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Telephone
and Fax Lines:
The Board telephone number is (518) 452-8700. Our dedicated New
York State toll free line is (800) 342-3335. Our voice system
operates 24 hours a day. The Board switchboard is staffed Monday
through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern Time.
The Board receives faxes 24 hours a day on (518) 452-5729 using a Canon Laser Class 7000.
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Correspondence: The Board responds to all correspondence by first class mail. We do not reply by fax or e-mail.
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Dates of Bar Examinations/Application Deadlines: The bar examination is held twice a year, generally on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July.
Dates of the next scheduled bar examinations:
| Dates of Examination | Application Filing Dates (Postmark or On-Line) |
| July 29-30, 2008 | April 1 - April 30, 2008 |
| February 24-25, 2009 | November 1 – November 30, 2008 |
| July 28-29, 2009 | April 1 – April 30, 2009 |
Applications to take the bar examination must
be postmarked no more than 120 days, nor less than 90 days prior to
the examination for which application is being made. There is no
provision for late filing except that for applicants who took the
immediately preceding New York bar examination, the deadline for
re-application is 21 days from the date of the applicant's
failure notice, or 90 days prior to the examination, whichever is
later.
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Cost
and Payment of Required Fees:
The fee for an on-line examination application must be paid with
a credit card (Visa or Master Card only). Debit cards are not
accepted. An on-line examination application is not complete
until successful credit card authorization. All other fees
payable to the Board must be in the form of a certified check or
money order payable to: "State Board of Law Examiners."
(credit and debit cards are not allowed). Fees
are as follows:
Examination
...............................................................................................$250
Certificate of Legal Education (Admission on Motion ONLY)...........................
$400
Copies of essay questions from three prior examinations with
above
average sample candidate answers
.............................................................$ 50
The following are available for 30 days following the release of the results of the exam:
Copies of essay questions
.........................................................................$
15
Copies of above average sample candidate answers
..................................$ 15
Copies of failed applicant's own essay answers
..........................................$ 40
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Change of Departments: Upon successful completion of the bar examination, applicants are certified to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in the Judicial Department where the last address the Board has on file for the applicant is located. The applicant is mailed a letter of certification which must be filed with the Appellate Division as a part of the application for admission to the Bar. Once an applicant has been certified by the Board, a change in Department can only be made by application to the Presiding Justice of the Department to which the applicant was certified. Because of their proximity, transfers between the First and Second Departments are not usually permitted.
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Duplicate Letters of Certification: Requests for a duplicate letter of certification must be in writing, and must include the applicant's name, address, Social Security Number, and the month and year of the bar examination taken and passed. Requests for duplicates will not be considered until at least 10 days after the mailing of the results to allow time for receipt of the original by mail. The fee for a duplicate letter of certification is $10.00, in the form of a certified check or money order payable to "State Board of Law Examiners".
NOTE: The sole purpose for a Letter of Certification is for presentation to the Supreme Court, Appellate Division in the appropriate Judicial Department when applying for admission to the Bar in New York State. Anyone who requires information for another jurisdiction, such as confirmation of having taken and passed the bar examination, need only make a written request including the identifying information stated above, and we will prepare an appropriate letter. There is no fee. The Board of Law Examiners cannot confirm admission to the Bar or issue Certificates of Good Standing. Such requests should be directed to the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, in the Judicial Department in which the applicant was admitted.
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Law School Admission Test (LSAT): For information on this examination,
please call
(215) 968-1001.
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Attorney Registration: For information on New York State attorney registration and the required fee, please call the Office of Court Administration at (212) 428-2800 or visit them online.
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Continuing Legal Education: For information on New York's continuing legal education requirement, please call the Office of Court Administration at (212) 428-2105, or contact their web site at http://www.courts.state.ny.us
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Law Student Registration: New York does not require law students to register with the Board. Students should contact the Board for an application packet at least four months prior to the bar examination they wish to take. Application materials are available for download from this web site.
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American Bar Association Information: For information on ABA accredited law schools, please contact the American Bar Association at 750 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611, or at http://www.abanet.org/legaled
Frequently Asked
Questions | The Bar Examination | Admission
Information
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Legal Education | Admission on Motion/Reciprocity |
Test
Accommodation (ADA) | MPRE
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Answers
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