Cornell Law School graduates attain historic 99 percent pass rate on bar exam

For the first time, 99 percent of Cornell Law School graduates passed the New York Bar exam on their first try, an all-time record for the school and the highest pass rate of any law school in New York state. "Our graduates' outstanding performance reflects their collective talent and diligence, traits that we saw daily during their time at Cornell and traits that will serve them well as members of the bar," said Stewart J. Schwab, the Allan R. Tessler Dean and Professor of Law.

Law School faculty do not "teach to the bar," Schwab said, "but our faculty are superb teachers and mentors and our students hard-working and inquisitive. The combination leads to great results."

According to the New York Law Journal, the average New York Bar pass rate for all schools in the state was 91 percent, another historic high. This year's rate is 2.8 points higher than last year's and places New York law school graduates one point ahead of graduates from out-of-state law schools.

More than 130 Cornell students took the New York state exam in July, the majority of them Class of 2008 members. Cornell Law graduates also sat for bar exams in 21 other states.

Paul Miller is a writer at the Cornell Law School.

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