More than 950 prospective attorneys sit for the July bar exam in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.

More than 950 prospective attorneys sit for the July bar exam in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.

After 12 hours of test-taking spread across two days, more than 960 of Ohio’s prospective attorneys have now completed the July 2025 bar exam. 

This was the first year the exam was held in three major cities — Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati — making it more accessible to bar applicants from different regions.

By the Numbers
A total of 967 applicants sat for the bar exam this summer at four testing sites in three cities. Of those examinees, 815 were taking the test for the first time.

Changing for the Better
The new format was welcomed by Kate Brewer, a bar applicant who went to law school at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

“We were all really happy, and even the professors were saying we were lucky,” said Brewer.

Test-takers like Brewer, who lives near a testing site, didn’t have to worry about travel and hotel arrangements in addition to the normal stress of the exam. Having some familiarity with the testing location also eased her nerves.

“I’ve spent a ton of time in these rooms,” she said. “I knew what to expect.”

Now that the exam is behind her, Brewer said she looks forward to her new job in Columbus at a law firm specializing in commercial litigation.

A Test of Patience
The last step for test-takers is to sit back and await the bar exam results, which will be released on Oct. 24 at 8 a.m. on the Supreme Court of Ohio website.

Successful applicants who meet all other requirements for admission to the legal profession will be celebrated on Nov. 17 when they are officially sworn in as attorneys.

The Bar Admissions Ceremony will take place at the Palace Theatre in Columbus in two sessions, at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., depending on their law school, with receptions to follow at the Supreme Court of Ohio.