About 250 graduates sat for the Florida Bar Examination in Tampa on Tuesday, July 26, and on Wednesday, July 27. A "homeroom" for the test-takers was available both days in Ballroom C of the Tampa Convention Center, where the candidates could leave personal items while they completed the examination in the grand hall of the Convention Center.
Dean William VanderWyden greeted the graduates early on Tuesday morning, and after they checked in and received their badges, all proceeded to the secured testing area above. In Florida, over 3300 law graduates sat for the Bar Examination.
Three essays on various Florida subjects were completed in the morning session from 9:00 a.m. to Noon after which a buffet luncheon was available for all Miami Law students in Ballroom C. The graduates sat and enjoyed themselves over lunch; a few were seen reviewing materials for the next session that commenced at 1:30 p.m.
The afternoon session on Tuesday consisted of 100 multiple-choice questions in procedure, evidence, and wills.
On Wednesday, most jurisdictions, including Florida, offer the MultiState Bar Exam (MBE) which consists of 100 questions during the three-hour morning session and 100 more questions in the afternoon session. Basic areas of law are tested equally among the 200 questions: contracts, property, torts, criminal law and procedure, US Constitutional Law, and evidence.
After the completion of Wednesday's session at 4:30 p.m., the festivities began, and the city of Tampa became a hot spot for celebration.
Some did not have enough excitement taking only the Florida Bar Exam on Tuesday and Wednesday, and so they boarded a plane for New Jersey or Massachusetts to take the respective exam in those states on Thursday.
Many other members of the Class of 2011 tested in other jurisdictions, notably New York, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and many other states.
Congratulations to the Class of 2011. We hope that you have every success when the results are announced later this fall!
Class of 2011 Sits for the Bar Examination
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL 33124
305-284-2211