NORTH CAROLINA – Hundreds of recent law school graduates in North Carolina are hopeful the July bar exam goes on as scheduled.

 

What You Need To Know

  • At least 20 states have postponed their July bar exams

  • North Carolina's is still on for now with precautions

  • Recent law school graduates cannot practice without passing the test

  • Those with job offers could be left hanging if the test is delayed

 

N.C. Central University School of Law graduate Jared Pone calls the present the most intense time of his life.

"This is the most daunting task I've ever done in my life. Not just pressure of the exam itself, but the pandemic happening, the pandemic of racism," Pone says.

Pone spends all his time studying, dedicating at least eight to nine hours a day. His path here began in 2017, when he left a steady job to attend law school.

"I went from having a good job to no income," Pone says.  "I worked at NCCU in student affairs. I saw the harsh impact students went through as it related to policing, the justice system in general. So I figured what can I do to interrupt this chain."

Like many other recent grads, Pone has multiple job offers, all contingent on passing the test. The scary part, what if there's no test to take?  At least 20 states have postponed their exams because of COVID-19.

The chair of the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners is optimistic the exam will proceed.

"I feel as long as everyone does their proper social distancing and hand washing, we'll be able to do it then," Kimberly Herrick says. "Everybody involved really would like to be able to have it as we regularly do."

About 700 people are expected to sit socially distanced in large rooms at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds and the McKimmon Center at N.C. State.

Examinees will be required to wear masks throughout the 12-hour, two-day test. Pone's already studying with one to simulate test conditions.

A backup test date is scheduled for September, but even a month-and-a-half delay could have a huge impact.

"We're not licensed yet. We can't accept offers and jobs as licensed attorneys," Pone says. "We'd have to figure out a mean to provide for our families and ourselves. Bills have to get paid."

Pone says he's indebted to his wife, whose job allows him to focus on his studies. But if the exam's postponed, he plans to study while looking for another job.