Bar Exam Retake in Biglaw Forum

[Anonymous User]

For others in Biglaw that failed the bar exam the first time around, how much time are you spending in the office leading up to the February Exam?

Where/when are you getting your studying in? Did your firm trim back your billable work?

[Anonymous User]

I worked "full-time" through until the month before the exam. I continued working on whatever I was involved in already as usual, and a few other things as was either urgent or substantial for my group. The way I get work isn't through any assignment system though. People personally request it, and I work with certain people more than others.

I didn't actively seek out work, however - and considering I was new and there's no universal assignment pool/coordinator, this kept things manageable to let me study almost every single day after work and on weekends.

Was allowed to take the month off before the exam to study full-time, no questions asked - just let the people I was working for and someone at HR know so my hours were pro-rated.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for the reply. That sounds a bit like what others at my firm that have had this happen have done in the past for their retake. However, I was told they wouldn't pro-rate my hours at all (I will still work less hours, but if I'm under my target billable for the year because of working less while studying, I think I'll just get a smaller bonus next year or no bonus). I'm totally fine with no bonus, I'd happily trade that to get through this exam.

[Anonymous User]

I was let go around Dec 20th for three months. No pay no benefits. I passed and left that firm as quickly as I could because fuck them.

[Anonymous User]

I was let go around Dec 20th for three months. No pay no benefits. I passed and left that firm as quickly as I could because fuck them.

So they fired you basically for 3 months? And then wanted you to start working again presumably once you'd taken the bar?

[Anonymous User]

I was let go around Dec 20th for three months. No pay no benefits. I passed and left that firm as quickly as I could because fuck them.

So they fired you basically for 3 months? And then wanted you to start working again presumably once you'd taken the bar?

Correct.

In retrospect, I now realize that they didn't want me to come back after the bar, but I did.

[ur_hero]

^Harsh :/