Clue #9: Fumbled Bar Exam?

The Ulterior Epicure graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in May of 2006 and reduced his blogging activity while he studied for the bar exam in July of 2006.

Bonjwing Lee graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in May of 2006 and returned to Kansas City, where he was to sit for the July bar exam and begin working at Polsinelli in the Fall of 2006.

Had the Ulterior Epicure/Bonjwing Lee passed the July bar exam, he would have been admitted to the bar on Thursday, October 12, 2006.

But Bonjwing Lee was not admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2006, even though a record 88.6% of test takers passed the July exam. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar in April of 2007, along with other applicants who passed the February 2007 bar exam. Later, he was admitted to the Kansas Bar on September 28, 2007, after passing the July 2007 exam.

After blogging heavily in the winter of 2006 to 2007, the Ulterior Epicure once again had to knuckle down for an undisclosed undertaking. In a post titled "Expedition, or hiatus...," on February 15, 2007--two weeks before the February bar exam in Missouri--the Ulterior Epicure wrote:

"There are times in our lives, unfortunately, that we have to do battle with evil. Sometimes, it is health related or family related… and then there are those times it’s somewhat *gainful employ* related.

"Without getting into too many details, I must remove myself from you cheery world to a nasty time and place and bear down and meet some pressing life deadlines. You may see traces of me about, but for all for all intents and purposes, I will be in the trenches.

"I took this picture today while going out to get the mail… sadly, the only exciting movement I get all day. I think it really captures my emergent undertaking: it will be harsh, it will be cold, I will be alone, and I must be comfortable (yes, for those who are wondering, those are Gap pajama pants, and yes, I did get them on sale at an embarrassingly low sale price).

"But, as some old and very wise man said, it may have even been God Almighty Himself, “And, this too shall pass.”

"I’ll see you all in a few weeks. Don’t worry, I’ll be back."

(This message has been subsequently deleted from the Ulterior Epicure's blog, but can be found at a new link in the "Covering Tracks" post.)

Three months later, with the results of the February bar exam in, Polsinelli announced that Bonjwing Lee was joining the firm as an associate.

After an unexplained month-long break from blogging in July of 2007--the same time Bonjwing Lee was preparing for and taking the Kansas bar exam--the Ulterior Epicure resurfaced on July 28, writing:

"With a couple of mountainous personal tasks out of the way, I’m happily settling back into the hum of the mediocre and quotidian. I never thought I’d say this, but 'how *blissful!*'"