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Library of Virginia
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Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. Records, 1910-1970. Accession 30885. State records collection, The Library of Virginia, Archives Branch, Richmond, Virginia.
Transferred on 18 August 1980 from the State Board of Bar Examiners, Richmond, Va. 23220 [Acc. 30885].
The Virginia Board of Bar Examiners was established by an act of the General Assembly approved March 14, 1910. Prior to this time, lawyers were admitted to the bar by the judges of the courts in which they intended to practice. The act of 1910 provided for the appointment by the Governor of a Board of Examiners to license lawyers. The Board served under the auspices of the Supreme Court of Appeals. The Board became a separate department in March 1972, when it was placed under the Supreme Court of Virginia. The five member board is appointed by the Chief Justice for a five year term; the Board elects one of its members to serve as its president. The Board is responsible for determining the qualifications of applicants who wish to take the bar examination. The applicants may be graduates of law schools, or they may have "read for the bar." The Board is directly involved in preparing, conducting, and grading the examinations to satisfy the requirements. The bar examination is given twice each calendar year. The Board of Bar Examiners also has the power to revoke, for good cause, a license issued.
Records, 1910-1970, including applications and subject files of the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. The collection is arranged into two series: Series I: Correspondence and subject files; and Series II: Applications. Included are applications, correspondence, financial records, minutes, reports, and subject files, documenting the work of the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners.
This collection is arranged into two series:
Series I: Correspondence and subject files, 1910-1970 Series II: Applications, 1913-1950Series I: Correspondence and subject files, 1910-1970, are arranged alphabetically by folder title into twenty-three boxes. Included are articles, correspondence, financial records, lists, meeting minutes, reports, and transcripts. Topics include the activities of the Board; inquiries from individuals about their applications; requests from the American Bar Association or other state bar associations; lists of approved law schools; letters informing the board that an applicant planned to take the law examination or asking for a refund of the fee; copies of rules of other state bar associations; questions regarding rules and regulations; correspondence from University of Richmond and University of Virginia enclosing lists of law students; and other various related subjects.
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Series II: Applications, 1913-1950, are arranged chronologically by year and then alphabetically by last name and housed in forty-eight boxes. Included are applications to the Virginia Board of Law Examiners for a license to practice law. Often the application included additional records such as certificates, copies of college or university records, correspondence, court records, and applications for re-examination. The earlier applications often consist simply of correspondence, recommendations, and county court certificates declaring their intention to take the bar. It wasn't until 1935 that we see formal applications and from 1936 to 1950 the applicants also included photographs with their applications.
Following the retention schedule only records up to 1951 were archived.
Arranged chronologically.