Georgia State University College of Law is the No. 1 educator for Georgia lawyers, and it is on track to expand its reach to include foreign-trained lawyers who are authorized to practice law in the United States.
For the July 2025 bar examination Georgia State Law held the No. 1 spot for foreign-educated lawyers who passed the bar exam on the first attempt. The College of Law also had more LL.M. graduates sitting for the exam than any other law school.
“I’m so proud of our LL.M. students for their success on the Georgia bar exam. Their tremendous engagement with the Georgia State Law bar preparation programs and commitment to mastering the material is what made us No. 1 in the state for July’s LL.M. first-time bar passage,” said Brian Sites, director of the LL.M. program and non-J.D. programs at Georgia State Law.
Two LL.M. graduates who passed the July bar exam attribute a great deal of their success to the “Pounce the Bar,” a robust bar preparation program. Pounce the Bar was launched in 2023 at the College of Law by Tia Gibbs, director of academic advisement and bar success. The program offers law students programming opportunities and support to study and practice for the bar exam and the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).
Ruth Muñoz Orellana celebrates at Georgia State Law Commencement with her family.
“I participated in almost every single [opportunity] for the Pounce the Bar program. I did every single essay and performance test I could…and then I copied the best answers of the state,” said Ruth Muñoz Orellana (J.D. ’24) who wrote on LinkedIn about her amazing village who encouraged her and provided support throughout her law school journey.
“I truly can’t believe this day is here. It’s proof with a whole lot of grit, a ridiculous amount of caffeine and an even more ridiculous amount of love and support, you can achieve anything…”
Jerry Kakala (LL.M. ‘24) said in addition to taking advantage of the bar prep program, Georgia State Law professors helped to make his goal come to fruition.
“Professor Gibbs and Professor Sites played an instrumental role in my journey, providing both academic and emotional support. They truly are the architects of my bar prep success,” said Kakala.
Starting in July 2028, all applicants for the Georgia Bar Examination will take the Next Generation Bar Exam, a modernized test that measures real-world skills. To prepare law students for this shift, Georgia State Law is expanding its Comprehensive Bar Exam Preparation program, which includes the “Pounce the Bar” Supplemental Bar program. Professor Gibbs has launched a 30-day crowdfunding campaign for law students to support law students with the following:
- Bar Boot Camp and simulation workshops
- Mentoring stipends for alumni coaches
- Writing and feedback programs
- Testing software and materials
- Need-based bar preparation scholarships
If you would like to help Georgia State Law students succeed on the NextGen Bar Examination, you can click here to make a gift today and join the movement.