I passed...finally

[wwmjkd]

I am usually a little too self-conscious to begin new threads on any subject matter, much less a thread about me personally. however, I have appreciated the introspection and honesty many people have been able to provide in the various forums on this site, so I thought I would share a little about myself.

first, the good news. this morning I found out that I passed the Virginia Bar Exam, and I am licensed effective today. after I attend the swearing-in ceremony at the VA Supreme Court (which is on halloween--should be an interesting day), I will be able to practice in the Commonwealth. after that, getting licensed to practice in DC and Maryland is not a difficult task at all since all three jurisdictions rely on each other to a certain extent and have reciprocity. however, as relieved as I feel right now, it's been a long road.

I finished law school in May 2010, but due to my own negligence, missed the filing deadline to apply to take the bar exam by fifteen minutes (literally). the exam is only administered twice a year, once in July and once in February. the deadline is statutory, meaning set by the state legislature, so there is no waiving it, no late fees, etc. it's either turned into the Board of Bar Examiners' office in Richmond by 5:00 pm on the deadline day, or you wait until the next round. it had taken me a while to scrape together the application fee ($800 total just to apply to take it), and I had been remiss in gathering all the information that is required by the character and fitness committee. this includes copy of one's birth certificate, a fingerprint card, a copy of one's driving record, the scores from the multi-state ethics exam administered separately, forms for current employers, a list of everywhere you've lived and worked for ten years with no gaps, proof of all tickets you've received no matter the offense, etc. by the time I'd gotten my act together, it was fifteen minutes too late. it was my own fault for not beginning the process early enough, but that was a bad day.

after graduation, I decided that I would just take my licks and redouble my efforts for the February exam. after all, I now had a J.D. which should count for something. I moved out of my apartment and looked for odd jobs in the meantime. however, when you have a law degree but no license, finding work is usually stuck in this awful and uncertain middle ground where many of us wind up doing ancillary work for law practices called doc review, which involves running through mountains of paperwork, odd hours, and virtually no benefit to the monotony. I decided that if I was going to be at loose ends doing work I didn't care about for the next few months, I might as well be in a place of my choosing. so last October, I unpacked my storage unit in Richmond and moved back to DC where I went to undergrad. I found an apartment in Arlington (where I remain today) and studied my ass off. I enrolled in the bar prep course, applied well before the deadline, and generally had all my ducks in a row. when the time came in February of this year to take the exam, I was ready. without hesitation, I felt really good about the results. however, as anyone still left reading this prolix excuse for a thread, I did not pass. not only did I not pass, but I failed by two points. two...points.

at this point we're well into April, and I'm waiting tables and bartending to make ends meet. granted, this is still DC, so I met more than my fair share of sympathetic souls and some very interesting patrons. however, that didn't change the fact that I was faced with the option of either abandoning this pursuit of a legal career altogether and applying for work in other fields, or doing the same months-long studying process all over again. after a night or two of reflection (and a fair amount of wine), I opted for the latter. as of today, I am officially glad I made that decision, but there were far too many times that I doubted it. I'll spare everyone anecdotes and stories about the endless hours spent studying, ruined relationships, and stress, but I can say one thing for sure: taking the bar twice in one calendar year is something I wouldn't wish on enemies. however, I can say it was worth it all.

I'm not sure if any of this made sense, and if anyone actually took the time to read it, then thank you. I hope nothing about this post came off as obnoxious or self-serving; it's just been one of the more difficult and protracted experiences of my life, and writing about it helps. also helping: ball pythons. as soon as I have a salary to rely on, I'll be making a few more purchases and housing upgrades. although there's always that pesky $100,000 debt to consider...

thanks for reading.