A graduate from Florida A&M University College of Law received attention on social media after she passed the New York Bar Exam “with a score high enough to waive into any UBE jurisdiction.”
Zsa’Queria Martin said her test score was over 270 out of 400, meaning she is able to apply to practice in other states. Passing the bar is a notoriously difficult exam, which has a 66% pass rate for test takers.
Martin took to Instagram to share the news. She posed in a white tuxedo dress with FAMU’s official stole. The post received just under 7000 likes so far.
“I’m so happy and so blessed,” she told Madame Noire. “So many Black women and Black girls have been telling me, ‘Hey, I want to go to law school. And I tell them, ‘Yes! That’s amazing. You got this. You can do this.’ I’m just so blessed and fortunate.”
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The 27-year-old underwent loss as she studied for her last year of law school at FAMU.
“My grandfather passed away from Covid, and ten days after he passed away, my great-grandmother passed away,” she said. “Life was really just being thrown at me.”
The South Carolina native has received two scholarships in her last year of college. One provided her with a tutor, as well as writing courses, to prepare her for the bar exam. She refused to let her situation get in the way of her career goals.
“I’m super faithful,” she told the outlet. “I was like, life has kicked my butt so much, and I will not let it prevail. I just did not want to accept defeat.”
Martin is being sworn in as a criminal defense attorney with the Bronx Defenders. She will be providing legal assistance to low-income families in the New York borough.
