February bar exam pass rate up 3% over 2010

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By SYLVIA ADCOCK, Staff Writer

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The ranks of North Carolina’s attorneys swelled by 254 this month as the results of the mid-year bar exam given in February were announced.

A total of 426 would-be N.C. lawyers took the test, with 59.6 percent passing, an increase over last year’s passing rate of 56.3 percent on the mid-year exam.

As is often the case, the first-timers did better, with repeat takers having a lesser chance of succeeding. Of those taking the test for the first time, 154 out of the 213 passed, for a passing rate of 72.3 percent. For the repeat test-takers, 100 out of 213 made the grade, for a rate of 46.9 percent.

Results from the exam given in July are typically higher, in part because more applicants are taking the test for the first time. July results tend to be in the 70-75 percent range, while the results from exam given in February are closer to 55 percent.

Fred Parker, executive director of the Board of Law Examiners, said the board held the examination in one room this year instead of splitting up those who were taking it manually and those who were using a laptop computer. Originally the computers and their users were put in a separate room because of concerns that noise from the computers would distract the other test-takers.

“That was back when computers were noisy,” Parker said. Today, the noise from a laptop isn’t a problem. And, he said, applicants are given earplugs anyway.

Looking at the school-by-school results, Duke was No. 1 overall, with 85.7 percent of its students passing. But those numbers may be skewed slightly by the fact that most of Duke’s bar applicants were first-timers.

Similarly, Elon University had a passing rate of only 35.7 percent, but all the Elon students taking the test were repeaters, who typically have lower success rates.

N.C. Bar Exam Results February 2011

This list includes those successful applicants to the February 2011 North Carolina Bar Examination who have met all requirements for licensure. There are a number of people who passed the bar exam but have not yet taken or passed the MPRE. These people are not on this list.

Kurt Samuel Abourched, Raleigh • Victor Howell Adelman, Charlotte • Christine Elizabeth Agnone, Jacksonville • Kelli Yvonne Allen, Charlotte • Amanda Walker Anders, Huntersville • Kristy Shafic Andraos, Kernersville • William Dick Anthony, Mooresville • Stephen Monyel Anthony, Cherryville • Tiffany Arrott, Chicago • Trevor James Avery, Hubert

-B-

Steven Christopher Back, Rutherfordton • Terence Odell Barber, Durham • Daria Anne Barrett, Reidsville • John Mark Bauserman, Chapel Hill • Amy Christine Benson, Winston-Salem • Ruth Ann Simpson Bhakta,Edwardsville, Kan. • Katherine Lee Billingham, Waxhaw • Leigha Giles Blackwell, Charlotte • Jeannie Leigh Blake, Troy • Natalie Alisha Blakeney, Fort Mill, S.C. • Oscar Mack Blanks III, Durham • King Blue III, Raeford • Dan Elmore Boggs, Polkville • Kirsten Marketa Bowden, Washington, D.C. • Elisa Beth Bowman, Coats • Kathryn Webb Bradley, Durham • Paris Sherrill Branch-Ramadan, Henderson • Andrew Steven Brendle, Raleigh • Kathleen Kenney Brennan, Charlotte • Alexandra Wade Bresee, Charlotte • Shea Richard Browning, Maggie Valley • Adrain Lambert Bryant, Raleigh • Andrew Richard Bunk, Montgomery Village, Md. • Meghann Kay Burke, Asheville • Eric Whitney Butler, Chapel Hill • Asya Sunshine Bynum, Charlotte • Alana Jonté Byrd, Durham

-C-

Christina Diane Call, Asheville • Gale Ellen Carroll, Benson • Lesley Marie Cedrone, Charlotte • Brian Fred Chapman, Statesville • Michael Kumar Chaudhuri, Lumberton • Satish Chandra Chintapalli,Holly Springs • Brian Michael Christy, Asheville • Daniel Chun, New York • Jennifer Lynne Cianciolo, Charlotte • Mary Beth Collins, Baltimore • Katherine Elizabeth Costello, Charlotte • John Paul Hughes Cournoyer, Winston-Salem • Mary Snowden Crawley, Raleigh • Michael Paul Crowe, Winston Salem • Gillian Shannon Crowl, Dayton, Ohio • Robert Wilbert Cuffney, Charlotte • Regina Alexandra Curran, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

-D-E-F-

Kamaria Yaminah Davis, Durham • Jessica Nicole Delancy, Cary • Kathleen Louise Delaney, Asheville • Jennifer Marie Donohue,  Concord • Jerry Anderson Dowless, Riegelwood • Cavan Kelley Doyle, Chicago • Jessie Leigh Dumond, Lynchburg, Va. • Marco Enrique Duque, Charlotte • David Mark Duquette, Charleston, S.C. • Joycelyn Jeanette Eason, Charlotte • Alexander John Eiffe, Lewisville • Benjamin Robert Eisner, Raleigh • Paul Robert Esformes, San Francisco • Reed Anthony Evans, Hilton Head Island, S.C. • Terence Jason Everitt, Wake Forest • Ian David Fiske, Rockville, Md. • Michael Christopher Fitzpatrick, Greenville • Carol Jon Foxx, Sanford • Anabel Franceschini Rosa, Durham • Gonzalo Emilio Frias, Charlotte

