Rule 716: Admission to the Bar by Examination

(a)   Eligibility. An applicant for admission to the Kansas bar by examination must be eligible under Rule 708.

(b)   Application.

(1)   Required Documents and Fee. An applicant under this rule must submit the following:

(A)   an application submitted and accepted through the Attorney Admissions office’s online portal according to the time periods under subsection (b)(2);

(B)   any other information the admissions attorney, the Attorney Admissions Review Committee, or the Board of Law Examiners requests for use in considering the application; and

(C)   the fee under Rule 707(a)(2).

(2)   Time Periods. The Board generally administers the bar examination in February and July.

(A)   Timely Application. An application is timely if submitted within one of the following time frames:

(i)   April 2 to October 1 for the February examination; or

(ii)   November 2 to March 1 for the July examination.

(B)   Grace Period. The Attorney Admissions office will accept an application that is no more than 30 days late if it complies with subsection (b)(1) and is accompanied by the late fee under Rule 707(a)(3).

(C)   Late Application. The Attorney Admissions office will treat an application received after the expiration of the grace period as an application for the next bar examination.

(3)   Nonstandard Testing Accommodation. An applicant seeking a nonstandard testing accommodation must submit a request and supporting documentation to the Attorney Admissions office by November 1 for the February examination or April 1 for the July examination. The Attorney Admissions office may approve an applicant’s request for a nonstandard testing accommodation that does not jeopardize the security and integrity of the examination.

(4)   Application Review Process. The following rules apply in the application review process:

(A)   Rule 723 and Rule 725 apply to the character and fitness investigation and any hearing; and

(B)   Rule 724 applies following an adverse Board ruling.

(c)   Updating an Application. An applicant must update an application under the following circumstances.

(1)   Retaking the Examination. If an applicant did not achieve a passing score on an examination and wishes to take the next examination administered, the applicant must update the application and pay the application fee under Rule 707(a)(2).

(A)   February Examination. An applicant who did not achieve a passing score on the February examination must update the application no later than 30 days after the date of the letter stating that the applicant did not achieve a passing score.

(B)   July Examination. An applicant who did not achieve a passing score on the July examination must update the application in accordance with the time periods in subsection (b)(2) and pay the late fee if applicable.

(C)   Delayed Retake. If an applicant does not wish to take the next examination administered, the general provisions under subsection (b) apply.

(2)   Hold-Over Application. If an applicant does not take the examination for which the applicant applied, the applicant must update the application. The Board may waive the application fee for a later examination if an applicant failed to take the examination due to any of the following circumstances:

(A)   a delay in the investigation of the applicant’s character and fitness;

(B)   the need for a hearing on the applicant’s character and fitness;

(C)   actions of the admissions attorney, the Review Committee, the Board, or the Supreme Court;

(D)   the applicant’s failure to achieve a passing score on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination; or

(E)   extenuating circumstances.

(d)   Composition. The Board administers the Uniform Bar Examination prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which consists of six Multistate Essay Examination questions, two Multistate Performance Test questions, and the Multistate Bar Examination.

(e)   Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination.

(1)   To be eligible to take the Uniform Bar Examination in Kansas, an applicant must achieve a minimum score of 80 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination and ensure that the National Conference of Bar Examiners or the testing jurisdiction provides the score to the Attorney Admissions office.

(2)   The Attorney Admissions office must receive the official score no later than January 15 for the February examination and June 15 for the July examination.

(f)   Taking the Bar Examination.

(1)   Proof of Identity. At a bar examination, an applicant must provide proof of identity satisfactory to the Attorney Admissions office.

(2)   Conduct. Any conduct in violation of the instructions given to bar examinees on the day of the examination will be reported to the Board and considered for possible character and fitness review. The Board may refuse to score the examination of an applicant who fails to follow the instructions.

(g)   Transferring a Multistate Bar Examination Score. A first-time applicant may transfer a Multistate Bar Examination score achieved in another jurisdiction in lieu of taking the Multistate Bar Examination portion of the Uniform Bar Examination.

(1)   Subject to the following provisions, the Board will accept a Multistate Bar Examination score achieved on a prior examination in another jurisdiction.

(A)   The applicant must have taken the examination in the other jurisdiction no more than 13 months before the Kansas examination.

(B)   The applicant must have successfully passed the entire bar examination in the other jurisdiction in one administration and achieved a minimum scaled score of 125 on the Multistate Bar Examination.

(C)   The applicant must notify the Attorney Admissions office at the time of submitting the application for admission to the Kansas bar that the applicant wishes to use a Multistate Bar Examination score achieved in another jurisdiction.

(D)   The applicant must ensure that the National Conference of Bar Examiners or the appropriate bar examination authority where the applicant took the Multistate Bar Examination provides the applicant’s Multistate Bar Examination score to the Attorney Admissions office.

(E)   The applicant will not receive a Uniform Bar Examination score.

(F)   If the applicant fails to achieve a passing score on the Kansas examination, the applicant may not use the Multistate Bar Examination score transferred under this subsection in any succeeding Kansas examination.

(2)   The Attorney Admissions office will adopt procedures to ensure that scores transferred under this subsection are reported to the Board without disclosing the applicant’s identity.

(h)   Passing Score. An applicant who achieves a minimum score of 266 on the Uniform Bar Examination is eligible for admission to the Kansas bar.

(i)   Procedure on Completion of Bar Examination.

(1)   Admission Granted. If the Board recommends granting admission and the Supreme Court admits the applicant to practice in all Kansas courts, the applicant must take the oath under Rule 726.

(2)   Admission Denied. If the Board denies admission because an applicant failed to achieve a passing score on the examination, the Board’s decision is final.

(3)   Requests for Examination Responses. The following provisions apply when the Board denies admission under subsection (i)(2).

(A)   The applicant may review the applicant’s answers to the Multistate Essay Examination and Multistate Performance Test upon request made no later than 90 days after the date the Attorney Admissions office notified the applicant of the Board’s denial.

(B)   Because confidentiality is required to protect the integrity of the examination, the applicant is not permitted to review or inspect questions asked or answers given on the Multistate Bar Examination.

[History: New rule adopted effective July 1, 2022.]