ASU Law No. 1 again in state for bar passage

4 alumni achieve highest scores

Photo of four ASU Law alumni to achieve top scores on bar exam: Paul Arthur Phelps, Megan Carrasco, Abigail Dockum and Samantha Orwoll

Four ASU Law alumni achieved top scores on the bar exam: (from left) Paul Phelps, Megan Carrasco, Abigail Dockum and Samantha Orwoll.

By Julie Tenney |
November 08, 2021

For the ninth consecutive year, the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University received the highest overall bar passage rate in Arizona, taking into account all first-time takers for the February and July Uniform Bar Exams, according to the July 2021 results released last month.

In addition, four ASU Law graduates from the Class of 2021 received the highest scores on the examination:

Paul Arthur Phelps placed first.
Megan Maria Carrasco placed second.
Abigail Marie Dockum and Samantha Nicole Orwoll tied for third.

This is the second time in recent years that ASU Law grads achieved the highest scores on the exam, with one alum placing first and two others tying for second in 2015.

The July bar exam results show ASU Law first-time test takers had an 89.4% passage rate, way above the state’s overall first-time taker passage rate of 78.3% and also higher than the 2020 national rate of 82.8% released by the American Bar Association in May.

“Our ASU Law students continue to excel in every way — including this amazing performance on the bar exam,” ASU Law co-interim Dean Zak Kramer said. “Their commitment to excellence, combined with everything they do to support each other and make a difference in our community, is truly exceptional. We are so proud of this recognition and look forward to continuing to provide the best law school experience possible to help our students pursue their ideal careers.”

This fall, ASU Law welcomed its most highly credentialed and diverse class in its history, as well as its largest in history, with over 300 first-year JD students attending. The college ranks No. 25 among all law schools in the country and No. 9 among public law schools, according to U.S News & World Report.

Additionally, within 10 months of graduation, over 87% of ASU Law’s Class of 2020 graduates found employment in long-term, full-time positions where bar passage is required or a JD is preferred. This is significantly higher than the national employment average of over 77%, according to data collected by the American Bar Association on the nation’s ABA-accredited law schools.