New attorneys being sworn in

Bar Admission Ceremony at Fowler School of Law

On June 3, 2014, a State and Federal Bar Admission Ceremony was held at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. The Honorable Charles Margines, Assistant Presiding Judge, Orange County Superior Court addressed the group of new lawyers and read the State Oath. The Honorable David O. Carter, Judge, United States District Court, Central District of California recited the Federal Oath with the group of new lawyers. Congratulations to the Fowler School of Law graduates who passed the February 2014 California Bar examination!

Once again, Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law exceeded the average bar examination pass rate for California American Bar Association (ABA) approved law schools in both the first-time takers and repeaters categories. Fowler School of Law has exceeded the bar pass rate of California ABA approved law schools in July of 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013; and February of 2011 and 2014.

The Fowler School of Law February 2014 first-time pass rate was 75%. This exceeds the California ABA average of 69% by 6%, the out-of-state ABA average of 44% by 31%, and the overall state pass rate of 55% by 20%. The pass rate for first-time taker participants in the Chapman University Fowler School of Law Supplemental Program was 100%.

The Fowler February 2014 repeater pass rate was 67.4%. This number does not include four additional students who passed, all of whom participated in the Supplemental Program: two LL.M. students, one visiting student, and one 2009 Fowler graduate who passed the Nevada Bar exam four years ago. The Fowler repeater rate exceeded the California ABA approved law school pass rate of 56% by 11.4%, the out-of-state ABA pass rate of 40% by 27.4%, and the overall state pass rate of 41% by 26.4%. The pass rate for repeaters taking the Supplemental Program was 91%. Furthermore, 22 of the repeaters were students who were unsuccessful on the July 2013 bar exam but passed in February 2014, bringing the Fowler Law School cumulative pass rate for the 2013 graduating class to 91.08%.

“I am gratified by the excellent performance of our students on the California Bar Exam. As always, our program is successful for four reasons: the support of President Doti, Chancellor Struppa, Dean Tom Campbell, and Associate Deans Danny Bogart and Jayne Kacer; the outstanding work of each and every member of the faculty in preparing students during their three years of study; the hard work of the Supplemental Bar Prep team of Adjunct Professors John Bishop and Kent Sommer, Professor Tom Caso, and Deputy Orange County Counsel Mark Batarse; and most importantly, the hard work and dedication of our students, who understand what it takes to succeed on the most difficult Bar Exam in the United States.” – Mario W. Mainero, Director of Bar Services and Professor of Academic Achievement, Fowler School of Law

The State Bar of California Committee of Bar Examiners reported that 45.3% of the applicants passed the February 2014 General Bar Examination (GBX) .The three-day General Bar Examination is given twice a year, in February and July. The exam consists of three sections: a multiple-choice Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), six essay questions and two performance tests that are designed to assess an applicant’s ability to apply general legal knowledge to practical tasks.