In the past, only 3 out of 10 candidates passed the Bar exam. For this reason, more and more candidates are taking additional training courses to improve their chances of success. Following training with mentors who provide concrete and practical examples, 7 out of 10 trainees pass the Bar exam, Ingenio data shows.

Thousands of young people who want to enter the legal profession are going to take the entrance exam to the Bar on September 22, 2024. But only 3 out of 10 candidates manage to pass it and become trainee lawyers, according to public data interpreted by Ingenio, the most large organization of complementary training courses in the legal field. Considering the high level of difficulty and the strict admission criteria, more and more aspirants to a career in law are turning to specialized training courses to pass the Bar exam, their number increasing 3 times in the last year.

“In general, between 2,000 and 2,500 young people take the Bar entrance exam, but few of them manage to pass it. For this reason, the need for complementary training courses in the legal field has arisen, especially since the Bar exam is becoming more and more demanding from year to year, with new complex topics and difficult practical cases to solve from session to session, and with an ever-lower admission rate. In this case, Law graduates participate in increasing numbers in complementary courses to those in the faculty, the number of students being 3 times higher in the last year. We continue to estimate a considerable increase in demand for training courses for entry into the legal profession. Many candidates realize that without thorough preparation, the chances of success are greatly reduced. The bar entrance exam is extremely challenging, with candidates having only four hours to answer 100 questions from essential subjects (Civil Law, Criminal Law, Civil Procedural Law, Criminal Procedural Law, Organization and ethics of the legal profession) , subjects that they must master at least at an intermediate level and manage the stress specific to such an exam, which is given once or at most twice a year. On average, more than 7 out of 10 trainees enter the profession of lawyer”, explains Vicențiu Dine, co-founder of the Ingenio platform.

More than 1,000 Law graduates, mostly from Bucharest, participate annually in additional training courses for admission to the Bar or to the National Institute of Magistracy (INM). Most are recent Law graduates, around 30% being graduates of previous generations, aged between 25 and 45. About 10% of trainees generally have two to three attempts at admission to the Bar before taking classes, Ingenio data shows.

In the preparation courses for the Bar or the Magistrate, the students go through all the material necessary for admission according to the examination theme, solve grids and learn to be flexible and efficient. In Ingenio, training is offered for the INM and Magistrate written/editorial test, with students learning how to solve the essay test cases completely and efficiently. Also, the trainees go through a preparation process for the psychological test and for the final interview to enter the INM and the Magistrate. In these trainings, ethics cases are solved, relevant quotes and the presentation sheet are analyzed, and emotion control techniques are taught.

The courses last between 12 and 14 weeks, are organized quarterly and include up to over 160 hours of preparation for the subjects necessary to enter the profession of lawyer or magistrate.

How long does it take to become a fully licensed lawyer?

The profession of lawyer is one of the most sought-after professions in Romania, according to the number of candidates at the Law faculties – for example, this year there were over 1,636 candidates for 600 places at the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest, the largest number of applicants from the last 22 years. But in order to be able to practice as a lawyer definitively, those interested must follow a longer and more difficult path compared to other specializations: graduating from an accredited Law School, entering the Bar and obtaining the title of trainee lawyer, performing a two-year internship at a guiding lawyer and the completion of the final exam. In short, after at least 6 years of studies and practice, an aspirant to the legal profession can practice as a permanent lawyer in the desired area, work independently, represent clients in tribunals and appeals courts or work at a law firm as definitive lawyer.

New changes for admission to the Bar in 2024

The bar entrance exam takes place twice a year, usually in April and September. The exam is a grid type with 100 questions from 5 essential subjects – Civil law, Criminal law, Civil procedural law, Criminal procedural law, Organization and ethics of the lawyer profession. The registration fee for the Bar admission exam is 2,000 lei.

“The September 2024 session involves a very complex and extremely difficult exam. It could be among the most difficult yet and definitely requires extra and thorough preparation. To be admitted, candidates will need to obtain at least 5 points in each discipline and a total score of at least 70 points. Advocacy is one of the most coveted and demanding professions in Romania, in which more and more young people want to enter. In most cases, candidates who fail to enter the Bar after the first attempt become demoralized and discouraged from trying again. That’s why more and more recent law graduates prefer to prepare additionally for admission to the Bar or to the Magistrate before the first examination, and the admission rate is over 70%”, explains Vicențiu Dine, co-founder of the Ingenio platform.

Ingenio offers complementary training programs, focused on the teaching of the subject necessary to pass the license exams and admission to the profession – Bar, INM, Magistrate, Notary, Executors, SNG Clerks. Through a rigorous and practical training, based on concrete examples, the learning process is centered on the most controversial aspects, which are frequently given in professional entrance exams. Ingenio is the largest preparation community for entrance exams in legal professions. More than 500 former Ingenio trainees are current lawyers, judges, prosecutors, notaries and bailiffs.