Law School Reports Strong First-time Pass Rate for PA Bar

School of Law graduates achieved an 82.4 percent pass rate for first-time takers of the July 2013 Pennsylvania Bar Examination, according to the state’s Board of Law Examiners, which released its results on Oct. 18. Duquesne’s overall pass rate also exceeded Pennsylvania’s overall pass rate.

“I am pleased that our graduates continue to attain excellence on the bar exam in Pennsylvania and other states,” said Law Dean Ken Gormley. “Duquesne law school has long prided itself on producing first-rate practicing attorneys. We congratulate our recent graduates who will join the ranks of legal professionals in Pennsylvania and other jurisdictions, where they will now be in a position to use their law degrees in the service of others.”

A total of 164 law graduates were among those who passed the challenging two-day examination on the first attempt. The first-time pass rate of 82.4 percent represents a performance that places Duquesne ahead of law schools at Drexel, the University of Pittsburgh and Widener-Delaware in the region.

Approximately 90 percent of Duquesne’s graduating law class sat for Pennsylvania’s bar exam, with other University graduates sitting for bar examinations in other or multiple jurisdictions.