Which states don't require you to go to law school to take the bar?
Asked by: Mr. Reggie Ledner | Last update: February 6, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (17 votes)
Only four states—California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington—allow you to take the bar exam without a traditional law school (J.D.) degree, by completing a multi-year law office study or legal apprenticeship under a licensed attorney, but these routes have strict supervision, study hours, and specific reporting requirements. New York offers a hybrid path after one year of law school, while other states generally require a J.D..
In what states can I take the bar without going to law school?
You can take the bar exam without law school in California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, through formal law office study or legal apprenticeship programs, requiring several years of supervised training instead of a J.D. degree, with states like New York and Maine offering hybrid options or considering them. These apprenticeship paths involve rigorous, supervised study under a practicing lawyer or judge for 3-4 years, with specific requirements like the "Baby Bar" in California, and often have lower bar pass rates compared to traditional law school graduates.
Can I take the bar exam and not go to law school?
In California, qualified applicants can take the bar exam without going to law school. Most law schools require a college degree, but some may only ask for equivalent course work, and some law schools focus on your legal interest and life experiences and not on your grades or LSAT scores.
What states don't make you take the bar?
In all jurisdictions except Wisconsin and Oregon, candidates are required to pass a bar examination, usually administered by the state bar association or under the authority of the supreme court of the particular state. Wisconsin and Oregon are the only states that do not require the bar examination.
What is the easiest state to become a lawyer in?
Easiest Bar Exams to Pass for First-Time Takers:
Utah: Utah had the highest first-time pass rate in July 2023, with 94% of first-time takers passing the exam. (It's pass rate dipped to 69% in February 2024, but this is still higher than most other jurisdictions.) It also has a low passing score of 260.
How to become a lawyer without law school. AKA The Kim Kardashian way!
Did Michelle Obama pass the bar?
Yes, Michelle Obama did pass the Illinois bar exam, but she failed it on her first attempt after graduating from Harvard Law School before passing it on her second try, later becoming a licensed attorney in Illinois and having a successful legal career before becoming First Lady. She was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1989 and went on to work in intellectual property law at a firm where she met her husband, Barack Obama.
Has anyone ever become a lawyer without going to law school?
However, there are exceptions. California, Virginia, and Washington offer an alternative route through structured apprenticeship programs. These programs allow aspiring lawyers to gain the necessary legal education and training without attending traditional law school.
Did Kim Kardashian pass the bar exam to be a lawyer?
No, Kim Kardashian did not pass the California Bar Exam in July 2025, a result she publicly shared in November 2025, vowing to keep studying despite the setback, but she has previously passed the "Baby Bar" exam after multiple attempts and plans to retake the main bar exam. She revealed her failed attempt on her show The Kardashians, showing emotional moments from her preparation and disappointment, and emphasized her determination to pass.
What states don't require you to go to law school to be a lawyer?
Vermont, Washington, California, and Virginia all allow people to become lawyers by “reading the law,” which, simply put, means studying and apprenticing in the office of a practicing attorney or judge.
What state has the easiest bar to pass?
What Is the Easiest Bar Exam? According to the most recent bar exam results, the easiest bar exam to pass is in Utah. The overall passing rate for this bar exam is 88%, with the first-timer pass rate at 90%.
What jobs can I get without law school?
Careers in the Legal Field Without a Law Degree
- Understanding the Legal Field Landscape. ...
- Exploring Career Options Without a Law Degree. ...
- Paralegal: Supporting Legal Operations. ...
- Legal Assistant: Assisting Attorneys. ...
- Legal Secretary: Managing Legal Documentation. ...
- Alternative Career Paths in Law.
What disqualifies you from taking the bar exam?
What disqualifies you from taking the bar exam? Issues such as serious criminal convictions, dishonesty during the application process, or failure to meet character and fitness standards can disqualify you.
How many people have passed the bar without going to law school?
It's Affordable, but Tough: You'll save thousands in tuition, but bar pass rates for apprentices are much lower (about 27% vs. 80% for law grads). Structured, Not Self-Serve: Apprenticeships require years of supervised legal work, set study hours, and regular reports (plus a “Baby Bar” in California).
