The New York State Board of Law Examiners has asked us to notify you of the following information about the bar exam:
In recent years the Board has experienced growing challenges in procuring available and suitable venues within the First and Second Judicial Departments to host the bar examination. The bar examination has for many years been held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, but because of construction related to the expansion of that venue, the Board has been advised that there is no space available to us for the July 2018 bar examination. We expect to use the Armory Track and Field Center located in upper Manhattan, which has served as a test site for prior administrations of the exam, but the capacity of that venue is not sufficient to accommodate the number of residents of the First and Second Departments we anticipate will apply for next July’s exam.
The Board has, accordingly, changed its policy on exam seating, effective with the February 2018 administration. The Board will maintain at least one test center in each of the four judicial departments in the State. However, seating will no longer be based on the applicant’s residential address as provided by the applicant on their bar examination application. Thus, no applicant is guaranteed a seat in any judicial department, even if the applicant resides or currently attends law school in that Department. Rather, test sites will now be selected by the applicant based on availability and on a first come, first-served basis.