Change and reform are happening to the bar exam. No, it’s not being abolished. Put those dreams back in the drawer.
But the Uniform Bar Exam is changing into something else… the NextGen Bar Exam. It’s more “skills-focused” and less about memorizing random rules.
Two main categories of change: question types and subjects.
Question types: Depending on when and where you’re taking the bar exam, you’ll encounter the MBE, MEE, and MPT via the current UBE through February 2028. Business as usual if you’re taking the legacy exam.
After that, starting July 2028, no jurisdiction will administer the legacy UBE.
It will be fully replaced by the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam, which will test multiple-choice questions (MCQ), integrated question sets (IQS), and performance tasks (PT). More on the different question types and sample questions here. I’ll also go over some sample questions below.
Subjects: “What do I need to know for the NextGen UBE? (And the current UBE?)”
This might be confusing, so here’s the scoop (and a timeline graphic)…
Subjects changing on the NextGen (and legacy) UBE
The NCBE published a NextGen UBE Blueprint that indicates regarding which subjects are tested and when:
- Subjects tested on the NextGen UBE: business associations, civil procedure, constitutional law, contract law, criminal law, evidence, real property, torts
- For July 2026 through February 2028 NextGen UBE: You don’t need to memorize Family Law or Trusts and Estates, but they’ll still appear in “skills-focused questions on every exam.”
- Family Law will make a full comeback in July 2028. You’ll need to remember this subject as normal starting then.
Also according to the NCBE: “Effective with the July 2026 bar exam, the following areas will no longer be tested on the MEE: Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts and Estates, and Secured Transactions. From July 2026 through February 2028, both Family Law and Trusts and Estates will be tested regularly through the Multistate Performance Test.”
So…
GONE ENTIRELY: The NextGen UBE is not testing Conflict of Laws, Wills, and Secured Transactions at all (starting July 2026).
GONE PARTIALLY: The legacy UBE will no longer test Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts and Estates, and Secured Transactions on the MEE. Family Law, and Trusts and Estates will still be tested on the MPT.
STAYING: Business Associations and MBE subjects will remain for both UBE types. Family Law will stay on the classic MPT and tested on the NextGen exam.
Still confused about what you need to know? (Check the graphic)
First, let’s start with knowing that Conflict of Laws and Secured Transactions are no longer of concern for both the legacy UBE and NextGen UBE. Hooray!
And here’s a graphical timeline to simplify things further (click to embiggen):
Here’s what’s happening with my outlines and materials:
- Family Law will remain with the UBE Magicsheets and Approsheets for those preparing for the NextGen UBE. It will remain past Feb 2028.
- Trusts & Estates will remain with the UBE Magicsheets and Approsheets until the Feb 2028 exam. Wills materials will remain as contextual information for now (but don’t worry about memorizing Wills unless you’re in a non-UBE state that tests it, like California).
- Conflict of Laws and Secured Transactions will no longer be updated or supported, and have been removed from the UBE Magicsheets and Approsheets as of 3/28/2026. Let me know if your state is still testing these subjects.
NextGen UBE resources
I posted a video going through sample MCQs:
Sample IQS questions coming later