-G, H, J-

Philip Keith Gamble, Charlotte • Kristen Marie Goetz, Charlotte • Marc Steven Goldberger, Raleigh • Meredith Edwards Green, Huntersville • Sarah Rochelle Greene, Washington, D.C. • Laura Beth Greene, Charlotte • Brent Wilkes Groce, Oak Island • Elizabeth Auld Grymes, Charlotte • Kimyada Chantae Guevara, Belmont • Judith Sophie Haensel, Charlotte • Holly Elizabeth-Ross Hammer, Raleigh • John Robert Harvey, Hickory • Hector Himel Henry III, Concord • Joy Elizabeth Hewitt, Greenville • Clinton Carnell Hicks II, Matthews • William Lane Holby, Charlotte • Rachel Lynne Hughes, Kings Mountain • Jeffrey Franklin Hutchins, Kernersville • Troy James Huth, Charlotte • Samuel Luis Janniere, Charlotte • Ana-Cristina  Jimenez, Rocky Point • Carnice Michell Johnson, Hampstead • Melvin  Johnson III, Hampstead • Brian Raymond Jones, Raleigh • Rachel Marie Jordan, Raleigh

-K, L-

Gregory Michael Katzman, Castle Hayne • Theodoros  Kazakos, Lewisville • Cassie Marie Keen, Jamestown • Lesley Templeton Keith, Charlotte • Sean Deke Kennally, Pinehurst • Nam Woo  Kim, Chevy Chase, Md. • Emily Fulghum Kirby, San Francisco • Alain Ludovic Lamarque, Raleigh • Robert William Lamb, Chapel Hill • Jessica Lin Lewis, Durham • Kristen Marie Lewis, Fort Mill, S.C. • Kattie Kingsley Liska, Belmont • Jonathan Rhodes Lowe, Charlotte

-M-

Miriam Hamilton Markfield, Chapel Hill • Jeffrey Paul Martin, Charlotte • Matthew Vincent Matinata, Belmont • Whitney Graybeale Maxwell, Charlotte • Blanche Kathleen McBride, Columbia, S.C.  • Stephen Robert McDonald, New Freedom, Pa. • Katherine M. McGrail, Bunnlevel • Michael Lyons McMullan Jr., Cary • Rebecca Taylor McNerney, Charlotte • Rebecca Jean Merrill,Boston • Jodie Kikly Miller, Clayton • Ny’Keia Faye Miller, Statesville • Rachael Elizabeth Miller, Charlotte • John Robert Mills, Durham • Emily Kathleen Monnig, Greensboro • Nina  Moulas, Charlotte • Christina LaVon Murray, Raleigh

-N, O, P, R-

Daniel McPherson Nunn, Raleigh • Ashley Laurel Olsson, Chapel Hill • Ina Nichola Otto, Oak Ridge • Alexandra Nicole Panosh, Charlotte • Megan Lynette Pinkney, Columbia, Md. • Raul Alfredo Pinto,Chapel Hill • Carla Shields Pool, Richmond, Va. • Carrie L. Quick, Indian Trail • Tonya Reneé Randolph, Clemmons • Iva Uroic Ravindran, Wilmington • David Anthony Rea, Charlotte • George William Redman III, Surfside Beach, S.C. • Teresa  Reed, Knightdale • Lynne Louise Reid, Chapel Hill • Bettina Kay Roberts, Greenville • Brian  Roberts, Belmont • Ayana D. Robinson, Fayetteville • Judith Ann Roesler, Cary • Stephen Jerome Romeo, Cornelius • Sarah Beth Rose, Charlotte • Daniel Allan Rube, Chapel Hill

-S-

James Skyler Sager, Durham • Crystal Dawn Satterwhite, Oxford • Kristina Anne Scally, New London • Grant Stephen Scheuring, Morrisville • Nancy Faye Schleifer, Banner Elk • Blaine William Schmidt,Charlotte • Jason Paul Seifert,Durham • Alicia Deonne Shade, Durham • Shailika Kirit Shah, Charlotte • Brendan Michael Shea, Charlotte • James Wade Sheedy, Charlotte • Candice Lee Shepard, Harrisburg • Kevin Daniel Sherriff, Raleigh • Neil Scott Siegel, Durham • Tracy Brooks Silver, Lincolnton  • Benjamin David Simpson, Raleigh • Julie Beth Smith, Raleigh • Tracey Gray Snipes, Fayetteville • Michael John Sonntag,Cary • Stefanie Anne Sparks,Durham • Michael David Spies, Charlotte • Willie Edward Spruill, Durham • Whitney Priest Staton, Belmont • Ralph Erskine Stevenson III, Rocky Mount

-T, V, W, Z-

Stephen Edward Taylor, Virginia Beach, Va. • Meghan Skirving Thelen, Raleigh • Jennifer Sommer Thompson, Wake Forest • Robert Glen Thomson, Terrell • Caitlin Ann Torney, Winston-Salem • Kristina Marie Varady, Winston-Salem • Lindsey Lee Walker, Norcross, Ga. • Daniel Edward Wall, Gastonia • Andrew Bowne Wall, Elizabethtown • Lindsey Anne Weaver, Williamston • Franklin Emmett Weindruch, Charlotte • Andrew Mark Weiss, Fort Mill, S.C. • Carolyn Rae West, Cherokee • Katherine Noel Willett, Leesville, S.C. • Anna Huffman  Winger, Hickory • John C. Woodman, Charlotte • Erin Ann Zavislak, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.