The Bar Exam was stressful enough when I took it years ago fresh out of law school, but these are very different times. Earlier this week, the South Carolina Supreme Court announced that the Bar Exam will still be conducted as scheduled on July 28-29. That may seem abrupt to some people given the fact that South Carolina has only just recently begun the process of opening most public places. However, the Court addressed that by providing a backup date for testing (September 9-10).
The Court is also discussing certain other precautions that can be taken by law school graduates. On the Supreme Court of South Carolina’s “Office of Bar Admissions” site, they lay out the guidelines they are considering, saying “Regardless of whether the Bar Examination is conducted in July or September, applicants should be aware that they may be required to wear face masks or comply with other requirements to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 infection during the administration of the Examination. Any applicant who fails to fully comply with these requirements, or exhibits fever or other symptoms of COVID-19 infection, may be excluded from the Examination.”
Additionally, those who do not feel comfortable taking the test in July—whether it be because they are concerned about the risk of catching coronavirus or that they do not want to adhere to the guidelines—can apply to take the exam next February without paying the filing fee.
My heart goes out to these recent law school graduates who, like all of us, are faced with the uncertainty of what the world with coronavirus will ultimately look like, in addition to having overcome the final gauntlet that will determine whether they will ever earn the coveted title of “lawyer:” the bar exam. But, being a lawyer is not easy. Lawyers often are asked to help people when they are facing the most adversity they have ever faced: they are charged with crimes, they have been injured physically, mentally, or emotionally through no fault of their own, etc. If you need a lawyer with the experience, skill, and character to help you get through tough times, call me.
