Law Careers in Connecticut

The American Bar Association (ABA) reports that in 2011, there were 20,585 resident and active attorneys practicing in the state of Connecticut. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that as of 2009, there were 2401 law offices across the state, with the majority of them employing between one and four people. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational and Wage Estimates for May 2011 reports that Connecticut lawyers averaged a mean annual salary of $145,960, putting them in the top four percent of pay rates for lawyers across the country. Lawyers working in the Danbury make an even higher average annual salary, at $174,540. To learn how to join the ranks of Connecticut attorneys and become one of them, read on.
 

The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee does not mandate undergraduate pre-legal education for those who want to be lawyers in the state. You must, however, graduate from an American Bar Association-accredited (ABA-accredited) law school. In order to get into an ABA-approved law school, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree as your undergraduate education.

Accreditation

Your undergraduate college degree must be from an accredited institution. Accreditation by a regional or national agency verified by the U.S. Department of Education is usually sufficient to meet the requirements of ABA-approved law schools.

Requirements and Standards

Because the ABA does not set requirements on undergraduate education, besides obtaining at least a bachelor’s degree, you have much leeway when it comes to the coursework, majors and minors you choose. However, there are some fields and courses that are optimally recommended for those who plan to study law in the future. These include:

• Philosophy
• Communications
• Political Science/Government
• History
• English
• Psychology
• Sociology

Degree Options

If you select your major from one of the above-mentioned fields, you will be more likely to succeed in law school. The ABA does not mandate one major over another when it comes to your undergraduate degree.

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After graduating with your undergraduate degree, you must pass the LSAT, or Law School Admission Test, in order to get into an ABA-approved law school. The six-hour test is given four times annually around the world.

How to prepare

Sample questions with explanations and practice tests are available for free at the LSAT website and can help you prepare to take this important exam. If you wish to take LSAT preparation courses, check out the following options in the Connecticut area:

LSAT Exam Prep Courses in Connecticut:

• LSAT Prep Tutoring, Learning Consultants, New Haven
• LSAT Prep, Connecticut Career Mastery, Southeastern Connecticut
• LSAT Prep Course, Power Score, New Haven
• LSAT Prep, TestMasters, Stamford

Exam content

This is what you can expect to encounter on the LSAT:

• Logical Reasoning - Two sections of 25 questions each. You must analyze statements for logical errors.
• Analytical Reasoning – One section of 24 items. You must solve complex puzzles involving deductive reasoning.  
• Reading Comprehension – One section of about 28 items. You must read long, complex passages and answer questions based upon those passages.  
• Experimental Section- This can consist of any of the above types of questions. This section is not graded. However, you will not know which section is the experimental section, so try your best on every section of the test.
• Writing Sample – You will be allotted a half-hour to write an essay on a given topic.  This section will not be scored, but is sent with your application to law schools and will be reviewed by admissions personnel.

Application process

Applications for the LSAT are processed online. You must pay a fee of $160 to take the LSAT (online via credit card or by mail via check or money order to Law School Admission Council).  The test is offered twice a week in December, February, June and October. Listed below are LSAT Test Centers in Connecticut:

•  Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824  
• Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham Street, Willimantic, CT 06226 
• Quinnipiac University School of Law, 275 Mount Carmel Avenue, Hamden, CT 06518-1908
• Wesleyan University, 45 Wyllys Avenue Middletown, CT 06459
• Yale University, 246 Church St. New Haven, CT 06520-8321
• Connecticut College, 270 Mohegan Ave., New London, CT, 06320
• University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269
• University of Hartford,  200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117 

Receiving Your Score

LSAT scores are mailed to you by the LSAC about three weeks after you take the exam. The lowest score you can possibly receive is 120, and the highest is 180. Average LSAT scores for students who are accepted by the following Connecticut law schools are:

University of Connecticut Law School:	159
Quinnipiac University School of Law:	157
Yale University:	173

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Application process

The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee requires that you graduate from a law school which it has approved. Mainly these consist of ABA-approved law schools, but there are two exceptions, listed below.  Go here for a clickable map that will show you all 200 ABA-approved law schools throughout the country. The Bar Examining Committee only specifies that you must graduate from an ABA-approved law school in the United States – it need not be in Connecticut.    

