Illinois Bar Exam Statistics


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Illinois Bar Exam Statistics 2023: Facts about Bar Exam in Illinois reflect the current socio-economic condition of the state.

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LLCBuddy editorial team did hours of research, collected all important statistics on Illinois Bar Exam, and shared those on this page. Our editorial team proofread these to make the data as accurate as possible. We believe you don’t need to check any other resources on the web for the same. You should get everything here only 🙂

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Top Illinois Bar Exam Statistics 2023

☰ Use “CTRL+F” to quickly find statistics. There are total 21 Illinois Bar Exam Statistics on this page 🙂

Illinois Bar Exam “Latest” Statistics

  • Illinois test takers passed the July bar test at an 80.9% rate, down 4.3 percentage-points from the prior year.[1]
  • According to Superior Court Rule 304(f), each candidate must pass the written bar examination with a minimum combined score of 70% or higher on the MBE and essay sections, and a minimum scaled score of 75 on the MPRE in order to pass.[2]
  • The Illinois bar exam pass rates for total takers falls between 69% – 89%. First-time takers have the higher pass rates of 81% – 93%. Repeat takers have lower pass rates of 30% – 58%.[2]
  • Illinois had a remote bar in October 2020 with 75% pass rate, Nancy Vincent, administrative director of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, wrote in a February 2021 web post.[4]
  • Statistics jurisdictions stated that 68,305 people took the bar exam in 2019, with a 58% pass percentage as a whole.[5]
  • In the Illinois bar exam last February 2019, the pass rate was 52% while in July 2019, the pass rate increased to 71%.[5]
  • In the July 2022 Illinois bar exam, the overall pass rate was 68% with first time pass rate of 77% and repeater pass rate of 20%. The results were released last September 30, 2022.[4]
  • Illinois requires bar exam applicants to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE”). You must score 80 or higher on the MPRE in order to pass in Illinois.[4]
  • In order to pass the Illinois bar exam, an examinee must score at least 266. This is equal to 133, based on the MBE’s 200-point scale.[4]

Illinois Bar Exam “Exam” Statistics

  • 21,935 people took the test in February 2019, and jurisdictions reported that 46% of them passed. The overall pass rate for the 46,370 July 2019 exam takers reported by jurisdictions was 64% .[5]

Illinois Bar Exam “Test” Statistics

  • The passing percentage for the New York Bar test, which serves as a decent middle ground standard, is 61% while Illinois has a passing rate of 68.80%[3]
  • The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar announced in August that results would be delayed, because candidates experienced technical issues during the test. Results were released Oct. 7, and the pass rate was 67%, according to the NCBE website.[4]
  • 162 out of 378 Maryland test takers in February 2021 had a total pass percentage of 42.9% while Illinois had an overall passing rate of 42%.[2]
  • The Board of Bar Examiners automatically analyzes and regrades the top 15% of the failed applicants’ essay responses after the tests have been assessed but before the dissemination of the grading results.[2]
  • According to Hale, several students who took the July 2021 remote test had technical difficulties, such as displays turning black for a brief period of time during the essay component.[4]

Illinois Bar Exam “Other” Statistics

  • The Illinois State Bar Association was created in 1877. The voluntary organization has about 28,000 members. There are about 65,000 lawyers living in Illinois. About 38% of lawyers in Illinois are female.[4]
  • The National Conference of Bar Examiners recently published statistics showing that the national mean scaled score for the July 2021 Multistate Bar Exam was 140.4.[4]
  • According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the legal industry is expected to increase by 10% between 2012 and 2022, which is a typical growth rate when compared to other employment sectors.[6]
  • Illinois gives equal weight to the essay and multiple choice portions of the Multistate Bar Examination.[1]
  • The Nationwide Conference of Bar Examiners reported that the national MBE score decreased to 141.5, a 28 point decrease from 2013, a decrease that is regarded as substantial.[1]
  • First time applicants to the Illinois Bar Exam from the College of Law passed with an 89% passing percentage during the July 2021 administration.[7]

Also Read

How Useful is Illinois Bar Exam

Proponents of the Illinois Bar Exam argue that it provides a standardized measure of a candidate’s knowledge of the law and their ability to apply it in real-world scenarios. Passing the exam demonstrates that an individual has the necessary skills and understanding to practice law ethically and competently. This serves not only to protect clients and uphold the integrity of the legal profession but also to instill confidence in the public that lawyers are well-equipped to handle legal matters effectively.

Additionally, supporters of the Illinois Bar Exam suggest that it serves as a rite of passage for aspiring lawyers, allowing them to prove their worth and dedication to the legal profession. By requiring candidates to undergo rigorous preparation and testing, the exam separates those who are truly committed to a career in law from those who may not be as serious about their professional pursuits. This, in turn, helps to promote a culture of excellence and professionalism within the legal community.

However, critics of the Illinois Bar Exam point to several drawbacks and limitations of the exam. One commonly cited argument is that the exam may not accurately reflect an individual’s true capabilities or potential as a lawyer. The format and content of the exam may not fully capture the diverse skills and qualities that make a successful attorney, leading to concerns that the exam may be an arbitrary or overly rigid evaluation of candidates.

Moreover, some argue that the Illinois Bar Exam imposes unnecessary burdens on aspiring lawyers and may act as a barrier to entry into the legal profession. The costs associated with preparing for and taking the exam, as well as the time commitment required, can be substantial and may disproportionately impact certain candidates, particularly those from marginalized communities or with fewer resources at their disposal. Critics also question whether the exam is truly a reliable indicator of an individual’s ability to practice law effectively, suggesting that other forms of assessment or evaluation may be more appropriate or effective in determining a candidate’s readiness for legal practice.

Ultimately, the usefulness of the Illinois Bar Exam is a complex and multifaceted issue that warrants careful consideration and discussion. While the exam plays an important role in ensuring the competency and professionalism of lawyers in Illinois, it is essential to critically assess its strengths and weaknesses, as well as its potential impact on individuals seeking to enter the legal profession. As the legal landscape continues to evolve and change, it is crucial to adapt and refine our methods of evaluation to best meet the needs and challenges of a diverse and dynamic legal community.

Reference

  1. chicagolawbulletin – https://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/archives/2014/11/12/illinois-bar-exam-scores-11-12.aspx
  2. jdadvising – https://jdadvising.com/february-2022-bar-exam-results-release-dates-by-state/
  3. lawschooli – https://lawschooli.com/bar-exam-pass-rate-by-state/
  4. abajournal – https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/remote-learning-and-burnout-could-be-reason-for-declining-bar-pass-rates
  5. ncbex – https://thebarexaminer.ncbex.org/article/fall-2020/2019-statistics/
  6. wbaillinois – https://wbaillinois.org/bar-passage-score-increase/
  7. illinois – https://law.illinois.edu/admissions/profiles-statistics/
  8. ameribar – https://ameribar.com/illinois-bar-exam/
  9. adaptibar – https://blog.adaptibar.com/february-2020-bar-exam-results/
  10. crushendo – https://crushendo.com/illinois-bar-exam-prep/
  11. ibarexam – https://ibarexam.com/illinois-bar-exam/
  12. ncbex – https://www.ncbex.org/statistics-and-research/bar-exam-results/
  13. quimbee – https://www.quimbee.com/resources/bar-exam-pass-rates-by-state-for-2020

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