News Summary
The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law has attained the highest passage rate among Ohio law schools for the July bar exam, with a remarkable 90%. This puts Ohio State at the forefront of legal education in the state. Of the 967 candidates who took the exam, the overall passage rate was 72%, with a first-time passage rate of 80%. Despite a slight decline from the previous year, Ohio State’s performance remains exceptional.
Columbus, Ohio
The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law has led the way among Ohio law schools with the highest passage rate for the July 2025 bar exam, achieving a remarkable overall rate of 90%. This positions Ohio State as a standout institution in legal education within the state.
Out of a total of 967 candidates who undertook the July 2025 bar exam in Ohio, 693 successfully passed, resulting in an overall passage rate of 72%, as disclosed by the Ohio Supreme Court. Notably, for first-time test takers, there were 815 candidates, and the first-time passage rate was 80% for this group.
While these rates are strong, they represent a slight decline compared to the previous year. In July 2024, 1,075 test takers participated, with an overall passage rate of 75% and a first-time taker passage rate of 83%.
Details of Bar Exam Performance
The breakdown of the performance by the law schools reflects significant differences in success rates. Ohio State University not only achieved the highest overall passage rate but also the top first-time passage rate at 94%. The University of Cincinnati followed with an overall passage rate of 80% and a first-time rate of 83%.
Other notable law schools included Case Western Reserve University with a total passage rate of 76% and a first-time passage rate of 82%, as well as the University of Dayton, which also posted a total passage rate of 76% with 83% for first-time takers. The University of Toledo’s total passage rate was 75%, accompanied by a satisfactory first-time rate of 86%.
Passage Rates by Law School for July 2025 Bar Exam
- Ohio State University/Moritz College of Law: Total passage rate: 90%, First-time passage rate: 94%
- University of Cincinnati: Total passage rate: 80%, First-time passage rate: 83%
- Case Western Reserve University: Total passage rate: 76%, First-time passage rate: 82%
- University of Dayton: Total passage rate: 76%, First-time passage rate: 83%
- University of Toledo: Total passage rate: 75%, First-time passage rate: 86%
- Cleveland State University: Total passage rate: 66%, First-time passage rate: 81%
- University of Akron: Total passage rate: 64%, First-time passage rate: 68%
- Capital University: Total passage rate: 63%, First-time passage rate: 74%
- Ohio Northern University: Total passage rate: 36%, First-time passage rate: 47%
Context on Bar Exam Series
Bar exams take place biannually, typically in July and February. The July exam tends to attract a larger number of participants due to the timing of spring law school graduations. This was evidenced in February 2025, when only 147 candidates sat for the exam, leading to a first-time passage rate of 65% and an overall rate of 43%. February exams generally see lower passage rates, influenced by a larger proportion of repeat test takers.
Overall, while the passage rates for July 2025 may be slightly lower than the previous year, institutions like the Ohio State University have demonstrated a strong commitment to legal education, producing a significant number of successful candidates within the Ohio bar exam landscape.
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Additional Resources
- Crain’s Cleveland: Ohio Law Schools July 2025 Bar Exam Results
- Reuters: Ohio Review of ABA Accreditation
- Times Reporter: Ohio’s Attorney Shortage
- ABA Journal: New York to Adopt NextGen Bar Exam
- Law.com: Ohio Supreme Court Evaluating Law School Accreditation
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