Admissions

The information on this website is to assist persons who are potential exam or motion applicants. It is of necessity abbreviated at times. If there is any conflict between any language on this website and the Rules & Procedures Governing Admission to the Practice of Law in Wyoming ("Rules") promulgated by the Wyoming Supreme Court, then the Rules prevail.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the basic requirements for admission?

   Admission by Examination

   • Passing scores on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), and the Wyoming Essay Examination
   • Good moral character and fitness to practice law
   • J.D. from an ABA-approved law school

   Admission on Motion

   • Active practice for five of the seven years immediately preceding application date in a reciprocal jurisdiction
   • 45 hours of CLE earned during the three years immediately preceding application date
   • Good moral character and fitness to practice law
   • J.D. or LLB from an ABA-accredited law school

2. What if I am applying for reinstatement or Rule 9 admission?

   Reinstatement and Rule 9 admission applicants should review the application process for Admission On Motion, and call the Admissions Director for more information.

3. What are the educational requirements to apply for admission to the Wyoming State Bar?

   ALL applicants, whether student or attorney, must have a degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Even if you are admitted to practice in another jurisdiction, you are not eligible to apply unless you have a degree from an ABA-approved law school. A list of ABA-approved law schools can be found at the ABA website.

   There are no provisions for foreign-educated applicants.

4. When is the deadline to apply?

   All applicants have the same deadline; motion applicants are considered in conjunction with the administration of the bar examination. The deadline for the July exam is March 1. The deadline for the February exam is October 1 of the previous year. Your completed application must be filed with (received by) the Clerk of the Wyoming Supreme Court by or before the deadline. Applications received after the deadline (regardless of postmark) will be returned to you. There is no late filing deadline.

5. How much is the application fee?

   $600 for all applicants, plus the appropriate fee payable to the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE.)

   These fees are non-refundable and must be submitted when your application is filed with the Wyoming Supreme Court. The Wyoming Supreme Court will accept payment by personal check or money order. The NCBE will accept payment by personal check, money order or credit card.

   Veterans may be eligible for partial reimbursement of testing costs. Please visit Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill website or call the VA's Regional Process Office for Educational Benefits at 1-888-442-4551 to determine eligibility.

6. How can I obtain an application packet?

   All information that could be mailed to you is contained on this website. . Put your mouse over "Admissions" up above and either select "Admission By Exam" or "Admission On Motion" to be taken to the appropriate forms. Or, you may send a written request and a $15 check to have an application packet mailed to you – you will receive the same forms which are available online. Send your request (specify Exam or Motion) and payment to:

   Wyoming State Bar
   Admissions Director
   P.O. Box 109
   Cheyenne, WY 82003-0109

7. What documents are required to complete the application?

   There are many required supporting documents. The required documents are outlined in the application checklist. Copies and faxes of official or notarized documents (certificate of good standing, certificate of judge, Dean's Certificate, etc.) are not acceptable.

8. May I submit supporting documents in advance of my application?

   You are welcome to have score transfers, certificates of good standing from other jurisdictions, and your Dean's Certificate sent directly to the State Bar. As long as they have your name on them, we will hold them until we receive your application. We cannot accept score reports from the applicant; scores must be sent directly to the Wyoming State Bar from the scoring authority (NCBE or State Bar).

9. What if I can't provide all the supporting documents by the application deadline?

   The complete application (including the NCBE Request for Preparation of a Character Report) and application fee must be filed with the Clerk of the Wyoming Supreme Court by the specified filing deadline (either March 1 or October 1, see above). All supporting documents should be sent with your application as well.

   One exception: the Dean's Certificate must be sent directly from your law school, and cannot be accepted from the applicant.

   It is strongly suggested that applicants begin the process early in order to allow ample time to obtain the required documents. Certified copies of court documents and military discharge forms (DD-214) often require several weeks to arrive. You will not be allowed to sit for the examination unless all supporting documents have been received by the State Bar and/or the NCBE.  If you are requesting testing accommodations, plan ahead because some sections of that application must be completed by others on your behalf, then included in your complete application when filed with the Supreme Court.

10. What are my obligations once I submit an application?

    You are required to update your application to keep it current and accurate at all times during the admission process. You must notify the Admissions Director in writing in the event there are any changes to your application. This includes, but is not limited to: any change in name, residence, business address, telephone number, email address, employment, or attorney membership status in any other jurisdiction. It also includes an obligation to inform the Character and Fitness Committee of any academic misconduct, disciplinary action, or any involvement in any civil or criminal proceeding (including traffic violations), or the recurrence or development of any illness or condition which would have a bearing on your fitness to practice law.

Frequently Asked Questions – EXAM INFORMATION

1. What are the dates of the exam?

   The MBE is always administered on the last Wednesday of February and July. The Wyoming Essay Examination is administered on the Thursday following the MBE.

   • February 29 - March 1, 2012 (Laramie)
   • July 25-26, 2012 (Laramie)
   • February 27 - 28, 2013 (Cheyenne)
   • July 31 - August 1, 2013 (Laramie)

   The MPRE is administered in March, August and November of each year. For more information about dates and registration, visit NCBE.

2. Are my previous scores eligible for transfer?

   A scaled MBE score of 130 or higher may be transferred for up to three years. For example, a valid MBE score from July 2011 could be used through the July 2014 exam.

   A scaled MPRE score of 75 or higher may also be transferred for up to three years. For example, a valid MPRE score from March 2012 could be used through the February 2015 exam.

