Abe Lincoln practiced law without ever taking the bar exam.
It is always nice to tell the full story.
“At the time there were no written exams. The bar exam was oral in nature, yet the substance unknown.
In 1836 no formal tests were required for certification in Illinois. A judge or lawyer appointed by the court would merely attest the person requesting admittance to the bar possessed sufficient "moral character. "
https://law.siu.edu/_common/documents/law-journal/articles-2009/summer-2009/7-33-lincoln-essay.pdf
