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Pepperdine Shows Strong on California Bar Exam

Pepperdine's results for the July 2008 California Bar Exam have been released, and the school has had another strong showing. The overall passage rate for all takers was 61.7 percent and the pass rate for ABA-accredited schools in California (first-time takers) was 83 percent. Pepperdine's passage rate was significantly higher at 89 percent.

In addition, Pepperdine achieved a perfect record with out-of-state first-time takers with 100 percent passing. Thirty-one Pepperdine students passed bar exams in 17 states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

By mid-January, the passage rates of all law schools will be released.

Pepperdine hosted a California Bar Admissions Ceremony and Reception on December 4 at the School of Law. Graduates who passed the bar exam were sworn into state and federal courts by judges Beverly Reid O'Connell and Andrew Guilford, in front of faculty, staff, families, and friends.

When addressing the graduates, Judge O'Connell talked about the special place that society puts on lawyers and encouraged graduates to give back to their communities in their work. Judge Guilford discussed the "dignity and importance of lawyers," before swearing students into the federal court.

Click here for more photos of the ceremony. (password peponline)