Girl graduates with dual degrees, passes rigorous US bar exam

(Dan Tri) - Pham Minh Chuyen (born 1998) passed the bar exam in California in early November last year. This is considered the bar exam with the lowest passing rate in the United States.

Graduated with two bachelor's degrees with honors

Minh Chuyen is an alumnus of the 41st class (2016-2021) of Ho Chi Minh City University of Law (ULAW). She graduated with two honors degrees, including a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Sharing about his dream of studying law, Minh Chuyen said: "Since I started high school, I have been fascinated by American law shows like How to Get Away with Murder, Suits, Better Call Saul... These movies made me dream about becoming a cool and sharp lawyer like in the movies.

Then I started thinking more seriously and realized that I really love reading and writing. My mother was the one who guided and inspired me to pursue law and was also the most influential mentor in my career journey.

The interesting thing is that both my father and mother are alumni of Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, and being able to study at this school is one of my greatest lucks."

Pham Minh Chuyen (second from right) graduated with two bachelor's degrees with honors (Photo: NVCC).

During her time studying at ULAW, Minh Chuyen had many outstanding achievements in studying and researching: she won second prize in scientific research at the Faculty of International Law. Upon graduation, she was the student with the highest score in the English law course (9.8/10).

After graduating, Minh Chuyen had the opportunity to work at a Big 4 law firm. At the same time, she had the opportunity to work in the legal department of a technology company headquartered in Hong Kong.

After more than two years of working, Minh Chuyen decided to go to Los Angeles (USA) to study for a Master of Laws program specializing in Business and International Economic Law at the University of Southern California. Not only did she receive her diploma in May 2024, she also excelled in the top 25% of students awarded the certificate of highest score in the subject of Legal Writing Skills (High Pass Certificate). Along with that, she graduated with a Master's degree in the top 10% of the entire course.

Journey to Pass the Bar Exam in the US

At the end of July 2024, she took the California Bar Examination. Minh Chuyen will never forget the moment when the Board of Examiners announced the results, in early November last year.

"I called home, my grandmother was the first person to know the news and when I saw her crying with pride, I felt really happy. I am very grateful to my family, friends and teachers, who have always been there to support and encourage me," Chuyen shared.

Pham Minh Chuyen on his Master of Laws graduation day at the University of Southern California (Photo: NVCC).

Passing the bar exam is a prerequisite to practicing law in the United States. Each state has different regulations regarding this exam. California holds it twice a year in February and July, as an entrance exam to practice law in the state, similar to the law apprenticeship exam in Vietnam.

In the US, the process of becoming a lawyer typically begins with completing a bachelor's degree, then taking the LSAT to enter law school, where you will study for three more years.

After graduating from law school, those with a Juris Doctor degree will take the Bar Examination in the state where they want to practice.

The California Bar exam is a two-day exam, and no materials are allowed. The first day requires candidates to complete six essays in 6.5 hours, and the second day requires 200 multiple-choice questions in 6 hours. The morning session runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Candidates have about an hour for lunch before the afternoon session. The second day follows a similar schedule.

The California Bar exam consists of three main parts: essays, a Performance Test (PT), and a multiple-choice test (MBE - Multistate Bar Examination).

"California has always been among the states with the lowest passing rates in the US, so I was very happy and surprised when I passed on my first try," Minh Chuyen confided.

It is known that to take part in the exam, this 9X girl spent at least 13 hours studying every day for 10 consecutive weeks, practicing nearly 2,000 multiple choice questions for the exam. The biggest difficulty for her was having to understand and grasp the amount of knowledge of fourteen law subjects in just 10 weeks.

"The essays section was a big challenge because I had to remember and apply black letter law without using any documents, and complete 6 essays under time pressure," Minh Chuyen said.

Minh Chuyen hopes to become a lawyer with strong expertise and always dedicated to protecting the legitimate interests of clients (Photo: NVCC)

2025 is the second time Minh Chuyen celebrates Tet away from Vietnam. "I miss the Tet atmosphere and crave Vietnamese food. Here, Tet is not an official holiday, so I still go to work as usual. I hope next year I can arrange time to return to Vietnam to celebrate Tet," she confided.

Having to celebrate Tet away from home, she was lucky to have good friends while studying and working here. They came from many countries such as Canada, Singapore, China, etc. Most of them were very friendly and helped her a lot when she was away from home.

People often organize meals, hikes, or travel together, which helps her feel less homesick. In addition, Chuyen is also very lucky to have teachers and supervisors who are very dedicated and willing to guide her when she needs help.

Currently, Pham Minh Chuyen is working at one of the oldest litigation law firms in the state of California.

"This is also the first time I have had the opportunity to work in the litigation field, so I will try my best to learn and improve the necessary skills.

"I hope in the future I will become a lawyer with solid expertise and always dedicated to protecting the legitimate interests of clients," Minh Chuyen shared.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/co-gai-tot-nghiep-song-bang-do-ky-thi-luat-khac-nghiet-cua-nuoc-my-20250124090006764.htm