Navigating the Maryland Bar Application State of Maryland

Navigating the Maryland Bar Application

State of Maryland • Bar Exam Format • Maryland Bar Exam is a 2 -day exam. • Day 1: Ten essays plus one Multistate Performance Test question. • 6 hours of writing • Day 2: Multistate Bar Exam, a 200 question, multiple-choice exam. • Total “scaled” score— Written scale score X 2 + MBE scale score Exam Answers are on the site.

Subjects Tested • MBE Subjects • Constitutional Law • Contracts/Sales • Criminal Law/Procedure • Evidence • Real Property • Torts • FRCP • Maryland Essay Subjects • Agency • Business Assn’s (corporations, partnerships) • Commercial Transactions • Family Law • MD Civil Procedure • Professional Responsibility • All MBE subjects • Multistate Performance Test • Closed practical problem using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and reference material supplied by examiners.

Maryland Exam Locations & Dates • Location • Check website regularly for updates. • Feb: Baltimore Convention Center • July: Baltimore Convention Center. • Dates • T/Wed. February 27 -28, 2018 • T/Wed. July 24 -25, 2018 Doors open at 8: 05 a. m. and again at 1: 05 p. m.

Feb. Filing Fees and Deadlines Applicant must complete BOTH an application for admission and Notice of Intent to Take a Scheduled General Bar Examination. Feb. 2018 Maryland Bar Exam • Application fee • Early Bar Application: $225 if received by Thursday, September 15, 2017 • Timely Bar Application: $275 if received by December 20, 2017 • The Application for Admission must be filed before or concurrently with the Notice of Intent. • Notice of Intent to take the exam must be received by December 20. • Notice of Intent fee: $250

July Filing Fees and Deadlines • Applicant must complete BOTH an application for admission and Notice of Intent to Take Scheduled General Bar Examination (formerly called “petition”) • July 2018 Maryland Bar Exam • Application fee • Early filing: $225 if received by Tuesday, January 16, 2018 • Timely filing: $275 if received by May 21, 2018 • The Application for Admission must be filed before or concurrently with the Notice of Intent. • Notice of Intent to take the exam must be received by May 21, 2018. • Notice of Intent fee: $250

Other Important Dates - Law School Transcript • Feb- must submit by Wed, March 15, 2018. • July -Must submit by Friday, September 4, 2018 • Affirmation • Must submit 7 days after results are released • Oath of Admission • No more than 24 months after the COA ratifies the results

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE MARYLAND BAR EXAM How do you apply for ADA accommodations? • Treat the ADA application as the bare minimum. • Gather all the requested documentation in the application. • Submit the form with the requested documentation of your disability and your personal statement regarding your disability. START EARLY AND SUBMIT IT ASAP.

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE MARYLAND BAR EXAM What kinds of accommodations have been granted in the past? • Extra time • Private rooms • Testing centers that are wheelchair and handicap accessible If your request is granted, you will be notified of the accommodations awarded to you and where your testing center is located.

Notice of Intent to Take Bar Exam • Certifies that you will have graduated from a law school approved by the ABA prior to the first day of the bar examination. • Submit in good faith recognizing that you will be getting a conferred degree. • State when you will graduate • State what exam you are sitting for • Signature • Immediately after the bar examination, you must have the Bursar’s Office submit a final transcript to the State Board of Law Examiners that reflects the award of your JD degree

Documents/Dates/Designations • • • Undergraduate “official” transcript. Also identify person who can be contacted to obtain reference letter re: discipline history and other C&F issues Credit report, credit card statements, information about student loans, and other debt obligations Previous lawsuits to which you were a party • • • Includes divorce proceedings Criminal and traffic violations – speeding tickets, citations, arrests, etc. If you’ve ever been bonded – you need the dates, name of person/place who bonded you Employment information for the past 5 years Addresses, info, etc. for your 3 references Driving record in all states where you’ve held a valid license in the past 3 years Addresses of all places you have lived in the past 5 years Info, address, etc. from undergraduate institution which issued your degree When/where you registered for selective service NCBE # -- ncbex. org

• How Far Must You Go Back? Criminal- forever (but you don’t have to reveal juvenile or expunged –Md only ) Civil cases- forever • Driving history- Entire history for each jurisdiction you had a license in the past 3 years. Credit- Last 5 years Housing- Last 5 years Job history- Last 5 years you ADA Accommodations- As far back as the SAT to show had accommodations, but would like to see original diagnosis

Creating an Account • Visit www. mdcourts. gov/ble (left hand nav) • Your e-mail address becomes your User Name. • Password must be a minimum of eight characters and must contain at least a letter, a number, and any of these special characters !, @, #, $, %, &, * • You must have a U. S. -issued social security number. If you do not have one, you must contact the Maryland Bar Examiners. Helpful Hint: Use personal email address and keep the same e-mail address until after the swearing-in ceremony.

Residential History (Q # 3) • Where you have lived within the last 5 years • When you are filling in your Residence details, you must put a beginning and end date even if you still live at that address • EVERY residence—including dorm rooms Helpful Hint: Any changes to your address subsequent to submitting your Application must be made in writing to the State Board of Law Examiners office.

Credit History / Debt (Q. 7) • Attach a credit report and also list any additional creditors not shown on Report. “I presently owe money, SOME PART OF WHICH HAS BEEN DELINQUENT FOR MORE THAN 90 DAYS, to the following: ” (Delinquent means you failed to make a required payment when due) NOTE: You must attach a current credit report (issued 3 months prior to the date of submission of your application).

