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The Smart Guide to the Pennsylvania Bar Exam

A guide to mastering the pennsylvania bar exam, pennsylvania bar exam format.

Pennsylvania Bar Exam Sections - MBE 200 Multiple Choice, MPT 2 Writing Assignments, MEE 6 Essays

Pennsylvania is a Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) jurisdiction. All UBE jurisdictions use the same 3 sections:

Multistate Bar Exam (MBE)

Multistate essay exam (mee), multistate performance test (mpt).

2 writing assignments

Pennsylvania Bar Exam Dates

 July 2024 exam: July 30-31, 2024  Feb. 2025 exam: Feb. 25-26, 2025

*The Pennsylvania Bar Exam takes place on the last Tuesday & Wednesday of February and July.

How to Prepare for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam

(FREE Study Guides)

Part 1: Smart Guide to MBE

Part 2: Smart Guide to MEE

Part 3: Smart Guide to MPT

Click the links above for FREE study guides covering each section of the bar exam.

Contact Info

Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners 601 Commonwealth Ave., Ste. 3600 P.O. Box 62535 Harrisburg, PA 17106-2535

Website:        https://www.pabarexam.org/ Phone:        (717) 231-3350 Fax:             (717) 231-3351

Frequency Charts

(FREE Charts & Statistics)

MBE Frequency Analysis

MEE Frequency Analysis

MPT Frequency Analysis

Click the links above for FREE Frequency Charts covering each section of the bar exam.

Subjects Tested on Pennsylvania Bar Exam

Mee essay subjects.

  • Business Associations (Agency, Partnerships, Corporations, LLC’s)
  • Civil Procedure
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law
  • Criminal Law & Procedure
  • Real Property
  • Secured Transactions
  • Trusts & Future Interests
  • Wills & Estates

MBE Subjects

  • Criminal Law & Procedure
  • Real property

Minimum Passing Score

For Pennsylvania , the UBE minimum passing score is 270.

Pennsylvania changed its passing score from 272 to 270 effective with the February 2024 exam administration and it applies to UBE score transfers as well. For administrations prior to February 2024, the minimum passing score remains 272.

Jurisdiction-Specific Component

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Bar Examination Resources

  • Introduction
  • The Bar Exam

Bar Admission Rules

Application information, bar exam components, sample essay questions, bar exam results.

  • Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners
  • Other State Bar Exams
  • Bar Review Courses
  • Listing of All Rules and Regulations
  • Bar Exam Application Info As a rule, the bar exam is always held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of every February and July.

July 2019

July 30-31

February 2020

Feb 25-26

July 2020***

July 28-29***

February 2021

Feb 23-24

July 2021

Jul 27-28

*** Important Notice re:  July 2020 PA Bar Exam :  In light of COVID-19, the July 2020 PA Bar Exam has been moved to September 9 and 10, 2020.  The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has authorized a limited license for July 2020 PA Bar Exam applicants.  More information can be found here .

  • Components and Subjects:
  • Business Organizations (including corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and professional corporations)
  • Employment Discrimination (limited to Title VII, ADA, and ADEA)
  • Professional Responsibility
  • Civil Procedure (Pennsylvania and federal)
  • Evidence (Pennsylvania and federal)
  • Real Property
  • Criminal Law (including related Pennsylvania and federal constitutional issues and DUI)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Federal Constitutional Law
  • U.C.C., Art. II — Sales
  • Federal Income Taxes (personal only and limited to taxable and non-taxable income, deductions, proprietorships, and capital transactions)
  • Wills, Trusts and Decedents' Estates (including related fiduciary responsibilities)
  • PERFORMANCE TEST: one Performance Test (PT) question, developed by the Board, may be used in lieu of a Multistate Performance Test question as a component of the essay portion of the bar examination. The Performance Test (PT) is intended to test an applicant's ability to use basic skills that a lawyer should possess to perform a task that a newly admitted attorney would be expected to perform.
  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law
  • Criminal Law & Procedure
  • Recent Pennsylvania Bar Exam Questions Links to the past 3 years of sample essay questions, answers, and examiners' analysis.
  • Passing Standards The six answers to the essay examination and the PT (valued at 1.5 times an essay question) will be graded, totaled and scaled to the MBE. The combined essay and PT scores will be weighted at 55%, and the MBE score will be weighted at 45% of the total scaled score. The scaled scores of the PT/essay examination and MBE will then be combined to determine whether a scaled score of 272 or higher has been attained.
  • Bar Exam Results Results of the February Bar Exam will be released in April, and the July Bar Exam in October.
  • Pennsylvania Bar Exam Statistics All files are in PDF format.
  • Pennsylvania MPRE Information
  • Preparing for the MPRE The MPRE is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice examination developed by NCBE that is administered three times per year.

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Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners

601 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 3600

P.O Box 62535

Harrisburg, PA 17106-2535

(Overnight Deliveries via DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.)

 

Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners

Pennsylvania Judicial Center

601 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 3600

Harrisburg, PA 17120-0901

Phone: (717) 231-3350
Fax: (717) 231-3351
​Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am- 4:00pm
Closed for Court Holiday
E-mail (technical issues only): 
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Bar Exam Format

Pennsylvania administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) that consists of three parts: the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). The exam is scheduled biannually on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. The MPT and MEE occur on Tuesday; the MBE occurs on Wednesday.

Multistate Performance Test (MPT)

(weighted 20% of bar exam score).

The MPT consists of two 90-minute items that are designed to assess the examinee’s ability to use fundamental lawyering skills in a realistic situation. Each examinee receives a “File” of source documents and a “Library” of cases, statutes, and rules. The MPT is a “closed universe” component in that it provides all necessary materials to answer the question and does not require the applicant to use any state-specific law.

