Graduation and Bar Information
What to do in preparation for graduation in your senior year
Degree Audit Review
Prior to your projected graduation date, seniors should review their degree audits mailed in October to make sure they have fulfilled all degree requirements.
Degree audits will also be mailed to seniors in the fall and spring semesters.
If you have any questions regarding your status or the degree audit itself, please contact the Registrar's Office via email at registrar@nesl.edu or by phone at 617-422-7215.
Forms to Submit to the Registrar's Office
New England Law Bar Form - Deadline to submit the form to the Registrar's Office - December 2, 2011.
The New England Law Bar Form is intended for "office-use only, informing the Registrar's Office which state bar examinations students are intending to sit for.
The information provided on the New England Law Bar Form by students is not provided to any state bar agencies.
If you have any changes after you have submitted your form, please email them only to the Registrar's Office at registrar@nesl.edu
Second Bar Certification Form - Deadline to submit the form to Professor Coulthard - December 2, 2011, for January 2012 Graduates; April 27, 2012, for May 2012 Graduates.
If you are planning to take more than one bar exam concurrently (e.g., taking the NY and NJ bar examinations during the same bar exam administration) please complete a Second Bar Certification Form and bring to Professor Coulthard for his signature.
New England Law Diploma Form - Deadline to submit the form to the Registrar's Office - December 2, 2011.
Information provided on the New England Law Diploma Form indicates how you want your name displayed on your diploma and also requests the mailing address the diploma should be mailed to if you do not plan to attend graduation. All inquiries regarding diplomas should be directed to the Dean's Office at 617-422-7221.
State Bar Form (This is the form you have downloaded from the state bar you have selected to sit for the bar examination) -
For January 2012 Graduates: Deadline to submit the form(s) to the Registrar's Office - Friday, January 13, 2012.
For May 2012 Graduates: Deadline to submit the form(s) to the Registrar's Office - Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Massachusetts Bar Examination Process
Graduates of New England Law
If you have graduated from New England Law prior to 2004 and need a Law School Certificate, send an email request to registrar@nesl.edu. The Registrar's Office will submit your Law School Certificate electronically to the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners on your behalf.
Current New England Law Students
Students who plan to sit for the Massachusetts Bar Examination may download requirements and application materials at www.mass.gov/bbe/bbeindex.htm.
Please be advised that the Massachusetts Bar requires the Registrar's Office to certify the entire senior class regardless if students are taking the bar in February (for January graduates) or July for May graduates.
Note: Please do not submit the Massachusetts Law School Certificate - Form 4. The Registrar's Office sends the Massachusetts Law School Certificate for ALL graduating students upon graduation. The certificates are sent directly to the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners after commencement.
Please note that both New York and Rhode Island require a writing sample that you can complete and mail to the Registrar's Office or you can have it notarized and mailed directly to the bar. The Registrar's Office does not have any forms.
For students planning to take the New York Bar, New York State Board of Law Examiner's rule defines misconduct to include conduct that a candidate for the bar might not otherwise recognize as misconduct and that therefore each applicant is urged to read the rules carefully.
Please click here to read: The New York State Board of Law Examiner's Board Rule 6000.9 (Fraud, Dishonesty and Other Misconduct)
For those students who plan to sit for the New Hampshire bar examination, please request a Certificate of Graduation from the Registrar's Office. Do not request an Expected Graduation Certificate per the request of the New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners as of July 2011.
If the bar requires a Certificate of Graduation, which is a letter stating your graduation date, please send an e-mail request to registrar@nesl.edu to request the certificate. Some jurisdictions require materials in addition to a certification from the law school (e.g., law school application, writing sample and/or transcripts). Carefully read the instructions to determine what materials are required. Please send an email to registrar@nesl.edu indicating which supplemental materials are required for the bar application. In some cases further information is requested after the initial application process.
Multi-State Bar Examination Information
For information about other state bar examinations visit the National Conference of Bar Examiners website at www.ncbex.org.
Bar Exam Preparation Course Information
Bar Exam Preparation Course at New England Law
New England Law offers the following course to students in their senior year only to prepare them for bar examinations: Advanced Legal Analysis (AL842). Please visit the Course Descriptions on the Registrar's website for additional information.
The Multi-state Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)
Please visit the General Bar Requirements and Information Page on the Career Services website for more information about the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination and the official MPRE website at https://actapps.act.org/mpre/.
Commencement Ceremony Information
All inquiries regarding Commencement should be directed to the Dean's Office at 617-422-7221.