HEAD OF THE CLASS: Charleston School of Law celebrates benchmark

The Charleston School of Law scored historic results in the latest South Carolina Bar exam. 

The Office of Bar Admissions of the Supreme Court of South Carolina released its July 2022 bar exam results, and Charleston School of Law recorded a 77% first-time bar pass rate for South Carolina. This is Charleston Law’s highest first-time rate since 2013 and the school’s best since South Carolina first administered the Uniform Bar Exam in February 2017, a Charleston School of Law news release stated. 

“I am incredibly proud of the hard work that all of our graduates put into preparing for this difficult exam,“ said Larry Cunningham, Provost and Dean of Charleston School of Law, in the release. “These latest results are an incredible accomplishment for our graduates and our young school.” 

Cunningham stated that bar passage is a school-wide commitment. 

“Student success is our number one priority. It is part of our DNA. We are all relentlessly focused on the bar exam and other student outcomes.” 

The Law School’s Office of Academic and Bar Success provides supplemental support and programming throughout law school and the Summer bar preparation period, and the cost of a bar review course is included in students’ tuition and fees. For graduates who are not successful on the first attempt, the Law School provides additional assistance and support. 

“There are a lot of great lawyers and judges who were not necessarily great test takers and needed an additional chance to pass this difficult standardized exam,” Cunningham added. “We are here to help every graduate pass the bar.” 

Dean Cunningham also described how faculty go the extra mile to help students during the Summer. 

“Professors email and text students with answers to their questions, sometimes late into the night,” he said. “Faculty also put on supplemental lectures. Students appreciate seeing familiar and friendly faces throughout the Summer.” 

According to the bar results, of the 117 Charleston School of Law graduates who sat for the exam (including both repeat and first-time takers), 64.1% passed. 67 of the 87 first-time takers passed. 

Since 2017, the Law School has embarked on a strategic plan to enhance its student outcomes. The academic credentials of incoming students have risen for five years in a row. 

The Office of Bar Admission of the Supreme Court of South Carolina were officially released Oct. 21. You can view the full list at bit.ly/3WT92kd.