The Bar

Numerous definitions come to mind when I think of what "the bar" might mean:

• a counter across which alcoholic drinks or refreshments are served OR an establishment where alcohol and sometimes other refreshments are served 
• a long rod or rigid piece of wood, metal, or similar material, typically used as an obstruction, fastening, or weapon "an iron bar"
• an amount of food or another substance formed into a regular narrow block "a bar of chocolate" or "a bar of soap"
• a sandbank  at the mouth of a harbor, bay, or estuary "the bar across the river mouth"
• a measure of music or the time of a piece of music
• a unit of pressure equivalent to 100,000 newtons per square meter
• a partition in a courtroom or legislative assembly, beyond which most people may not pass and, in court, at which an accused person stands 
  "the prisoner at the bar"
• a professional organization of lawyers "the Utah Bar Association"
• the process of qualifying to practice law "passing the bar"

This blog post happens to be referring to the last of these definitions, "qualifying to practice law." As a student, I have to fulfill three basic qualifications to practice law in Utah: 1. Graduate from an ABA accredited law school, 2. apply for the bar, 3. pass the bar examination.

While #1 and #3 may seem to be the most daunting and time-consuming, I can assure you that #2 brings quite strong competition. The application for the Utah Bar has consumed the last week and a half of my life. With 33 detailed steps to complete online, the Bar requires information such as all permanent and temporary places I've lived for the past 10 years, all permanent and temporary jobs I've had in the past 10 years, my driving record for the past 3 years, details on my credit history, and more. I had to get 6 character reference letters from people who are not family members or fellow law students (which eliminates about 95% of the people I know). I also had to get five different documents notarized, including an FBI background check that required fingerprinting.

I think that since lawyers get such a bad rap for being dishonest, the Bar requires information on everything they can think of to try an weed out the bad ones up front. I know they've definitely raised the bar in the amount of disclosure required. Bar none, this has been the most intense application I have ever completed. The good news is, I finished it today! One more thing to check off my list...

Rhetorically,
Rebekah