   It is the applicant's responsibility to have an official score transfer sent to the Bar Admissions Director. Applicant score reports are not required; do not file them with your application.

3. What if my results from another jurisdiction will not be released until after Wyoming's application deadline?

   You must apply by the Wyoming application deadline and state on your application that you sat for the MBE in another jurisdiction. Please submit the score transfer request prior to filing your application.

4. Where can I obtain a Wyoming Bar Examination study guide?

   The Wyoming State Bar does not publish study guides, release previous exam questions, or endorse any commercially available study guides. However, the following sources may be helpful in preparing for the exam:

   • Wyoming Essay Exam study guides may be purchased from BAR/BRI.
   • MBE and MPRE study guides, the MBE & MPRE online practice exam may be purchased from the NCBE.

5. What is the format of the Wyoming Essay Examination?

   The essay portion of the Wyoming Bar Examination presents eleven questions. You have a choice of answering any ten of the eleven questions. Only the first ten questions submitted will be graded. The essay is administered in one four-hour session. The subject areas from which questions are taken for the essay portion are listed below in alphabetical order:

   1. Administrative Law
   2. Business Organization
   3. Civil Procedure
   4. Commercial Paper
   5. Contracts
   6. Criminal Law and Procedure
   7. Domestic Relations
   8. Evidence
   9. Mortgages
   10. Oil and Gas
   11. Property
   12. Secured Transactions
   13. Torts
   14. Trusts and Estates
   15. Water Law

6. Can I use my laptop to take the Wyoming Bar exam?

   Yes, examinees have the option to use their laptops for the essay portion of the bar exam. Wyoming uses SofTest, a secure laptop testing application by ExamSoft. Any modern laptops, PC or Mac, can be used with SofTest to take the essay portion of the Wyoming Bar Exam. There is a nonrefundable fee of $90, payable to ExamSoft for this option. For more information, watch the videos available at ExamSoft or visit ExamSoft's Knowledge Base.

7. What if I'm also taking another jurisdiction's bar exam on my laptop?

   You can sign up, pay for and download the software for two exams, but SofTest cannot registered under two different bar exams simultaneously. However, SofTest registration is easily modified prior to each exam.

   For example, if you intend to take the Colorado Bar (COBar) Exam on Tuesday and the Wyoming Bar (WYBar) on Thursday, you would:

   • Log in to the WYBar Custom Home Page using your unique WYBar ID & password and register SofTest under WYBar first.
   • Log in to the COBar Custom Home Page using your unique COBar ID & password and register SofTest under COBar second.
   • Take the COBar exam on Tuesday.
   • After the COBar exam, launch SofTest and press the CTRL + F7 keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
   • Click YES then OK when prompted to unregister SofTest.
   • Double click the SofTest icon on your Windows Desktop.
   • Register SofTest using your WYBar ID and password.
   • Take the WYBar exam on Thursday.

8. What if I sign up for the exam, but then find I need to postpone?

   The rules allow an applicant to register for two consecutive examinations without additional fee.

   For example, if you first registered to sit for the July 2012 examination, but postpone, you may register for the February 2013 examination without an additional fee. After that, you must reapply with the Wyoming application fee and supplemental NCBE application before you can sit for the bar examination.

9. How soon will I find out my exam results?

   When your file is complete (including scores for the essay, MBE and MPRE), your application must first be reviewed by the Character and Fitness Committee, and then by the Board of Law Examiners (BLE.) The BLE then makes its report to the Wyoming Supreme Court, who will notify you with your results. The BLE expects to make its report to the Wyoming Supreme Court approximately eight to ten weeks after the bar exam. If you are transferring a MBE score from another jurisdiction, your results will be delayed until we receive your score. Additionally, if you delay taking or transferring the MPRE, your results cannot be reported to the Supreme Court before we receive that score.

10. If I am applying for admission to another state, will you send me a copy of my application? If I need other documents, do you provide them?

    Yes, there is a charge of $30 for each copy requested. If the state requires a certified copy of your application to Wyoming, we release those only to another admissions office.

    If you require a Letter of Good Standing, those are available for a $10 fee. Request a Letter of Good Standing Online

    If you require a Certificate of Admission, those may be requested from the Wyoming Supreme Court at (307) 777-7316.

Frequently Asked Questions – MOTION, REINSTATEMENT AND RULE 9 INFORMATION

1. Is there any reciprocity or admission on motion?

   You may apply for admission on motion if you meet the requirements of Section III (Admission on Motion) of the Rules & Procedures Governing Admission to the Practice of Law in Wyoming

2. Is my jurisdiction eligible for admission on motion?

   Please read your jurisdiction's rules for admission on motion carefully. If your jurisdiction does not allow admission on motion, then you must apply to take the Wyoming Bar Examination. If your jurisdiction requires the MPRE (or any additional exam) for motion applicants, then you are not eligible for admission on motion in Wyoming.

   If you apply for admission on motion, and it is determined that your jurisdiction is not reciprocal, you may choose to sit for the next scheduled bar examination without an additional application fee. If your jurisdiction is not reciprocal, and you choose not to sit for the bar examination, your application fee is non-refundable.

3. If I applied on motion, when will I be admitted?

   All applicants are reviewed concurrently. Expect to receive notice from the Supreme Court approximately eight to ten weeks after the bar exam. We do not have "rolling" admissions, and motion applicants are admitted with exam applicants.

4. What if I am applying for reinstatement or Rule 9 admission?

   Reinstatement and Rule 9 admission applicants should review the application process for Admission On Motion, and call the Admissions Director for more information.