JUNE 2019 BAR EXAM

The distinctive feature of practice at the bar is advocacy before the courts and other tribunals. Accordingly, the Bar Council sets an examination of a practical orientation in subjects related specifically to advocacy; legal ethics for barristers, aspects of evidence, civil practice and procedure and criminal practice and procedure.

As of 2016, these subjects will be examined in one integrated NSW Bar Examination. It is necessary to pass this examination before commencing the Bar Practice Course.

• The pass mark is 75 per cent. 
• The Bar Practice Course must be undertaken within 15 months of passing the examination. 
• The NSW Bar Exam is offered twice a year. 
• Candidates are required to register for the examination. A fee of $795.00 is payable on completion of an application for registration. This registration fee is non-refundable and not transferable. 
• Applicants are advised not to give notice of termination to employers until examination results and an offer of a place confirms entry to the full-time course. 
• Applications made under the Illness/Misadventure or Disability Provisions should be made as soon as the circumstances arise and in any event within 48 hours of sitting the exam. 
• Admission to the Supreme Court is not a pre-requisite for sitting the bar examination. Admission is a pre-requisite for commencing practice. Candidates sitting as either Overseas or Interstate 'distance candidates' will be required to sit their examination prior to the Sydney candidates. Sitting dates can be found below and also on our website.  
• Candidates are required to bring photo ID on exam day. This photo ID must be placed on the exam desk and will be checked by the exam invigilators. 
• NO mobile phones or smart-watches are permitted into the exam room unless they are switched off and stored in the candidate's bag. A countdown clock will be projected at the front of the examination room, however, candidates are invited to bring in their own digital or analogue clocks to assist them with time management if required. 
• If a mobile phone is found switched on and is in a candidate's possession during the exam it will be deemed as a breach of exam policy. This may result in the matter being referred to the Executive Director of the New South Wales Bar Association.

View the Bar Council's resolutions with respect to the Bar Association Examinations Policy and other Professional Development related policies.

For further information on exemptions please click here.

If you would like to circulate your details to other examination candidates please complete this form and return it to the Bar Association by Monday, 15 April 2019. All forms that are returned will be forwarded to each of the candidates that returned their form. It will then be up to the individual candidates to contact other candidates to form their own study groups.

PREPARING FOR BAR EXAMS

Upon registering for the Bar exam, candidates are provided with examination material, including reading lists. Examination tutorials are also offered by the Bar Association in the weeks prior to the examination. The Bar Association does not endorse courses provided by bodies other than the Bar Association.

The June 2019 Bar Exam Tutorials are scheduled for:

Tutorial	Date	Time
Evidence Lecture	Monday, 3 June 2019	5:00pm – 6:30pm
Distance Overseas Skype Tutorial	Monday, 3 June 2019	5:00pm – 6:30pm
Practice & Procedure Lecture	Tuesday, 4 June 2019	5:00pm – 6:30pm
Ethics Fundamentals	Wednesday, 5 June 2019	5:00pm – 6:30pm
Exam Tutorial	Thursday, 6 June 2019	5:00pm – 6:30pm
Distance Interstate Skype Tutorial	Thursday, 6 June 2019	5:00pm – 6:30pm

DISTANCE CANDIDATES

Candidates who live more than 100km from Sydney are eligible to sit the NSW Bar Exam as a distance candidate. 

Distance Candidates Requirements

Distance candidates must arrange for a suitable venue and supervisor for their exam. It is understood that candidates will cover costs (if any) charged by the supervisor for the examination. 

Candidates are required to provide us with their supervisor details as soon as possible and no later than 5:00pm on 24 May 2019.   Failure to do will result in the candidate no longer being eligible to sit as a distance candidate. 

Distance candidates are also required to provide the Bar Association with a copy of their photo ID for identification purposes.  Examples of these can be a drivers licence, passport or another form of photo identification. 

⁠Supervisor Requirements

⁠Candidates often enlist the help of a university lecturer, fellow academic or solicitor to act as their supervisor.  The supervisor must not be a family member or close associate to the candidate and cannot be a solicitor that has intentions of sitting the Bar exam in the next 5 years. 

The Bar Association does not mind where the candidate sits the exam, the only requirement is that the supervisor is able to either provide a room or attend a venue where the candidate can sit in exam like conditions, uninterrupted and within easy access for the supervisor. 

*Please note that supervisor's postal address CANNOT be a home address - exam materials will only be posted out to business addresses.* 

Supervisors are required to provide confirmation to the NSW Bar Association of their intention to supervise and invigilate the candidate's Bar exam. This confirmation needs to be received as soon as possible and no later than 5:00pm on 24 May 2019. Failure to do will result in the candidate no longer being eligible to sit as a distance candidate. Supervisors are required to provide the NSW Bar Association with a signed undertaking and either proof of identity (being either driver's licence, passport or another form of photo identification)  or confirmation of position held on headed paper.  The absolute deadline of receipt of this documentation is no later than 5:00pm on 24 May 2019. We note it is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that this information is provided to the NSW Bar Association in a timely manner. 

Tutorial and Lectures

Distance candidates will have access to recordings of all 3 lectures taking place in the NSW Bar Association Common Room. 

*Please note that these recordings will only be available for a limited time.*

The tutorials are offered on the below dates and will be conducted over Skype.  Please send your Skype details to Courtney Ford at exams@nswbar.asn.au by no later than 5:00pm on 24 May 2019.

Tutorial	Date	Time
Distance Overseas Skype Tutorial	Monday, 3 June 2019	5:00pm – 6:30pm (AEST)
Distance Interstate Skype Tutorial	Thursday, 6 June 2019	5:00pm - 6:30pm (AEST)

RESULTS

The June 2019 exam results will be available on Thursday, 25 July 2019.