A law graduate who suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed during the New York State Bar Examination has filed a lawsuit alleging that exam proctors refused to pause the test and denied timely medical assistance. Mary Jane Jung, 36, experienced a medical emergency on July 30, 2025, at Hofstra University while taking the grueling 12-hour exam over two days.
According to the lawsuit, Jung began "gasping for air, crying out, losing consciousness" and eventually turned blue as she collapsed shortly before a lunch break. The complaint states that exam officials failed to respond with the urgency required for such a medical emergency, and instead instructed candidates to continue working.
Samantha Portillo, a fellow examinee, told Newsday at the time that it was "inhumane" to expect test-takers to continue while someone was experiencing a medical crisis. Jung's lawsuit claims that examinees who attempted to move or assist were reprimanded or discouraged by proctors. A proctor also reportedly admonished a candidate who tried to help Jung.
Jung alleges that emergency services were not called immediately, and life-saving measures like CPR and defibrillation were not administered during the critical early minutes of her cardiac arrest. The complaint argues that this delay significantly reduced her chances of avoiding serious injury and increased the risk of permanent neurological damage.
It was not until the exam session concluded that emergency responders were permitted to attend to Jung, who was diagnosed with ventricular fibrillation. She required the implantation of a defibrillator and continues to be monitored by cardiology specialists. Jung also claims to have suffered memory loss, cognitive impairment, emotional trauma, and psychological distress. The lawsuit states she will incur substantial future medical costs and her professional career and quality of life have been significantly disrupted.
The lawsuit accuses the state and its Board of Law Examiners of negligence, asserting they had a duty to "exercise reasonable care in administering the bar examination and ensuring the safety of examinees." Jung further claims the defendants failed to properly train proctors for emergency situations and did not implement adequate safety protocols.
Joseph Landau, dean of Fordham Law School, where Jung was a graduate, stated that the institution had been in touch with Jung's family to monitor her health. A GoFundMe campaign organized by a friend to help with Jung's medical costs raised over $30,000.
Carmen Beauchump Ciparick, chairperson of the Board of Law Examiners, told the New York Post that responders reached Jung within two and a half minutes of her collapse. Jung is seeking unspecified compensation for damages to be determined by the court.