Bar applications normally include a Certificate of Attendance that must be completed by your law school(s). Generally, if you are graduating in May 2008, the Law School Certificate of Attendance will be due to the various state offices by the end of June 2008. One notable exception is Massachusetts, which requires that the school certification be submitted with all other applicant documentation in one complete package. If you are planning on taking the Massachusetts Bar examination, please make certain to submit the school certification form to Registration Services as early as possible so that it can be completed upon your graduation and returned to you in time to meet the submission deadline.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR LL.M.'S:  Although some Law School Certificates of Attendance may state that the form “should only be completed for JD graduates of law schools in the United States,” it is required of ALL Bar applicants, and thus must be completed by LL.M. students as well.
 
Transcripts: The Law School’s Office of Registration Services is authorized to forward an official copy of your Columbia Law School transcript to the various state Bar organizations. We will obtain an official copy of your transcript from the University Registrar and will forward it to the appropriate office; you do not need to make a separate request.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All requests for Bar certification (i.e., “Law School Certificate of Attendance”) must be submitted to the Office of Registration Services in a timely fashion (ideally by early April, and not later than the last day of classes). The Bar certification request in the only indicator we will have that you intend to sit for a Bar examination and need the School’s certification of your attendance and degree.

Visit www.nybarexam.org for information on the New York State Bar examination, and to download application materials.  Application materials for the July 2008 Bar exam will be available in March, and we encourage you to obtain and carefully review the application materials as early as possible.

Filing Deadlines:  Please note that your documents must be postmarked at least 90 days and not more than 120 days prior to the Bar examination you plan to take.  Please check the web site for exact dates.
 
Law School Certificate of Attendance:  The Certificate of Attendance is the only indicator we will have that you need to be certified for the Bar exam, so please submit it promptly. You should make certain to partially complete the “Law School Certificate of Attendance” (only the name of the law school, your name, and your SSN are required) and submit it to Registration Services as soon as possible (ideally by early April, and not later than the last day of classes). You do not need to complete your dates of attendance because we will forward your official transcript to the NYS Board of Law Examiners once you have graduated from the Law School. If you spent your first year of law school at another institution, please attach a note to your Certificate and include the name of your other law school.  
 
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR LL.M.'S:  Although the NYS Bar Exam Law School Certificate of Attendance states that the form “should only be completed for JD graduates of law schools in the United States,” it is required of ALL NYS Bar applicants, and thus must be completed by LL.M. students as well.
 
Transcripts: The Law School’s Office of Registration Services is authorized to forward an official copy of your Columbia Law School transcript to the NYS Board of Bar Examiners. We will obtain an official copy of your transcript from the University Registrar and will forward it to the appropriate office; you do not need to make a separate request.  
 
If you spent your first year of law school at an institution other than Columbia, or if you spent a term or an academic year as a visitor at another US law school, the NYS Board of Bar Examiners requires that an official transcript from your other law school be submitted to them along with your Columbia Law School transcript. Therefore, please make certain that we have on file at least two (2) original official copies of the transcript from your other law school. We may have written to you already in regard to this matter, but please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.  E-mail Registrar@law.columbia.edu with the subject heading "TRANSCRIPT INQUIRY."
 
Handwriting Sample:  The Law School’s Office of Career Services is authorized to certify the Handwriting Sample, a part of your application which must be completed in the presence of a member of that Office. Please make arrangements directly with Career Services.

Character and Fitness Certification forms are completed by Registration Services.  Send your forms to Registration Services at the address listed above.