The number of graduates from The University of Toledo College of Law who passed the July bar exam in Ohio on the first try is well above the state average.

The newly released data shows the first-time passage rate for UT law graduates taking the bar exam is 84 percent, up from 74 percent last year in July. The state average in Ohio this year is 79 percent.

“We have done a lot in the past three years to revamp our bar program, and it is gratifying to see positive results,” D. Benjamin Barros, dean of the UT College of Law, said. “We hope to continue this positive trend into the future as we see the impact of improved credentials of first-year students entering UT Law and further improvements to our bar program.”

The UT College of Law is committed to preparing students for a successful career with programming and partnerships dedicated to bar passage.

In the last few years, Toledo Law aligned its curriculum to bar-tested subjects, developed a new first-year support program, expanded its third-year bar prep course, and implemented a legal analysis course and academic success contracts.

The UT College of Law also created the position of director of academic success and bar preparation. This position held by Lesa Byrnes oversees the Bar Passage program that is designed to prepare both third-year students and graduates for the bar exam. Through post-graduation mentoring, every Toledo Law graduate is paired with a faculty mentor to provide support during bar exam study.

Most recently, Toledo Law partnered with BARBRI, a company headquartered in Texas, to offer student access to its comprehensive bar review course with flexible classroom, online and mobile learning environments.