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2001 SESSION

019562832
HOUSE BILL NO. 2718
Offered January 18, 2001
A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-3926 of the Code of Virginia, relating to eligibility to sit for the Virginia Bar Examination.
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Patron-- McClure
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Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 54.1-3926 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54.1-3926. Preliminary proof of education required of applicant.

Before an applicant will be permitted to take any examination under this article the applicant shall furnish to the Board satisfactory evidence that he has:

1. Completed all degree requirements from a law school approved by the American Bar Association or the Board; or

2. Received a bachelor's degree from a four-year accredited college or university and studied law for three years, consisting of not less than eighteen hours per week for at least forty weeks per year in the office of an attorney practicing in this Commonwealth, whose full time is devoted to the practice of law; or

3. Studied law for at least three years partly in a law school approved by the American Bar Association or the Board and partly, for not less than eighteen hours per week for at least forty weeks per year, in the office of an attorney practicing in this Commonwealth whose full time is devoted to the practice of law; or

4. Received a bachelor's degree from a four-year accredited college or university and studied law for three years, consisting of not less than eighteen hours per week for at least forty weeks per year, with a retired circuit court judge who served the Commonwealth as a circuit court judge for a minimum of ten years and who at the time of commencement of the three-year study period was retired for not more than five years; or

5. Successfully completed all requirements for a degree from the Potomac School of Law in the District of Columbia, was enrolled and attended classes at the Potomac School of Law during or prior to the 1977 fall term, was a resident of Virginia at the time of application for admission to the Potomac School of Law, has passed the bar examination in another state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia, which examination included the national multi-state examination, and has been admitted to practice before the court of last resort in any other state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.

The attorney in whose office or the judge with whom the applicant intends to study shall be approved by the Board, which shall prescribe reasonable conditions as to the course of study.