Yes, the California bar exam is widely considered to be the most difficult of all state bar exams in the US. The California bar exam has a pass rate of 34%.
California Reciprocity California doesn't offer reciprocity but offers a shorter bar exam for attorneys who are admitted in other states and who have been in good standing as an attorney in those states for at least four years prior to their application.
NY and CA aren't reciprocal, but NY and DC are.
California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam, due to its low pass rate and the difficulty of the content and constraints of the exam.
In California, qualified applicants can take the bar exam without going to law school. Most law schools require a college degree, but some may only ask for equivalent course work, and some law schools focus on your legal interest and life experiences and not on your grades or LSAT scores.
Can I Take the Bar Without Going To Law School In New York? In New York, a person must complete a year of law school and three years of study in a law office under New York Bar Admission Rules Section 520.4. Once all that is completed, an applicant can take the bar exam.
All applicants who pass the bar examination must also take and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), before they may be admitted to practice law in New York.
California Bar Examination All other attorney applicants must take the general bar exam. Please note that the State Bar does not offer reciprocity or accept bar exam scores from another jurisdiction.
In California, qualified applicants can take the bar exam without going to law school. Most law schools require a college degree, but some may only ask for equivalent course work, and some law schools focus on your legal interest and life experiences and not on your grades or LSAT scores.