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Bar Exam Resources

General Bar Exam Resources & Study Hints
MPRE
MBE
MEE
MPT
UBE
Ohio Bar
Other States
Patent Bar

UC Academic Success Program Bar Exam Resources

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General Bar Exam Resources & Study Hints

  • Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements - from the National Conference of Bar Examiners Also available in print at Reference KF302.A15 C66 with earlier years available in Stacks KF302.A15 C66
  • ABA and NCBE, A Model for Dialogue. Available online from the ABA.
  • Conquering the Bar Exam : Personal Stories & Practical Advice for Overcoming the Final Hurdle to Becoming a Full-Fledged Licensed Lawyer; Insight for First-Generation and Minority Law Students and Graduates (Evangeline M. Mitchell ed., 2007). Reserve KF303 .C66 2007 
  • Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus, Acing the Bar Exam:  A Checklist Approach to Taking the Bar Exam (2008). Reserve KF303 .D369 2008 
  • Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus, The Bar Exam in a Nutshell (2d ed. 2009).  Reserve KF303 .D37 2009. (1st ed., 2003 in Stacks.)
  • Steven I. Friedland & Jeffrey Scott Shapiro, The Essential Rules for Bar Exam Success (2008). Reserve KF303 .F75
    2008
  • Edna Wells Handy, You Can Pass Any Bar Exam (1997). KF 303.H25 1997
  • Rosemary La Puma, If I Don't Pass the Bar I'll Die : 73 Ways to Keep Stress and Worry from Affecting Your Performance on the Bar Exam (2008). Reserves KF303 .L3 2008 
  • National Conference of Bar Examiners, NCBE Directory (1989). Reference KF 303.N43
  • Denise Riebe & Michael Hunter Schwartz, Pass the Bar (2006)  Reserve KF303 .R54 2006
  • A Guide to the Bar Examination for People of Color - Practical exam-taking advice (requires free registration).
  • Bar Exam Advice from Howard Law Alumni - Howard University Law School alumni offer advice on passing the bar exam.
  • Bar Support for Loved Ones -- A short video produced by Twinette L. Johnson, Director of Bar Programs at SLU containing advice for those living with students studying for the bar exam.
  • Legal Learning for Bar Candidates - Study hints from Carolyn Nygren, the author of Starting Off Right in Law School and who has taught many legal skills orientation classes.
  • The National Jurist -- The National Jurist has published several articles on the bar exam.  Searching their back issues should bring up those articles.
  • Passing the Bar - Tips from Professor Vernellia Randall at the University of Dayton School of Law.
  • Villanova University School of Law's Bar Preparation Information - Includes preparation tips and exam exercises.

MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam) Resources

The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is a 60-question, two-hour-and-five-minute, multiple-choice examination administered three times each year. It is required for admission to the bars of all but four U.S. jurisdictions (Ohio is a jurisdiction that requires it). Passing scores, which are established by each jurisdiction, currently vary between 75 and 86.  

  • 2012 MPRE Information Booklet (.pdf, includes sample questions) - from the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
  • Alex Rusekll, Strategies & Tactics for the MPRE : Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (2009). Reserve  KF306.Z9 W35 2009
  • Leslie W. Abramson, Acing Professional Responsibility : A Checklist Approach to Professional Responsibility Problems (2009). Reserve KF306 .A735 2009 
  • MPRE Sample Questions VI -  from the National Conference of Bar Examiners 

    Contains 150 questions. Most of these questions have been administered on actual Multistate Professional Responsibility Examinations, although a few questions are included that were not administered on the MPRE but were written as samples of the kinds of questions that would be included under the test specifications. The questions as a whole cover the eleven major topics in the MPRE subject matter outline, although they do not appear in exactly the same proportions as specified in the outline.

MBE (Multistate Bar Examination) Resources

The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-choice examination covering contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law and procedure, evidence, and real property.  It is developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and is administered by participating jurisdictions (includes Ohio) on the last Wednesday in February and the last Wednesday in July of each year.  

MEE (Multistate Essay Exam) Resources

The Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) is a collection of 30-minute essay questions and is administered by participating jurisdictions on the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in February and July of each year. The MEE offers nine questions per examination, with most jurisdictions selecting six questions from the nine. Ohio does not administer the MEE but other states, including Kentucky, do.  

MPT (Multistate Performance Test) Resources

The MPT consists of two 90-minute skills questions covering legal analysis, fact analysis, problem solving, resolution of ethical dilemmas, organization and management of a lawyering task, and communication. It is developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and is administered by participating jurisdictions (includes Ohio) on the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in February and July of each year. 

Exam Questions & Point Sheets

These describe the factual and legal points encompassed within the lawyering task to be completed by applicants for each of the tests and outline possible issues and points that might be addressed by an examinee.

The following are available online from the National Conference of Bar Examiners at http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpt/:

UBE

The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) is prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners to test knowledge and skills that every lawyer should be able to demonstrate prior to becoming licensed to practice law. It is comprised of a common set of six Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) questions, two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) tasks, and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). It is uniformly administered, graded, and scored by user jurisdictions and results in a portable score that can be used to seek admission in jurisdictions that accept UBE scores.

The following jurisdictions have adopted the UBE:

  • Alabama (July 2011)
  • Idaho (February 2012)
  • Missouri (February 2011)
  • North Dakota (February 2011)
  • Washington (July 2013)

Ohio Bar Exam 

Other State & Territory Bar Exam Information

  • Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements -  from the National Conference of Bar Examiners 
    • Also available in print at  Reference, KF302.A15 C66 (earlier years available at Stacks KF302.A15 C66)
  • Annual Compilation of Bar Examination Questions (1969-1995). KF 303 I48  The Institute for Bar Review Study publishes the questions and official or sample answers to the essays from Alaska, Connecticut and Michigan (pre-1992 issues may have essays from other states).

Official Bar Exam Sites from other States:

In addition to information about bar exam requirements, many of these sites also offer previous exam questions.  

Patent Bar

The regulations governing the recognition of individuals to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) in patent cases are set forth in 37 CFR ยงยง11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8 and 11.9.
United States Patent and Trademark Office Exam Information