Note of Encouragement

A Note of Encouragement for Bar Examinees

So, the bar exam is drawing nigh, or maybe the pass/fail results were just released. Do not freak-out, do not fret, do not fear. After all, look how far you have come. You successfully made it through 3 years of law school and 4 years of undergraduate studies.

Do you remember the first law school exam you took? I do, and I can tell you I was freaked-out and overwhelmed! However, I was not nearly as freaked-out as when my Contracts Professor called my name the first day of class and asked me to recite the facts and legal holding of the “hairy hand” case. That was the first time I recall having an “out-of-body” experience. Believe it or not, taking the bar exam paled in comparison. Waiting for the results, or receiving a “failing” score? Well, that’s a whole different story!

Nevertheless, it is true: studying for, taking, and waiting for the bar exam’s pass/fail results can indeed be an overwhelming experience. Maybe try considering it as just one more adventure in your legal journey? Most assuredly you will have many more experiences that are overwhelming once you have passed the exam and become a licensed attorney! As long as you have done your utmost to study the tested Florida and MBE subjects, be confident when you walk into the Tampa Convention Center to take the exam.

Prominent People who Failed the Bar Exam

The objective to taking the bar exam is, of course, to pass it. However, failing it is not the end of the world, although it might “feel” that way at the moment. For example, consider the following prominent, successful, and accomplished people who failed their bar exam:

• Charlie Crist: Current U.S. Senator, former Florida Governor, former Florida Attorney General, and graduate of Cumberland School of Law failed the Florida Bar Exam twice before passing it on his third try.
• Pete Wilson: Former California Governor, former United States Senator , former Mayor of San Diego, graduate of Berkeley School of Law, failed the California Bar Exam three times before passing on his fourth try.
• Richard Michael Daily: Former Chicago Mayor, the longest-serving Chicago Mayor in fact, former Illinois State Senator, and graduate of DePaul University failed the Illinois Bar Exam two times before passing it on his third try.
• Kathleen Sullivan: Former Dean of Stanford Law School, leading Constitutional Law scholar, possible Supreme Court nominee, and graduate of Harvard Law School failed the California Bar Exam on her first try.
• Jerry Brown: Former California Governor, former California Attorney General, and graduate of Yale Law School failed the California Bar Exam on his first try.
• Michelle Obama: Former First Lady and graduate of Harvard Law School failed the Illinois Bar Exam on her first try.
• Hillary Clinton: Former First Lady, former Secretary of State and graduate of Yale Law School failed the Washington DC Bar Exam but passed the Arkansas Bar Exam.

No doubt there are a multitude of individuals who took their bar exam on more than one occasion and still went on to become successful attorneys, lobbyists, politicians, leaders, professors, authors, etcetera.

Don’t lose hope. Don’t lose faith.