# Start Here: Welcome to Reading the Law
**URL:** https://forum.readingthelaw.org/t/start-here-welcome-to-reading-the-law/15
**Category:** Welcome & Orientation
**Created:** [September 23, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://forum.readingthelaw.org/t/start-here-welcome-to-reading-the-law/15 "2026-09-23T13:51:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@kirk1](https://forum.readingthelaw.org/u/kirk1)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://forum.readingthelaw.org/t/start-here-welcome-to-reading-the-law/15/1 "2026-09-23T13:51:19Z")
Welcome. This forum exists for one reason: reading the law is a real, legitimate path to becoming a licensed attorney, and it’s also a lonely one. Most people doing this don’t know anyone else attempting it. This is the place to fix that.
**What this forum is for**
Ask real questions about the process. Compare notes with others in California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Talk through the hardest part of this path: finding a supervising attorney willing to sponsor you. Share what’s actually working (or not) in your study.
**What this forum is not**
This isn’t a substitute for official guidance. State bar rules change, and the requirements are specific and unforgiving. Always confirm anything you read here against your state’s actual admitting authority. Nothing posted here is legal advice.
**Where to go first**
- Pick your state’s category below and introduce yourself: where you are in the process, what’s working, what’s not.
- Head to **Finding a Sponsor** if that’s your current roadblock, it’s the single most common one.
- Check **Bar Exam Prep** for study resources and strategy.
- For the official state-by-state requirements, see the [state guides](https://www.readingthelaw.org/states/) and [FAQ](https://www.readingthelaw.org/faq/) on the main site.
**One more thing**
We’re building a platform to connect aspiring apprentices directly with attorneys open to sponsoring one. If that’s something you want to know about first, [join the waitlist here](https://www.readingthelaw.org/matchmaking/).
Glad you’re here. Please introduce yourself below!
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### Author:  [@kirk1](https://forum.readingthelaw.org/u/kirk1)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2026, 1:51pm UTC](https://forum.readingthelaw.org/t/start-here-welcome-to-reading-the-law/15/2 "2026-09-23T13:51:41Z")