Only eight students from Florida’s Ave Maria School of Law took the bar exam for the first time this February, but because seven passed, that makes the school tops in the state’s bar passage rate.
With an 87.5% pass rate, the Naples-based law school is No. 1 among the state’s 11 accredited law schools whose graduates sat for the exam.
Overall, 553 people took the bar for the first time in the Feb. 25-26 Bar Examination in Tampa, and 359 passed – or 64.9%, according to a Monday announcement from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.
That’s an increase from the 56% who passed (or 334 out of 593) last February, for a nearly 9-point jump.
Florida, as most states do, offers its bar exam twice yearly, in February and July. A greater number of test takers, many of whom have just graduated from law school in May, sit for the summer administration of the exam.
Coming in at No. 2 this February was the University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville (76.5%) and St. Thomas University College of Law in Miami Gardens (75%) was third. Last place went to Barry University School of Law in Orlando, with 46.8%.
Those who are already admitted to the practice of law and took the bar exam here for the first time had a 72.1% pass rate (160 out of 222). Those who went to law schools outside Florida passed with 47.9% (34 out of 71).
How do you become an attorney in Florida?
In Florida, the state’s Supreme Court ultimately decides who becomes an attorney.
“Passing the bar,” as it’s known, is but one step: Applicants also must pass clear an in-depth background check, usually referred to as character and fitness review.
Florida’s exam – again, like many states – is given over two days, with one day consisting of written essays and another devoted to a six-hour, 200 multiple-choice question test known as the Multistate Bar Examination.
Also, applicants have to pass a separate legal ethics test, called the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination.
Florida’s Supreme Court last month launched a review of its long-standing requirement that bar exam applicants graduate from an ABA-accredited law school. A workgroup, chaired by former Justice Ricky Polston, will submit its recommendations by Sept. 30.
The move comes amid growing conservative scrutiny of the ABA’s influence, including concerns over accreditation costs, its political activity and diversity standards.
This story contains previously published material. Jim Rosica is a member of the USA TODAY Network – Florida Capital Bureau. Reach him at jrosica@tallahassee.com and follow him on Twitter/X: @JimRosicaFL.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida 2025 bar exam results: How did February test-takers do?