So you’ve decided to take the bar exam. What exactly is it, and what have you gotten yourself into?
The bar exam is a rite of passage to becoming an attorney-at-law (or simply an attorney).
BTW, Black’s Law Dictionary defines a “lawyer” as a “person learned in the law,” and an “attorney” as “one who is appointed and authorized to act in the place or stead of another.”
So if you’ve gone to law school or graduated, you’re technically a lawyer already! For many law students, though, the bar exam is their final hurdle before becoming an attorney. Your journey through law school and passing the bar exam is so you can call yourself an attorney.
But the bar exam is a grueling test that takes days to complete, months (sometimes years) to prepare for, and covers a variety of topics. The pass rate for the bar exam can be less than 50% in some states like California. It’s not uncommon for someone to repeat the exam at least once. Often, bar takers make common mistakes and come back to me, and the real work begins.
Some states have their own jurisdiction-drafted bar exam, like California, Nevada, Louisiana, and Florida.
Most states administer the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), which includes the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). This map shows which states have adopted the UBE:
Despite the differences in format and passing scores, the concept of the bar exam and how to study for it are similar across states.
Let’s go over the basics of what the bar exam is about.
Continue reading “How to Study for the Bar Exam as a First Timer”