NY Third Department Admissions Forum

[yutang1988]

Can everyone post their experiences and timeline of their past or current application at New York Third Judicial Department?

1. When did you pass the bar exam?
2. When did you submit your application?
3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application?
4. When were you assigned an interviewer?
5. Thoughts on the interview?
6. Any concerns on the application? criminal history, mental illness, financial obligations, etc.?
7. Anyone not pass the interview stage?
8. When was the swearing in ceremony?

I applied on motion in January 2019 and just received my interview and admission dates:

1. When did you pass the bar exam? N/A. (I passed the California bar exam in July 1996 and didn't feel like taking another one.)

2. When did you submit your application? January 14, 2019 (the full application).I started the process on 11/7/2018 with my application for BOLE certification, received permission from the Third Department to file on 12/21/2018, and submitted the application on 1/10/2019.

3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application? No.

4. When were you assigned an interviewer? On April 19, 2019 I was notified that I will be interviewed on June 25 and sworn in on June 26, 2019.

5. Thoughts on the interview? N/A

6. Any concerns on the application? criminal history, mental illness, financial obligations, etc.? No.

7. Anyone not pass the interview stage? N/A

8. When was the swearing in ceremony? June 26, 2019 in the Convention Center

Good luck, everyone!

Glad to know you've got your interview date confirmed. You are the first person posting the interview date who submitted application in Jan.2019, hopefully, mine(end of Jan.2019) wouldn't wait for long from now.

[excelsior1]

I e-mailed them yesterday. Got this response today: "Your application is in queue for review. Unfortunately, we are unable to indicate a specific time frame as we are currently experiencing high volume. Once your application has been reviewed, you will be notified via e-mail." Sent my app two months ago.

[romaion]

Has anybody heard any news?

[98765]

A coworker (sat for NY bar) submitted application in January and has June admission date. I submitted early April so hoping for August but possibly September.

[romaion]

A coworker (sat for NY bar) submitted application in January and has June admission date. I submitted early April so hoping for August but possibly September.

Do you happen to know what day of January they received his application? Mine reached them on Feb 13, I am trying to guesstimate my admission date...

[FPBT]

A coworker (sat for NY bar) submitted application in January and has June admission date. I submitted early April so hoping for August but possibly September.

Do you happen to know what day of January they received his application? Mine reached them on Feb 13, I am trying to guesstimate my admission date...

I submitted early February too. If January gets June then February should get July, or so I hope atleast!

[romaion]

A coworker (sat for NY bar) submitted application in January and has June admission date. I submitted early April so hoping for August but possibly September.

Do you happen to know what day of January they received his application? Mine reached them on Feb 13, I am trying to guesstimate my admission date...

I submitted early February too. If January gets June then February should get July, or so I hope atleast!

That's what I was guessing too, but the Feb results came out in the meantime and they'll get priority. that's why i'm a little worried that ours might be pushed to after July..

[woojn26]

Hi I was wondering whether anyone knows whether foreign law school graduates (LLB not LLM) are required to file a Skills Competency and Professional Values Affidavit and if so, which Pathway applies? I was a bit confused because there are guidelines for LLM candidates but I cant seem to find anything for people like me :/

[romaion]

1. When did you pass the bar exam? July 2018 (results came out Oct 23)
2. When did you submit your application? Feb 13, 2019
3. Did you have to amend/supplement your application? Yes, May 23, 2019
4. When did the bar set your interview date? May 23, 2019
5. When will the interview/swear-in ceremony be? June 26, 2019

[98765]

I just called Albany for an update on my application (I submitted first week of April). They are still reviewing apps received in February.

[CLSGumbo]

I just called Albany for an update on my application (I submitted first week of April). They are still reviewing apps received in February.

same submission time so just hoping for an august swear-in at this point...

[nada123]

I just called Albany for an update on my application (I submitted first week of April). They are still reviewing apps received in February.

same submission time so just hoping for an august swear-in at this point...

Thanks for the update! Did they say which month the February apps get to swear in? I submitted mines last week of March. Almost there ... hoping for a september ceremony!

[sg.cambs]

1. When did you pass the bar exam? April 24th (Feb 2019 exam)
2. When did you submit your application? Application received April 23rd, notice of certification forwarded on April 24th
3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application? No

In my application I included a request for the August 14th date. The Third department then confirmed my application was complete on 29 April and would be sworn in on August 14th. I was told my application had been set aside for that date and official scheduling letters would come out in due course (though they said I was safe to book travel). Just yesterday received the official scheduling email for August 14th.