Are there any states with no law schools?
Alaska is currently the only state without a law school.
Can you skip law school and just take the bar?
States That Allow You to Take the Bar Without Law School
In California, Vermont, Virginia and Washington, you can skip law school and still qualify for the bar exam. Each state has specific rules about supervision, study hours, and reporting requirements before you may sit for the bar.
Can you become a judge without going to law school?
Not every type of judgeship requires that you get a law degree and become a lawyer. But if you want to qualify to become a judge in a higher court, you must attend an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school and get a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
What states do judges not need a law degree?
In the United States, most states require judges to have a law degree. However, eight states — Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Montana, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas — have provisions allowing individuals to become judges without following the traditional path of completing law school and passing the bar exam.
What is the hardest state to become a lawyer in?
1. California
Law students across the US may be familiar with the famed “impossible” California bar exam. But why is the California bar exam so hard? For starters, the cut score (the score needed to pass the test) of the California bar is 1390 out of 2000, which is 40 points above the national average.
How hard is the bar exam to pass?
The bar exam is widely considered very hard due to its massive scope, intense time pressure, and requirement to apply complex legal knowledge under stress, testing both endurance and comprehension, not just memorization, though thousands pass each year through consistent, focused preparation. It's a lengthy, multi-day test covering numerous subjects, often feeling like a marathon of mental and physical endurance, with significant variations in difficulty and pass rates by state (e.g., California known as tough).
How many times did Michelle Obama take the bar exam?
Michelle Obama took the Illinois Bar Exam twice, failing the first time but passing on her second attempt, a common experience even for successful lawyers. She initially failed the bar, which was devastating, but she persevered and passed, later working as a lawyer before becoming the First Lady.
Who's richer, Taylor Swift or Kim Kardashian?
As of late 2025, Kim Kardashian is generally reported to be richer than Taylor Swift, with her net worth boosted significantly by her SKIMS brand, pushing her fortune to around $1.9 billion, while Swift's wealth is estimated at $1.6 billion, though both are billionaires. Kardashian's business ventures, especially SKIMS' high valuation, have recently placed her ahead, though these figures fluctuate.
Does passing the baby bar make you a lawyer?
No, passing the California "Baby Bar" (First-Year Law Students' Examination or FYLSE) does not make you a lawyer; it's a hurdle for non-traditional law students to continue their studies, allowing them to sit for the actual California Bar Exam, which, along with character and fitness, is required to become a licensed attorney. You must pass the full California Bar Exam, which tests more subjects, and meet other requirements before you can practice law and call yourself a lawyer.
What is the quickest law degree to get?
The fastest ways to get a law degree involve accelerated Juris Doctor (J.D.) programs, like two-year J.D.s (e.g., Southwestern Law's SCALE) or combined 3+3 programs with undergrads, letting you finish in as little as 3-6 years total (including undergrad), while specialized, non-traditional routes in California might technically offer faster paths but are difficult. For a quicker master's in law, Master of Legal Studies (MLS) programs can be completed in about 12 months, but these don't qualify you to be a practicing lawyer.
Do lawyers make $500,000 a year?
Yes, many lawyers earn $500,000 or more annually, especially Big Law partners, senior corporate counsel, specialized litigators, and successful solo practitioners in high-value fields like IP or medical malpractice, though this is not the norm for all attorneys, with median salaries being much lower. Reaching this income level requires specialization, strategic business growth, marketing, and often working in major markets, with top-tier law firms (Big Law) offering high starting salaries and significant bonuses that can push senior associates past the $500K mark.
What is the easiest state to pass the bar exam in?
According to Law.com, these are the states with the highest pass rates for first-time bar takers:
- Oklahoma: 86.9%
- Iowa: 86.57%
- Missouri: 86.3%
- New Mexico: 85.71%
- New York: 83.92%
- Montana: 82.61%
- Utah: 82.61%
- Oregon: 82.55%