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Law vocabulary · Legal Professions

Bar exam

Meaning in law, with examples

nounCommon term

In law, bar exam means: The professional examination that law graduates must pass before they are allowed to practise as lawyers, especially in a US state.

In Turkish: baro sınavı, avukatlık sınavı, avukatlık mesleğine giriş sınavı

How it is used

Mainly American: candidates 'take', 'sit', 'pass' or 'fail' the bar exam, usually after a JD and months of study. Each state sets its own requirements, although many use a common national exam. In England and Wales, solicitors now qualify through the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Examination).

Example sentences

  1. She is studying for the New York bar exam this summer.

  2. He passed the bar exam on his second attempt.

Common collocations

  • take the bar exam
  • pass the bar exam
  • fail the bar exam
  • bar exam results
  • study for the bar exam
  • barThe legal profession as a whole, especially lawyers who are allowed to argue in court; in the UK it means barristers as a group.
  • JDShort for Juris Doctor, the main professional law degree in the United States, taken after a first university degree and usually lasting three years.
  • LLBShort for Bachelor of Laws, the standard undergraduate law degree in the UK and many other countries.
  • attorneyA lawyer, especially in the United States, who is licensed to advise clients and represent them in court; more generally, a person allowed to act for someone else.
  • lawyerA person trained and qualified in law who advises clients and represents them in legal matters; the general word that covers attorneys, solicitors and barristers.

More terms: Legal Professions

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.