LAW STUDENT REGISTRATION: A GUIDE FOR LAW STUDENTS

• What is law student registration?
  
  Law student registration is a screening procedure used in approximately fourteen jurisdictions as part of their licensing procedures. Upon registration, investigations are conducted by the staff of the bar admission agency in some jurisdictions, or by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. It is common for jurisdictions to require the applicant to update the application at the time that the applicant applies to take the bar examination.
  
  
  
• Why do bar examiners in a number of jurisdictions require students to register with their licensing agencies while the student is enrolled in law school?
  
  The purpose of such early registration is to identify problems that might otherwise delay or adversely affect licensing after law school graduation, or to expedite processing of bar examination applications by completing preliminary work earlier in an applicant's law school career.
  
  
• What if a student is not sure in which jurisdiction he or she intends to practice?
  
  Since many law students are uncertain about where their early law careers will take them, it is usually best to determine the requirements of the jurisdiction in which the law school is located, and to investigate the requirements of two or three jurisdictions in which the law student is most likely to seek employment. Law students who fail to register on the timetable set by the jurisdiction are permitted to take the bar exam in most cases, but fees for late registrations are commonly assessed.