Summary: Have you passed the bar in one state and want to work in another? Find out what your options are in this article.

One of the biggest mistakes attorneys make in their job search is to not look at multiple markets in their search. For most attorneys, we recommend you look at multiple markets when you are doing a job search—there are lifestyle, prestige, compensation and other considerations that make looking at other markets worth your while.

You graduated from law school, passed the bar exam, and met all other requirements for admission in a given state. Congratulations! You can begin practicing law in that state.

But what if you have not yet passed the bar exam? Or you want to explore legal opportunities in a state different from the one where you were admitted or practice federal law in federal district courts? Are there additional hurdles you need to overcome?

This article answers these questions. It provides an overview of the bar admission process – which is complicated and varies from state to state – and explores ways in which attorneys licensed in one state can practice in other states. It also covers what to do if you fail the bar exam and how to make use of your J.D. degree without actually practicing law. This article also discusses the recent trend towards “portability” of bar exam results through state adoption of the Uniform Bar Exam.

You Passed!

Passing the bar is a HUGE accomplishment. All your hard work has paid off – getting the grades in college, acing the LSAT, churning out the law school applications, braving the Socratic method and final exams of law school, writing onto a journal, competing in moot court … and now the icing on the cake … a passing score on the bar exam!

All that is left is to fulfill the few remaining steps for admission in the state where you passed the bar, such as the character and fitness determination, and then you will be off and running in your new career as an attorney.

As you plan your job Search, we encourage you to think about applying in several markets. As legal recruiters, we always explore the benefits of applying in several markets with our clients who are serious about career strategy. Additional markets give you additional options in all kinds of ways including lifestyle, financial, prestige, happiness and other considerations. You may be the perfect fit for a Market and job you have not even considered and you may be able to land that job without even taking another bar exam. We cover concepts like multiple bar admissions and reciprocity below.

This article first appeared “A Comprehensive Guide to Bar Reciprocity: What States Have Reciprocity for Lawyers and Allow You to Waive into the Bar“ on BCG Attorney Search, also on Powershow.

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