Debt and Moral Character In the Matter of the Application of Kevin Charles Stern for Admission to the Bar of Maryland, 403 Md. 615, 943 A. 2 d 1247 (2008). The applicant admitted his prior financial irresponsibility, but claimed that he had been rehabilitated. However, he satisfied his creditors using the resources of others, specifically a loan from his mother and gifts received after his graduation from law school. Absent the exigency of the bar admission process, he likely would have continued to ignore his obligation to repay his debt. He had allowed his debts to increase even when it appeared he had the means to resolve his obligations. Further, he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a 15 year old female.

Civil Action Proceedings (Q. # 8) • List all civil actions except criminal matters disclosed in Q. 9 to which I am or ever have been a party. • Attach certified copies of judgment rendered. • List court-ordered support payments (alimony and child support) • Also must list whether any court has ever found that you acted in “bad faith” or “without substantial justification” in filing a civil case or filing or serving any pleading or discovery.

Criminal Actions (Q #9) • List all criminal legal proceedings, arrests, and summonses, “including all traffic citations for moving violations. ” • Do not list parking violations “unless your failure to pay parking violations resulted in suspension or revocation of your driving privileges or vehicle registration. ” • Exception for juvenile cases and Maryland expungements.

Criminal Proceedings (continued ) • You must “attach certified copies of all charging documents, judgments/disposition documents and all docket entries in each proceeding identified above, except motor vehicle offenses not requiring a court appearance. ” • If you do not have copies, you must state what efforts you made to get copies. • When in doubt, contact the MD State Board of Bar Examiners.

Employment/Unemployment (Q # 13) • Within the past five years. • You must fill out employment details even if you have never had a job. • Full or part time employment (including unpaid positions). • DO report volunteer work which was substantial and regular, such as unpaid internship or externship. Had a schedule and were supervised. • DO NOT report unpaid work which was occasional, irregular, or unsupervised. • List supervisor or co-worker authorized to verify your employment.

Impairment and Catch All (Qs #14 and 15) • List “any condition or impairment, including but not limited to any physical condition, alcohol, drug or other substance abuse, or any mental, emotional, nervous or behavioral condition, that in any way affects, if untreated or not otherwise actively managed, could affect your ability to practice law. ” • “Has there been any other unfavorable conduct or incidents in your life, whether at school, at work, at home, in business, or otherwise, which may reasonably call into question your character & fitness to practice law. . . ? ”

Character References (Q. # 16) • • 3 personal references from any state Not married to another reference listed Not a fellow law student, relative, or employer Known applicant for at least 5 Years immediately prior to date of questionnaire • Email address for Reference (handwrite them on the forms) • Application will not be complete until all references have returned form to Character Committee • Your responsibility to make sure references return their forms. Also have refs keep a copy of form.

Certification as to Law School Education Attendance & Date of degree Academic History (Academic Probation) - Honor Code Violations (to & from) - Default on financial obligation - School aware of any arrests - Pattern of unexcused absences, LOA - Any behavior issues - Adverse information

UB Employees (TAs, Law Scholars, Writing Fellows, Research Assistants, Teaching Scholars, etc. ) • UB will receive an employment letter, just like any other employer. * List Ethel Banks in our the law school’s financ department as employer. • Will certify that you had good character and fitness as an employee.

Submitting the Hard Copy • Go to your “My Status” page. • Click on the printer icons to print a copy of your Application. • Sign and provide supplemental information as necessary. No Notarizations! • Your application has not been considered completed until the hard copy is FILED (i. e. , received by SBLE by deadline). Helpful Hint: If your printed copy has “Void” on it, it means you did not successfully electronically submit the application. Go back to “My Application” and scroll to the bottom of the page until you see “Submit Application. ” Click the “Submit Application” and you will receive a confirmation message. Then return to “My Status” to print all documents.

Time Period to Amend • Between submitting the application and taking the exam • Between taking the exam and receiving results • Applicants must ensure their responses to the bar application questions are accurate and current at all times until they are formally admitted to the bar. • This includes: • changes in contact information • changes to any question from the application

Change in Contact Information • Must be submitted more than two weeks before taking the exam and two weeks before results are mailed (to be sure) • Sugned and mailed to Annapolis, do not call to check on the status – system will be updated when the form is processed • New: SBLE will accept a change of contact information form by email. Must be signed & scanned and come from email address on file.

What Triggers Amending? Changes to: • Character and Fitness questions • E. g. , a speeding ticket since you filled out the application • Employment • When applying, include information about a job you anticipate having • If you don’t know for certain, amend later • ANY change to ANY question response In the Matter of Gjini, 448 Md. 524, 141 A. 3 d 16 (2016).

How to Amend • There is no form to amend your application • Write a letter to the bar examiners including: • The question number you are addressing • The new information you would like to include • SIGN IT and mail or hand deliver (there is no way to fax or electronically amend your application)

MBE Reciprocity with Other Jurisdictions • Acceptance of MBE Score Transfer • Applicants MAY transfer an MBE score from another jurisdiction from a concurrent exam only. • e. g. , Michigan & Maryland • Check each state’s bar examiner’s website

Waiving into D. C. • Acceptance of MBE Score: An applicant may be admitted without exam if applicant received a scaled MBE score of 133 or higher on an exam upon which applicant was admitted in another jurisdiction, achieved a scaled score of 75 or better on MPRE, and has a JD from an ABA accredited law school. • Pay a substantial fee!

Top 10 1) Start early. 2) If in doubt, ask questions. 3) Don’t get arrested. 4) Err on the side of disclosure. 5) Pay your bills. 6) Pay attention to deadlines. 7) Don’t get divorced. Heck, don’t get married. 8) Check your required classes. 9) Be nice to people. You may need them as a reference. 10) Remember you are not alone when you read the instructions and think “Seriously!? ”