Bar exam

Bar Exam is a term commonly used to refer to the examination that a law school graduate must pass in order to be admitted to the bar association and practice law in a specific jurisdiction. The term "bar" refers to the physical barrier in a courtroom beyond which only certain individuals, such as judges and lawyers, are allowed to pass. The bar exam is typically administered by the bar association of the jurisdiction where the exam is taken.

History

The first bar exam in the United States was given in Delaware in 1763, as an oral examination before judges. However, the requirements for bar admission varied greatly from place to place, and not all jurisdictions required an exam. It was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that bar exams became the standard method of ensuring the competency of lawyers in the U.S.

Format

The format of the bar exam varies by jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions in the United States administer the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which is composed of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). Some jurisdictions, such as California and Florida, administer state-specific bar exams.

Multistate Bar Examination

The MBE is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-choice examination covering constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, real property, and torts.

Multistate Essay Examination

The MEE consists of six 30-minute essay questions covering a wide range of legal topics. The MEE is not a test of local law; rather, it is intended to assess the ability to apply fundamental legal principles and reasoning to analyze given fact patterns.

Multistate Performance Test

The MPT consists of two 90-minute tasks where the examinee is asked to perform a lawyerly task, such as writing a memo or drafting a contract, and is given a "file" and a "library" of relevant information to complete the task.

Preparation

Preparation for the bar exam often involves a two to three-month study period after graduation from law school. Many graduates use commercial bar review courses to prepare for the exam, which provide lectures, outlines, and practice questions covering the topics tested on the bar exam.

Pass Rates

Pass rates for the bar exam vary greatly by jurisdiction and by law school. Some jurisdictions are known for having particularly difficult bar exams, such as California, which has the lowest pass rate of any jurisdiction in the United States.

See Also

• Law school in the United States
• Legal education
• Admission to the bar in the United States