practicing in DC area

[xferlawstudent]

I'm seriously considering practicing in the DC area after graduation May 2008.  Would most people simply take the DC Bar or DC and VA or DC and MD?  What is the norm?

[Lenny]

You can waive into the DC Bar as long as you pass another state's bar and achieved a certain score on the Multi-state portion of the Bar exam.  Thus, very few people actually take the DC bar (usually only those people that passed another state's bar but scored low on the multi-state).  So, just take another state's bar and waive in.

[vaplaugh]

Most attorneys I know in DC took the bar in the state of their law school or in MD.  I think they choose MD over VA because of Baltimore.

[xferlawstudent]

You can waive into the DC Bar as long as you pass another state's bar and achieved a certain score on the Multi-state portion of the Bar exam.  Thus, very few people actually take the DC bar (usually only those people that passed another state's bar but scored low on the multi-state).  So, just take another state's bar and waive in.

I thought you had to practice for 5 years before you could do this

[Lenny]

Most attorneys I know in DC took the bar in the state of their law school or in MD.  I think they choose MD over VA because of Baltimore.

I'm not really sure what the bolded part means.  I would suspect that the only reason more people practicing in DC proper would take the MD bar over the VA bar is that the MD bar is significantly easier.

I thought you had to practice for 5 years before you could do this

Not to waive into DC.  Maybe to waive into someplace like NC from VA or Texas from VA you have to be in practice for 5 years.  But its automatic in DC.

[vaplaugh]

Most attorneys I know in DC took the bar in the state of their law school or in MD.  I think they choose MD over VA because of Baltimore.

I'm not really sure what the bolded part means.  I would suspect that the only reason more people practicing in DC proper would take the MD bar over the VA bar is that the MD bar is significantly easier.

I suspected the MD bar was easier, as well, but then I checked the numbers before posting.  According to ILRG.com (which uses the USNWR data), the state average bar pass rate was 72% for MD and 74% for VA.  So I think this assumption does not hold weight.  I mentioned Baltimore because I am guessing that DC law firms attract more business from MD than from VA because of Baltimore, so it would be beneficial to be licensed in MD over VA.  Maybe someone who has been hired by a DC firm can chime in here... did they request you take the bar in a specific state?

And now because I'm bored...
"Proximal VA" = Fairfax County, Arlington County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Alexandria City
"Proximal MD" = Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County.

Proximal VA has a population of 1,973,513 whereas Proximal MD has a population of 2,555,198.  Even including other further out counties in VA will not match the Proximal MD population.

However, add to the mix that the city of Baltimore, which constitutes about another 650,000 people (and lots of big business), is only 35 miles away.

Websites used:
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/county_map_of_virginia.htm
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/51/51510.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/21/AR2007032102712.html
http://county-map.digital-topo-maps.com/maryland-county-map.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore,_Maryland
http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/desc/StateOverall

[vaplaugh]

Of course, if you're super about it, you take the NYC bar.

The MD vs. VA choice could also come down to something as simple as MD not having as stringent CLE requirements. lol. I dunno, I'm now too tired/careless to check.

[gershonw]

seems the real question is b/n MD and DC

the code of DC says the COA of DC sets the rules for admission to the bar....

the rules for admission to the bar are here:
http://www.dcappeals.gov/dccourts/docs/DCCA_Rules.pdf (see rule 46)

for genreal admission (as oppsed to like a 1 time thing) you need either 5 years of good standing elsewhere OR have all three of 1. a jd from a aba school 2. a 133 or more on the mbe and 3. passed the multistate professdional responsibility exam

i was a paralegal for a guy who did dc/md..hes solo practice and a grad from a T3 and not even a big name..he does really well in general practice

[vaplaugh]

Ah, another reason for MD...

You can not be admitted to the MD bar on motion, so it makes sense to take the MD bar rather than the VA bar.
http://www.ncbex.org/fileadmin/mediafiles/downloads/Comp_Guide/2007CompGuide.pdf

[xferlawstudent]

Ah, another reason for MD...

You can not be admitted to the MD bar on motion, so it makes sense to take the MD bar rather than the VA bar.
http://www.ncbex.org/fileadmin/mediafiles/downloads/Comp_Guide/2007CompGuide.pdf

That makes no sense unless you want to be in MD in the first place.  Florida allows no waive-in, but I would be crazy to take the Florida bar if I lived in DC