You'd think that passing the bar exam would be the best thing that could happen, wouldn't you? Well...
While I wait for the official mailing from New York, I have before me the official letter from the State of New Jersey. It's an amazing document, because it says that all I have to do is take the oath (or affirmation) before someone authorized to give it in this jurisdiction (California's ok) and just like that, I'm a lawyer.
Kind of. On retrospect I'm not sure that being admitted to New Jersey will be anything other than a huge, expensive pain in the ass.
For one thing, there are fees. "Bad lawyer" fund assessments. Maybe even new taxes. And these I'll have to pay, even with no current income and no intent to practice in the jurisdiction for some time.
Then there are CLE requirements. Not general CLE requirements, but specific course requirements that seem to be offered by just one racket outfit. Requirements that it appears I need to physically be in New Jersey to fulfill.
Meanwhile I'm now poring over the rules to try to figure out how and to what extent I can delay all this without jeopardizing my ability to eventually practice there. See if you can figure it out; so far nothing's jumping out at me.
While it's amazing to be so close to becoming an official lawyer, it's also terrifying. Like I've just gotten myself in way over my head. Never mind protecting clients' interests; I'm not even sure I can protect my own.
Apparently, however, I have 90 85 days to fix that before something of indeterminate nature, but probably bad, happens to my ability to do this at all.