Credential Assembly Service

If you are applying to an ABA-approved law school, you must use the LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service . This service helps you gather transcripts from all institutions you have attended, recommendation letters, and online evaluations. It also processes your electronic enrollment applications to the ABA-approved law schools of your choice. You must pay the LSAC a fee of $155 for this valuable service. It is payable online through your LSAC account (created when you registered for the LSAT).

Accreditation

The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee requires that you graduate from a school which it has approved. All ABA-accredited law schools in the United States fall into this category. The Committee has also approved the following two neighboring non-ABA accredited law schools and will accept graduates from these schools for admission to the Connecticut bar:

• Massachusetts School of Law,  500 Federal St,  Andover, MA 01810
• University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth,  333 Faunce Corner Rd, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300

ABA-Accredited Law Schools in Connecticut
Law schools that are ABA-accredited in Connecticut are:

• University of Connecticut School of Law, 45 Elizabeth Street, Hartford, CT 06105
• Quinnipiac University School of Law, 275 Mount Carmel Avenue, Hamden, CT 06518
• Yale Law School, PO Box 208215, New Haven, CT 06520-8215

Online Law Degrees

• View Online and Campus Law and Legal Studies Programs
  • (For students who choose to focus on a subset of law other than an attorney.)

Course requirements

Committee-approved law schools will offer course work surrounding the following fields in a curriculum:

• Economics
• Business
• Environmental law
• Lawyering skills and procedure
• Criminal law and procedure
• Civil law and procedure
• Constitutional law
• International law
• Human rights
• Intellectual property law
• Family law
• Contracts
• Real property
• Torts
• Wills, trusts and estates

It must take you at least 24 months, but no longer than 84 months, to obtain your Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, per rules of the ABA. This entails completion of 83 semester hours or 129 quarter hours of college credit.

Internship

Committee-approved law schools will offer (and often require) you the opportunity to participate in real-world lawyering internships. These may be in the form of in-house legal clinics, working with non-profit organizations, externship clinics in government and law offices, or even spending a semester working in Washington, D.C. While enrolled in a clinic, you will be engaging in real legal practice, including  interviewing and counseling clients; researching the law and formulating case strategies; appearing before courts and agencies in trials; and negotiating agreements. Feedback and training will be provided. These clinic and internship situations will help you to hone the skills that are necessary to run a successful law practice.  

Degree Programs

The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee requires that you earn a J.D. degree prior to admission to the bar. Other degree options that increase your career opportunities include certificates and dual degree programs, such as:

• Certificates:
• Intellectual Property Certificate
• Tax Studies Certificate
• Law and Public Policy Certificate
• Human Rights Certificate
• Energy and Environmental Law Certificate
• Dual Degree Programs:
• J.D. /L.L.M. (Master of Laws)  in Insurance Law
• J.D. /M.A. (Master of Arts) in Public Policy
• J.D. /Master of Business Administration (J.D. /M.B.A.)
• J.D. /Master of Library Science (J.D./M.L.S.)
• J.D. /Master of Public Administration (J.D./M.P.A.)
• J.D. /Master of Public Health (J.D./M.P.H.)
• J.D/ Master of Social Work (J.D./M.S.W)

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After graduating with your J.D. degree from a Committee-approved law school, you may apply to take the Connecticut Bar Examination. Download the Application for Admission to Practice as an Attorney in Connecticut by Examination.

Preparation

The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee makes available booklets of sample questions and answers from recent state bar exams. They may be purchased here. Additionally, sample essay questions from past examinations are listed here. If you would like to take a bar exam prep course, these options are available to you:

• Bar Review Course, Quinnipiac University School of Law, 275 Mount Carmel Ave, Hamden
• Bar Review Course, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave, Hartford
• Bar Review Course, Western New England School of Law, Springfield, MA

You may also find study information and resources for the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) and Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) portions of the Connecticut bar exam at the National Conference of Bar Examiners website.

