Does graduating from law school in itself make you a lawyer or do you have to pass the bar too?

Answer 1

In the U.S., "lawyer" and "attorney" mean the exact same thing: someone who is licensed to practice law.

When you graduate law school, you have a law degree, which is a nice thing to have, but it doesn't make you a lawyer.

In almost every state in the U.S., graduating from an accredited law school is simply one of several requirements to becoming a lawyer. Every state requires prospective lawyers to take a bar exam, which is given twice a year (in late July and late February). Most people graduate law school in late spring/early summer, so they take the July exam.

Once you pass your state's bar exam, and meet the other requirements your state has for admission to the bar (this usually involves taking and passing the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, or MPRE, and submitting to a thorough background check to determine that you are of good moral character)

Calling yourself a lawyer without first passing the bar, and getting your license to practice law, constitutes the unauthorized practice of law, which, in most states, is a crime punishable by hefty fines, and maybe a little bit of jail time. In addition, being convicted of unauthorized practice of law might result in a negative moral character determination, preventing you from becoming licensed to practice law in the future, even if you graduate law school and pass the bar exam.