Summary of Program on the Application and Admissions Processes for the Massachusetts Bar - February 11, 2014 - Deadlines, eligibility, application, and character & fitness overview

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Sage

Program summary for the Massachusetts Bar focused on application and admissions processes, delivered on February 11, 2014. Covers what is required beyond the bar application: graduation from an ABA-accredited law school, passing MPRE, passing the bar exam components, and completing character and fitness screening. Explains the Massachusetts application as a public court record, what is and is not public, key July 2014 deadlines, and the thorough background and social media checks used during evaluation, with emphasis on treatment for mental illness and substance abuse.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Application and admission requirements

Eligibility beyond the bar application

Bar exam components and scheduling

The Massachusetts bar application process

Public record implications

Recommendations and recommending attorney

Site requests and timing

Character and fitness evaluation

Background checks and disclosures

Mental health and substance abuse guidance

Summary of Program on the Application and Admissions Processes for the Massachusetts Bar February 11, 2014 Speakers: Marilyn Wellington, Executive Director, Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) Attorney Robert Harris (BU Law alumnus), member, BBE; Director of Professional Development, Hinkley Allen, Boston (Background information from Dean Marx) For detailed information on the Massachusetts bar application and bar exam, go to the BBE website: [http://www.mass.gov/bbe/](http://www.mass.gov/bbe/) This has deadlines (which are firm), application materials, etc. Also pay attention to the court rules governing admission to practice in Massachusetts: [http://www.mass.gov/bbe/barrules.pdf](http://www.mass.gov/bbe/barrules.pdf) Pay attention to deadlines! The bar is strict on this. From Ms. Wellington and Attorney Harris: I. In addition to your bar application, what do you need to be admitted to the Mass. bar? A. Graduate from an ABA-accredited law school B. Passing score (that you have to [submit when you apply to the Mass. bar](submit when you apply to the Mass. bar)) on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)—thus, you must take and pass the MPRE while in law school as you need a passing score by the time you [apply to the Mass. bar](apply to the Mass. bar). C. Must pass the bar exam: in Mass., that consists of the Multistate Bar Exam (see [http://www.ncbex.org/about-ncbe-exams/mbe/](http://www.ncbex.org/about-ncbe-exams/mbe/)) and the state essay part of the bar exam, which currently has 10 essay questions. Currently, Mass. schedules the Multistate Bar Exam on a Wednesday, and the state essay part on a Thursday. This can allow those who take a second bar (in states that allow applicants to take more than one bar exam in the same time period) to take the other state’s state bar exam on a Tuesday, take the Multistate on Wednesday, and then go to the second state to take their state exam on Thursday. Only some states allow this. D. Pass the character and fitness screening. II. The application The application is very lengthy and takes much time to complete. Note that in Massachusetts, your application is a court case filed in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court! Thus, it is a public record and remains a permanent public record. Employers, the press, etc. can see it. Fill it out accordingly. If the BBE asks an applicant for more information related to the bar application, that goes to the BBE and is not part of the public record. Also, requests for non-standard testing accommodations (with supporting documentation) are not part of the public record. If you have concerns about the public record piece (e.g., you had a juvenile criminal record sealed), contact the BBE ahead of time to discuss how to deal with this. The application for the July 2014 bar exam and applicable deadlines should be up on the BBE website in mid-March. The application requires disclosure of a lot of information, including listing every job you have had since your 18th birthday! You’ll also need two recommendation letters from persons who know you well and can speak to your ability as a future attorney. They do not have to be from lawyers, but they CANNOT be from family members. You also need an attorney who is currently licensed to practice law in a jurisdiction (doesn’t have to be Massachusetts) to sign your bar application as a recommending attorney. The attorney cannot be someone who has been suspended or disbarred, or who let his/her license to practice lapse. This person can also write one of your two recommendation letters though doesn’t have to. The persons who write the recommendation letters, and the attorney who signs your application, are attesting to your character. Thus, you must disclose to them any issues you may have that relate to character and fitness. If the BBE discovers character issues they will ask if you told the recommenders and signing attorney about them. If you did not, that c

FAQs

What are the core requirements to be admitted to the Massachusetts bar beyond the application itself?

You must graduate from an ABA-accredited law school, achieve a passing score on the MPRE, pass the bar exam (including the MBE and the Massachusetts essay portion), and pass the character and fitness screening.

Why is the Massachusetts bar application considered a public record, and what should applicants account for?

The application is filed as a court case in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, so it remains a permanent public record that employers and the press can view. Applicants should complete it accordingly and separately note that certain BBE requests for additional information are not part of the public record.

How does the BBE evaluate character and fitness, and what should applicants do regarding mental illness or substance abuse issues?

The BBE conducts a thorough background check, searching financial, criminal, and other records and reviewing social media. Applicants are asked about financial background, litigation, criminal history, dishonesty, bankruptcy, and fitness topics like substance abuse, defaults, and mental health; they should not refuse counseling or treatment and should get professional help, including maintaining medication treatment when applicable.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Sage