Exam content

The Connecticut bar exam is given over two days each February and July. Exam sites are located in Hartford and Waterbury. The format is as follows:

• First day: You will complete six Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) questions and six Connecticut essay questions. Subjects you may encounter include Administrative Law, Business Entities, Conflict of Laws, Contracts, Criminal Law/Procedure, Federal and State Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, Property, Torts, Uniform Commercial Code, and Trusts/Wills/Estates.
• Second day: You will take the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200 question multiple-choice exam covering the following subjects: Constitutional Law, Contracts/Sales, Criminal Law/Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.

Application Process

Download the Application for Admission to Practice as an Attorney in Connecticut by Examination. The filing deadline for the July exam is April 30, and for the February exam, November 30. The fee to take the bar exam is $600. When filling out the application, remember to:

• Sign the Acknowledgment of Application and Authorization and Release before a notary public
• En close a certified check or money order for $600 payable to the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee
• Have your law school complete Form 4 (in application packet) verifying your completion of the program and receipt of J.D. degree and return it directly to the Committee
• Give a Form 11 (in application packet) to each employer you have had over the past five years. They must complete the form and return it directly to the Committee.
• Attach additional forms as necessary to explain answers
• Submit a handwriting specimen where indicated on the application
• Mail everything to: Connecticut Bar Examining Committee, (Insert exam Month & Year) Application Department, 100 Washington St., Hartford, CT 06106-4411

Pass Rates

The results of your bar exam will be mailed to you about nine weeks post-exam, and will also be posted on the Internet. Results of past Connecticut bar exams are as follows, according to the Committee:

Bar Exam Date	Overall Pass Rate
July 2011:	72%
February 2011:	68%
July 2010:	73%
February 2010:	66%
July 2009	80%
February 2009:	67%
July 2008:	81%
February 2008:	70%

Additionally, for the February 2012 administration of the bar exam, the following pass rates apply for graduates of the following Committee-approved law schools:

Law School	Pass Rate
University of Connecticut School of Law	67%
Quinnipiac School of Law	54%
Yale University School of Law	100%
University of Massachusetts School of Law – Dartmouth	3%
Massachusetts School of Law	48%

Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)

No more than four years before but no later than one year after you pass the Connecticut bar exam, you must also pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) with a scaled score of 80 or more. It is offered each March, August and November, in Bridgeport, West Hartford, and West Haven. Use the link above for more information or to apply to take the MPRE.

In lieu of passing the MPRE, you may take a Committee-approved continuing legal education course in professional responsibility and pass it with a grade of C or better.

Admission Without Examination

If you wish to apply for admission to the Connecticut bar without taking the bar exam, you must meet these requirements:

• Receive a J.D. degree from a Committee-approved law school
• Have good moral character
• Be admitted to the bar in a jurisdiction that would admit qualified Connecticut attorneys (known as a reciprocal jurisdiction), or be a member of the faculty of an approved law school, within 10 years of applying for admission to the Connecticut bar
• Receive a score of 80 on the MPRE or a grade of C in an approved professional responsibility course

As of 2012, jurisdictions that are reciprocal with Connecticut are:
AL, AK, AR, CO, DC, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NY, NH, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI

If you meet these requirements, complete the Application for Admission to Practice as an Attorney in Connecticut. Return it and the $1800 fee, plus supporting documents proving your good standing as an attorney in another jurisdiction, to: Connecticut Bar Examining Committee, Motion Application Department, 100 Washington St, Hartford, CT 06106-4411.

Admission for Law School Graduates of Non-ABA/Non-Committee Approved Schools

If you do not meet Connecticut’s educational requirements to take the bar exam, you may still be eligible for bar admission. You must meet all of the following conditions:

• Have been admitted before the highest court of original jurisdiction in a U.S. state, DC, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. District Court for 10 or more years
• Be in good standing in that jurisdiction
• Have actively practiced law in that jurisdiction for five of the last seven years
• Intend to actively practice law in Connecticut and to devote the majority of your work to this practice

These conditions also apply to graduates of foreign law schools.

