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Should I Ask My Boss To Pay For Bar Review?

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Should I Ask My Boss To Pay For Bar Review?

Should I Ask My Boss To Pay For Bar Review?: While law school itself can be incredibly expensive, unfortunately, it does not end there.  Bar review courses can cost in excess of thousands of dollars.  Now while that doesn’t sound appealing, it is a necessary evil, and something you need to commit to.  You didn’t just work your way through three years of law school to put your career as a lawyer in jeopardy by not preparing properly for the bar.  A bar review course is well worth it, especially for first-time takers.  The bar exam is not something you want to tackle on your own.

Should I Ask My Boss To Pay For Bar Review?

One possible solution to the expense of bar review comes in the form of your future employer.  Many law firms have policies where they are willing to pay for the bar prep courses of their prospective employees.  If you have a post-graduation job lined up, you might want to ask your boss to pay for bar review. This is not an option for everyone, however, and there are some cases in which it might not be worth it to broach the topic. In this job market, employment is fragile, and not every firm may be receptive to the idea.  So in deciding whether to ask your boss to pay for bar review, here are a few things to consider:

1. The size of your firm.

It seems to be a relative consensus that large firms will be much more willing to pay for bar review courses than small firms.  In fact, most large firms probably have a policy already in place for such an occasion. They have far more extra resources to be able to compensate their future employees.  Small firms are less likely to be able to spare the expense to pay someone who is not currently doing work for them. It still might be worth the inquiry as to whether they have an existing policy, but be respectful in how you phrase the question.

2. Your level of commitment to the firm.

This is very important to think about when considering whether to ask your boss to pay for bar review.  If a firm decides to pay, they are investing a lot in you and relying on your dedication to them.  You must be willing to strongly commit to them in return.  A firm is not likely to want to pay for a bar review course for someone who is not going to be with them long term.  If you don’t have the intent to be dedicated to this employment, then you should not ask your boss to pay for your bar review.

3. Be willing to negotiate.

Some firms may not want to pay for an entire bar review course, depending on the one you choose and how expensive it is.  They might offer an alternative, however, such as a weekly stipend to study for the exam.  If you want to ask your boss to pay for bar review, go into it with an open mind and think about what other options there are.  In the end, any money that you can save out of the situation will be a great help, so don’t dismiss other offers.  Be willing to work with your firm to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

In the end, only you can decide whether to ask your boss to pay for bar review.  Many law firms are very willing to help you out during this very stressful time – they want you to succeed! If you are looking for tips on how to ask your law firm to pay for bar prep, check out this post!

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