Program at a glance
- Program name: Virginia Law Reader Program
- Governing rule: Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia, Part 1A, Rule 1A:2 (Law Reader Regulations)
- Duration: 3 years of full-time reading under a single sponsoring attorney
- Time commitment: At least 25 hours per week, at least 40 weeks per year, for 3 years
- Who can supervise you: An active member of the Virginia State Bar who has been engaged in the active practice of law for at least 10 years, a notably higher bar than California, Vermont, or Washington require.
- Registration: Both the reader and the sponsoring attorney must apply to and be approved by the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners before the clerkship begins; the Board reviews the sponsoring attorney's qualifications directly.
The bar exam path
There is no separate first-year exam. The sponsoring attorney is responsible for directing a structured reading course (Virginia publishes a reading list/outline expectation) and periodically certifying progress to the Board. You sit the Virginia Bar Examination after completing the 3-year program and Board approval.
Why apprentices choose Virginia
- Shortest duration of the four active pure-apprenticeship states: 3 years instead of 4.
- The 10-year practice requirement for sponsors tends to mean readers train under genuinely experienced attorneys.
- Virginia's program has been used successfully by a number of well-known law readers, giving it a credible track record.
What to weigh before committing
- The 10-year sponsor requirement is the biggest practical bottleneck: it meaningfully narrows the pool of attorneys who qualify, on top of those willing to take on the multi-year commitment.
- Because both reader and sponsor must be approved by the Board before starting, you cannot begin informally the way you can in some other states, so plan for an approval process up front.
- The program admits very small numbers of readers per year statewide, so treat any given attorney's willingness to sponsor as the scarce resource it is.
Step-by-step process
- Find a Virginia-licensed attorney with at least 10 years of active practice who is willing to sponsor you and can commit the required supervision time.
- Submit a joint application to the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners for approval of both reader and sponsor before beginning.
- Once approved, begin the 3-year, 25-hour-per-week course of directed reading and practical work.
- Have your sponsor certify your progress to the Board at the required intervals.
- Apply to sit the Virginia Bar Examination after completing the program and receiving Board sign-off.