Licensing and Admission to the Bar

After passing the bar exam, you will be notified of instructions for admission to the bar. You will recite the following oath in a formal ceremony in which you are inducted into the Connecticut bar:

“You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will do nothing dishonest, and will not knowingly allow anything dishonest to be done in court, and that you will inform the court of any dishonesty of which you have knowledge; that you will not knowingly maintain or assist in maintaining any cause of action that is false or unlawful; that you will not obstruct any cause of action for personal gain or malice; but that you will exercise the office of attorney, in any court in which you may practice, according to the best of your learning and judgment, faithfully, to both your client and the court; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.”

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Kudos to you for passing the Connecticut bar exam!  The Bar Association is available to help you, as one of its newest members, as you begin your career as an attorney in Connecticut. You might want to refer to the 2016 Connecticut Practice Book from time to time as needed. This valuable legal resource details all of the rules, regulations and standards that Connecticut lawyers must follow. You should become familiar with this manual as it serves as a Bible for Connecticut attorneys.  

The Bar also maintains a catalog of Pro Bono opportunities, should you wish to volunteer your time providing legal advice. Groups that offer lawyers the opportunity to work Pro Bono include (but are not limited to):

• Center for Children’s Advocacy
• Connecticut Legal Rights Project, Inc.
• Connecticut Veterans Legal Center
• Internal Revenue Service
• State of Connecticut Judicial Branch
• University of Connecticut School of Law Tax Clinic

Job opportunities exist for lawyers statewide. You may opt to open your own practice, join an existing law firm, or work in the legal department of a company or corporation. Some of the most well known law firms in Connecticut include:

• Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman, & Dicker LLP in Stamford
• Cummings & Lockwood in Stamford
• Robinson & Cole in Hartford
• Wiggin and Dana, LLP in New Haven, Stamford, Hartford, and Greenwich

Companies in Connecticut that may hire attorneys include:

• Maxum Petroleum in Greenwich
• The Hartford in Hartford
• Ironwood Capital in Avon
• Boehringer Ingelheim Chemicals in Ridgefield
• Allied World Assurance Company Holdings in Farmington

Legal specialty certification

You might want to become certified to practice in a specialty area of the law. The National Board of Legal Specialty Certification provides certification opportunities for qualified attorneys to specialize in civil, criminal, and family law; social security disability advocacy; and civil trial law advocacy. You must pass an examination to become certified. For more information, contact the Connecticut State Coordinator of the NBLSC, James Bartolini, at 860-522-1196 or jbartolini@riscassidavis.com.
Additionally, the Connecticut Bar Association offers certification in Workers’ Compensation for qualified attorneys. If you are interested in applying for this certification, the Notice of Intent to Apply for Certification will not be available until November 2013.

Requirements for maintaining license

Connecticut does not require its lawyers to fulfill Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in order to maintain licensure.

Court Systems in Connecticut

There are four levels in the Connecticut Judicial Branch: Probate Court, Superior Court, Appellate Court, and Supreme Court.

• Probate Court handles cases affecting children, the elderly, and people with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. They have jurisdiction over trusts and estates, guardianships and conservatorships, parental cases and other matters. The Office of the Probate Court Administrator is at 186 Newington Road, West Hartford, CT 06110
• Superior Court has four sub-courts:
• Family Court handles matters of divorce, legal separation, child custody, name changes, annulment of marriage, civil restraining orders, child visitation, child support, and paternity. They are located in Judicial District courthouses across Connecticut.
• Housing Court handles landlord/tenant matters. They are filed and held in Housing Sessions across Connecticut.
• Juvenile Court handles all matters and cases involving juvenile offenders, juvenile detention, and child protection psychological evaluations. They are held in Superior Court for Juvenile Matters locations across Connecticut. 
• Small Claims Court handles civil cases where the amount in question is up to $5000. They are handled in Small Claims Courts across Connecticut.
• Appellate Court handles appeals of decisions of the lower courts. It is located at 75 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106
• Supreme Court is the highest court in Connecticut and handles direct appeal matters as well as any matters it transfers to itself from the Appellate Court. It is located at 231 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106.

Elective membership organizations

Now that you are a member of the Connecticut bar, think about joining one of these other elective professional membership associations for attorneys:

• Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
• Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
•  Connecticut Employment Lawyers Association
• Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association
• Connecticut Network for Legal Aid

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