There is an average of about 13,500 lawyers who are licensed to practice in Kentucky. It’s predicted that about 4,000 more can be absorbed. If this is true, it represents an increase of abut 5% in the state. Lawyers in Kentucky earn an average of right around $100,00 per year. Many jobs are expected to be available in Kentucky over the next few years. If you’d like to claim one, here’s how to become one of them.
Get Started with a Pre-Law Major
The Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions stresses the importance of graduating from a class that’s approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). You have to earn a bachelor’s degree before gaining admission to an ABA approved Kentucky law school. The four-years of college or university must also be approved by the Database of Approved Postsecondary Institutions and Programs too. That’s not really a problem though as thousands of them are so accredited. There is a problem though finding a pre-law major though. They simply don’t exist.
Find a Major that You Enjoy
You should take course of studies that interest you, especially in English, history, political science or even communications. Somewhere out there, there’s an appropriate major for you that will get you into law school. In fact, just about any major will suffice, so long as it’s interesting for you. Admissions committees to law schools have stressed the importance of a major. If it’s engaging, you’re going to do better in it. It only makes sense that the better that you do in a major, the higher the likelihood of getting into law school. It could be anything from home economics to economics.
The LSAT
All ABA accredited institutions will require you to take the Law School Admissions Test. This is a six-hour test that must be taken as a condition of enrollment. It’s given four-times per year. The cost is $215 plus $125 three schools you will apply to. If you apply to more than three schools, there is a charge of $45 per school. This test is critical to getting into law school. There are commercial classes to prepare and study for it, so please use at least one of them. These aren’t the free one’s either. The test will consist of the following:
- Reading Comprehension: You read a complex passage, and then you answer questions based on it.
- Analytical Reasoning: This consists of ordering games, characteristic games, grouping games, spatial games and map games.
- Logical Reasoning: This involves critical and deductive reasoning and finding critical and deductive arguments.
- Experimental Section: This will be any of the above three tests, but in a different section. You don’t know which test is being used or not used, so its important to do your best.
- Writing Sample: You need to write an essay during the exam. A question will be asked of you, but If will not be scored. It will be supplied to the schools that you apply to though.
About three weeks after the taking of the test, you’ll be notified of the results. Tests are scored at a low of 120 and a high of 180. The median score in 2020 as at 152. There are three ABA accredited law schools in Kentucky. These are the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law and the Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law.
The Process of Applying to a Kentucky Law School
The law school Credential Assembly Service is a necessary service in applying to law school. Any ABA accredited law school requires this. The service gather’s all transcripts, records and evaluations and packages them to the laws schools that you apply to. The cost is $195, and like other costs involved, it can be paid online. The Credential Assembly Service also takes care of applying to every law school that you’ll be choosing. There are at least 200 ABA accredited law schools outside of Kentucky, so don’t limit yourself geographically. You’ll take course work in classes that include but aren’t limited to the following:
- Conflicts of Laws.
- Criminal Law and Procedure.
- Uniform Commercial Code>
After three years, you’ll graduate will a Judis Doctor degree. Then, it’s time for you to take the Kentucky bar exam.
Taking the Kentucky Bar Exam
Before taking the Kentucky bar, you’ll be encouraged to once again take another class that’s entirely geared toward the Kentucky exam. Toward the end of the third year of your studies, ask around, and you’ll find out who everybody else is using. Attend that class every single day that it’s available. Take the practice quizzes and study more. The Kentucky bar exam lasts over two days. The first day consists of six essay questions in the morning and six MEE questions to be asked in the afternoon. On the second day, the MBE will be administered. One hundred will be during the day, and another 100 will be in the afternoon session. Don’t forget about Kentucky’s MPE either. Before taking the bar exam. You must take it and pass it with a scaled score of 75 or better.
Your Application Fee
Your check in the amount of $875 must accompany your bar admission petition. It must be made out to the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions. It will accompany your signed and notarized Petition for Admission. Oher documents will be required. The status of your acceptance to take the bar exam will be listed on the Dashboard page of your online account.
The 2022 pass rate was at 74% for fist timers and 48% for second timers. The results of your bar exam will be mailed to you within about nine weeks. They’ll also be posted on the Office of Bar Admissions website. We hope to be giving you our warmest congratulations. No doubt that it was a long and hard road, but it was well worth it.
