The law school at the University of Hawaii at Manoa announced Thursday that the pass rate for graduates who took the state bar exam for the first time in July was 81 percent, its highest in five years.

The rate is up from 76 percent in July 2017 for the William S. Richardson School of Law, and the highest pass rate for first-time UH bar exam takers since 2013.

“We have excellent, highly motivated students and faculty members who have focused increasing attention on preparations for this challenging exam,” said law school dean Avi Soifer in a news release.

The Hawaii results, which were released Oct. 5, come at a time when overall bar passage rates have declined nationally among law schools that have publicly reported their graduates’ scores for the exam in July.

The pass rate for all UH exam takers in July was 70 percent compared to 75 percent last year, and 71 percent for all bar exam takers in the state, one percentage point lower than the previous year.

Soifer praised Liam Skilling, director of the academic success and evening part-time programs, for his commitment to all students during and after law school, as they take the bar exam after graduating.

“It’s great to see so many of our first-time takers passing this year,” said Skilling in a statement. “The whole law school is deeply invested in seeing all our graduates succeed.”

He added that two professors — Linda Krieger and Troy Andrade — undertook an important study of factors impacting bar success. In addition, faculty members have held review sessions for graduates studying for the bar exam for the past two years. Last, but not least, the law school has a tradition of providing test-takers on the day of the exam with snacks and beverages, including candy, sandwiches and musubi.