Hello all,

I'm writing to ask about foreign evaluation supporting documentation for NY bar exam. Do I need to submit additional proof if several classes at law school were taken remotely due to the pandemic? If so, what kind of proof is required?

Thanks a lot!

You might want to inquire with the BOLE about this, if you can. This is a new post-covid world reality and I have not yet heard anything about how it changes the BOLE's accreditation process.

Hello all,

I'm writing to ask about foreign evaluation supporting documentation for NY bar exam. Do I need to submit additional proof if several classes at law school were taken remotely due to the pandemic? If so, what kind of proof is required?

Thanks a lot!

IMPORTANT


See this link before reading: https://www.reddit.com/r/barexam/comments/snwuz8/foreign_takers_beware/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

Hi,

great question – not sure if this was a random question on your part, or if you've been made aware of the issue that BOLE is currently imposing on foreign graduates wishing to certify their eligibility for the UBE, but, yes, it is a problem.

Without going into detail too much, please note the following:

1. It seems BOLE has been playing the ball and asking people MONTHS after they have submitted their request for evaluation of foreign credentials for eligibility for ADDITIONAL supporting documentation (see below) in the form of a new transcript clearly laying out which courses (and credits) have been taken in a format different from the regular 100% in-person attendance format.

2. Don't quote me on this, but I have been told by someone that, because of my point below (point 3), pandemic-era-J.D. graduates are allowed to answer "No" on the question on whether they took some part of their education online/distance format, because that it is actually perceived by BOLE/NCBE as NOT having taken place online for the purposes of eligibility. HOWEVER, the same (apparently) isn't true for FOREIGN graduates. Special Note: a (LL.M.) person that I talked to even put "No" for other reasons, and still received a request for additional documentation. According to my research, they are, weirdly enough, not doing this systematically and it, in my personal opinion, (1) either depends on the administrative advisor assigned to treat your file or (2) luck and whatnot.

3. Don't quote me on this, but at the time of the pandemic in the U.S., the New York Court of Appeals had published the following (https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/news/Court-Orders-Covid19.pdf) and waived strict compliance for certain LL.M. and J.D. graduates who were present IN THE UNITED STATES. The NYCA, however, never addressed the issue of people who graduated during the pandemic outside of the USA.

4. This very sad behavior from BOLE/NCBE/NYCA proves two things (1) they are trying to reduce the number of eligible foreign bar takers (it isn't unknown that, in my opinion, (1) there are too many lawyers in the U.S., and (2) LL.M. students surpass J.D. students both academically and on the bar, not overall (for the bar), but you guys understand what I mean) and (2) it seems they literally "forgot" about this, because there is no way they can deny the pandemic for foreign graduates and then exonerate all J.D. students from the same requirements because they are American graduates.


Lastly, it seems to me that most advisors currently at U.S. schools are not really aware of the fact that BOLE has currently been routinely demanding additional supporting documentation in the form of students having to have their university re-send their transcripts clearly detailing the mode-of-operation of a given class (online, hybrid, defining both, etc...). Additionally, BOLE has also been asking some of us to also certify by personal statement, the above, i.e., having us certify and describe certain classes taken outside of the traditional in-person format. It is a mess currently and even after doing high-level research on the topic for the past months, I have not come to a proper conclusion.

Somebody has to step up and have BOLE/NCBE/NYCA issue a precise statement on this because this current limbo will only cause major problems down the road and I do not believe it is fair for the graduates of this particularly difficult era.

If someone here wants to hop on a WhatsApp call and discuss the technicalities of this, feel free to DM me.

TLDR: If you are a graduate of the pandemic era, and if you can, have your university certify exactly in which format each class was taken and also, in your own interest, detailedly explain what online format or hybrid format meant during the time you took such class during the pandemic. Please do your due diligence and reach out to your U.S. schools advisors beforehand, as it seems no one is clear on why/what is currently happening on this topic.

Best,

UnleashedSoul

[Edited by UnleashedSoul on Jun 26, 2022]