need to pass the California bar exam. Passing this exam will gain you entry into the State Bar of California, after which you will be entitled to practice law in the state.http://www.calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_home_generic.jsp?cid=10102 This guide w7ill show you how to pass the bar exam in California.

In California (as with most states in America), you will need to also pass a national test known as The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. While the California Bar covers criminal and civil law that attorneys will need to know, the multistate test covers law regarding the conduct of attorneys themselves. http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpre/mpre-faqs/general/

If you take the California bar exam but do not pass, try not to get too discouraged. Many prominent attorneys have needed to take this difficult examination multiple times before passing. The California bar exam has a notoriously low pass rate, and therefore there is a significant chance that you will fail it at least once. Only 57.7% of those who took the California bar exam in July 2009 passed. If you happen to fail, get back to your studies and prepare for the next opportunity to retake your exam. The good news here is that there is no limit to the number of times you can take the California bar exam. http://www.calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/Pass_StatsSummary.pdf

To maximize your odds of passing the bar exam, your studying should begin at a good law school. Choosing the right institution can make a significant difference in your performance on the test. Your best bet here is to go with an accredited school that has been approved by the American Bar Association. According to the statistics for first-time takers of the California Bar, those who attended such institutions had a 79.3 percent pass rate at the last test period, which is 8.9 percent above the average. The pass rate for students of unaccredited schools was a mere 26.5 percent. http://www.calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/FYX/FYX0906-Stats.pdf

No matter what law school you have attended, it is also vital to study on your own. The questions for past California Bar exams from the years 2002 through 2009 are available on the State Bar of California website (click here to be taken directly to the past exam page). By looking over these old tests, you can gain insight into the format of the exam, as well as the types of questions that will be presented to you on the big day.

You may also opt to enroll in a bar exam study course in order to maximize your odds of passing. Your law school may offer one, or you can shop around for independent classes. Remember that included in the test will be the Multistate Bar Examination, or the MBE.

When it comes to studying for the bar, waiting until the last minute is not recommended. It is best to begin studying months before you will be taking your test, and to make studying a full time job for 4-6 weeks. It is also effective to learn by repetition--that is, look over your notes and study materials often. Set aside time each day to study and take practice exams.

Once you feel confident in your knowledge of the law (or believe that you will feel confident in the near future), it is time to register for the California Bar Examination. The exam is held twice yearly (once each February and once each July), and is administered over the course of three days. There are several test sites around the San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego areas. You may file your application for test registration online by using this link. You will need to pay registration fees according to the following schedule: http://calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/GBX/CBX_INFO.pdf

• California Bar Examination fee for general applicants is $556.00
• California Bar Examination fee for attorney applicants is $808.00
• If you will be using a laptop, there is an additional $125.00 fee, with an additional $15 for late filing
• Applications filed up to a month after the timely filing deadline have a $50 late filing fee
• Applications filed 1-1/2 months after the timely filing deadline have a $250 late filing fee
• The withdrawal deadline for a sixty percent refund is 30 days after the timely filing deadline
• The withdrawal deadline for a thirty percent refund is 45 days after the timely filing deadline
• Extended deadlines exist for immediate repeaters
• All payments are due at the time of registration

Before you are able to practice law in the state of California, you will also need to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, also known as the MPRE. This test is administered by a nonprofit organization known as ACT, inc., on behalf of the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam deals with legal conduct of attorneys, as well as possible disciplinary actions that may be taken should unlawful conduct be proven to occur. The exam covers the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Code of Judicial Conduct.

The MPRE is administered thrice yearly, and consists of 60 questions. Test-takers are allotted 2 hours and five minutes to complete them. The exam is multiple choice. http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpre/

Generally, your law school will be familiar with the requirements of this exam, and teach you the necessary information. In order to practice law in the state of California, you will need to score at least an 86 on your MPRE. http://calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/62sf0301.pdfTo register for this exam, you may request an application packet from The National Conference of Bar Examiners, call 319-341-2500 or write to this address: http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpre/mpre-faqs/general/

• MPRE Application Department
• 301 ACT Drive
• PO Box 4001
• Iowa City, IA 52243-4001