Had I not requested a later date, I assume that I would have been assigned June or July. I think it really helps to get your application in early, I only waited about 5 days from submitting my notice of certification to confirmation that I would get the date I requested.

[excelsior1]

Hi. Just wanted to ask a question about guests. How many are we allowed to bring for the big ceremony in June? How about the small ceremonies all throughout the year? Thanks!

[KPocius]

Hi Guys,

Just finished my pro bono requirement and finally started doing the paperwork.

Now I have a quick question regarding law-related employment, I know that the instructions mention that I need to provide the original forms, but given that they no longer need to be notarized do you think that copies of scans would suffice? I am asking because I did legal internships in different countries some of which was at smaller law firms + I am planning to move soon, so I am afraid that it will either take too long for them to send me the signed paperwork or there might be some mix-up.

All comments are welcome. Thanks!

[98765]

I called admissions on Monday and they said they are now reviewing applications received in March and are filling the July and August admission ceremonies.

[CLSGumbo]

I called admissions on Monday and they said they are now reviewing applications received in March and are filling the July and August admission ceremonies.

thanks for updating!

[barelybronze]

1. When did you pass the bar exam? October 23, 2018 (July 2018 exam)
2. When did you submit your application? March 13, 2019
3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application? No
4. When did the bar set your interview date? June 21, 2019
5. When will the interview/swearing in ceremony be? July 18, 2019

[OHlaw22]

So the consensus seems to be that it takes approximately 3 months after submission for an interview and 4-5 months after submission to be sworn in?

Assuming no hiccups/missing items/additional inquiries of course.

Submitted mine May 11th and have tried to call in several times. I just keep getting that stupid recording "all applications will be handled in due course"


Also, does anyone know how they handle MPRE scores that expire in the interim between application submission and swearing in?

[irishbarexam]

If you respond to their "we've received your application" e-mail they will generally tell you where they are at with their reviews. I submitted my application mid-June and was told they were reviewing applications received in March and filling both July and August swearing-in dates. Hopeful I will hear sometime in August for a September swearing-in.

Re MPRE expiry - NY BOLE website states "A passing MPRE score is valid for four years from the date the applicant sat for that MPRE. If the applicant's passing score expires prior to the time the Board certifies the applicant to the Appellate Division pursuant to Court of Appeals Rule 520.7, the applicant must retake and pass the MPRE." If you've been certified - you're good and the MPRE expiry doesn't matter.

Will they have received the bulk of applications in March/April following the Feb '19 exam? If the majority of these have been dealt with and given a June date, in theory will they get through any applications received in May/June faster?

[yq63w]

Can everyone post their experiences and timeline of their past or current application at New York Third Judicial Department?

Update: I was admitted on motion on 6/26/2019.

1. When did you pass the bar exam? July 1996 in California; I did not have to take the New York bar exam.

2. When did you submit your application? January 14, 2019 (the full application). I started the process on 11/7/2018 with my application for BOLE certification, and received permission from the Third Department to file on 12/21/2018.

3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application? No.

4. When were you assigned an interviewer? On April 19, 2019 I was notified that I would be interviewed on June 25 and sworn in on June 26, 2019.

5. Thoughts on the interview? With 23 years' experience and no complaints ever filed against me, the interviewer said: "I've read your file, and *obviously* I have no questions!" So we just chatted a bit about her practice and mine. It might have taken 3 minutes total.

6. Any concerns on the application? criminal history, mental illness, financial obligations, etc.? No.

7. Anyone not pass the interview stage? No.

8. When was the swearing in ceremony? June 26, 2019 in the Convention Center. Second biggest admission ceremony with 644 new admitttees.

The New York State Bar Association (a private bar association) all but sponsored the swearing in. They offered free membership through 12/31/2020, which seemed well worth it.

[nada123]

Update: emailed them yesterday. They are still reviewing March applications but for August-September ceremonies.

[CLSGumbo]

Update: they made it to April

1. When did you pass the bar exam?

July 2018 UBE another jurisdiction (transferred into NY)

2. When did you submit your application?

April 1, 2019

3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application?

No

4. When did the bar set your interview date?

August 15, 2019

5. When will the interview/swearing in ceremony be?

August 15, 2019

[sg.cambs]

Scheduled for August 14th.

Could anyone give me some insight on whether we need to take anything to the interview (ID, copy of application?) and how it works after the interview - it says the ceremony will be 'in the morning of' August 14th, do they tell you what time to show up to the courtroom once you've completed your interview?

Thanks!

[CLSGumbo]

I’m getting sworn in on August with 9 am interview. For the swear ins that aren’t the big ceremony when does the actual swear in happen? What’s the general timeline so I can figure out when I can likely be done in Albany ...