Multistate Essay Exam (MEE)

(weighted 30% of bar exam score).

The MEE consists of six 30-minute essays testing the following subjects: all MBE subjects (Constitutional Law, Contracts and Sales, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Federal Civil Procedure, Real Property, and Torts), plus Business Associations (Agency, Corporations, and Partnerships), Conflicts of Law, Family Law, Secured Transactions, Trusts & Future Interests, and Wills & Decedents’ Estates.

Multistate Bar Exam (MBE)

(weighted 50% of bar exam score).

The MBE consists of 200 multiple-choice questions that test the following areas: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts & Sales, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts. Of the 200 questions, 175 are scored questions and 25 are unscored pre-test questions. The pre-test questions are indistinguishable from the scored questions so applicants are advised to answer all questions.

Subjects Tested

Mee subjects.

  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts & Sales
  • Corporations
  • Criminal Law & Procedure
  • Federal Civil Procedure
  • Partnerships
  • Real Property
  • Secured Transactions
  • Trusts & Future Interests
  • Wills & Decedents' Estates

MBE Subjects

  • Civil Procedure

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Pennsylvania Bar Exam (UBE) Details

State capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Bar Exam information is subject to change without notice. Please verify with the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners . Please also reference the NCBE Covid-19 updates page for NCBE updates and individual jurisdiction announcements.

Bar exam details

A typical Pennsylvania Bar Exam is a 2-day Uniform Bar Exam (UBE).

  • Six 30-minute Multistate Essay Exam questions and two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test questions. 
  • Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200-question, multiple-choice exam (100 questions in the AM, 100 questions in the PM)

Subjects tested

  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts/Sales
  • Criminal Law/Procedure
  • Federal Civil Procedure
  • Real Property
  • Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations; and Limited Liability Companies)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Trusts and Estates (Decedents' Estates; Trusts and Future Interests)
  • Article 9 (Secured Transactions) of the Uniform Commercial Code
  • Plus all MBE subjects
  • “Closed universe” practical question using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes, and other reference material supplied by examiners.
  • A scaled score of 75 on the MPRE is required for admission.

Click here to learn more about the MPRE.

The MEE and MPT scores are scaled to the MBE.

  • MBE weighted 50%
  • MEE weighted 30%
  • MPT weighted 20%

A total scaled score of 272 or higher is required to pass the Pennsylvania Bar Exam.

Reciprocity

Acceptance of mbe score.

  • Pennsylvania does not accept an MBE score from an exam taken in another jurisdiction.

Admission on Motion

  • A member in good standing of a reciprocating jurisdiction may be admitted on motion in Pennsylvania if the applicant has engaged in the active practice of law for five of the seven years preceding application. Additional requirements apply.

Admission by UBE Score Transfer

  • Applicants who have obtained a scaled score of at least 272 on a Uniform Bar Exam taken in another jurisdiction within the preceding 30 months may apply for admission based on that score. Additional requirements apply.

BARBRI Bar Exam Digest

We compile all of the information that you need to know about the dates, format, subjects tested, deadlines, fees and more - for each U.S. state - in the free BARBRI Bar Exam Digest.

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The Pennsylvania state bar exam will be administered on July 30-31, 2024.

Applications are due April 15, 2024. Late applications are accepted until May 30, 2024.

For details on the application process and fees, please visit the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners .

Pennsylvania Bar Exam Details

The Pennsylvania bar exam is 2 days and is administered twice a year on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. General details and passing standards for the Pennsylvania bar exam may be found online.

Pennsylvania Bar Exam Schedule:

Day 1: 2 Performance Test (PT) questions & 6 MEE essays

Day 2: MBE, 6 hours

The essay and PT portions of the Pennsylvania bar exam are 55% of your total bar exam score and tests the following subjects:

  • Business Organizations (including corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and professional corporations)
  • Civil Procedure (PA and federal)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Criminal Law (including related PA and federal constitutional issues and DUI)
  • Employment Discrimination (limited to Title VII, ADA, and ADEA)
  • Evidence (PA and federal)
  • Federal Constitutional Law
  • Federal Income Taxes (personal only and limited to taxable and non-taxable income, deductions, proprietorships, and capital transactions)
  • Professional Responsibility
  • Real Property
  • UCC, Art. II - Sales
  • Wills, Trusts, and Decedents' Estates (including related fiduciary responsibilities)

The MBE portion of the Pennsylvania bar exam is 45% of your total bar exam score and tests the following subjects:

  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law
  • Criminal Law and Procedure

Study Resources for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam

Pennsylvania provides  model sample answers  online along with MBE information . 

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Pennsylvania Bar Exam (UBE) details

A typical pennsylvania bar exam is a 2-day uniform bar exam (ube).

Pennsylvania Bar Exam information is subject to change without notice. Please verify details with the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners .

Please also reference the  NCBE Covid-19 updates page  for NCBE updates and individual jurisdiction announcements.

Bar exam details

  • Six 30-minute Multistate Essay Exam questions and two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test questions. 
  • Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200-question, multiple-choice exam (100 questions in the AM, 100 questions in the PM)

Subjects tested

  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts/Sales
  • Criminal Law/Procedure
  • Federal Civil Procedure
  • Real Property
  • Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations; and Limited Liability Companies)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Trusts and Estates (Decedents' Estates; Trusts and Future Interests)
  • Article 9 (Secured Transactions) of the Uniform Commercial Code
  • Plus all MBE subjects
  • “Closed universe” practical question using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes, and other reference material supplied by examiners.
  • A scaled score of 75 on the MPRE is required for admission.

Click here to learn more about the MPRE.

The MEE and MPT scores are scaled to the MBE.

  • MBE weighted 50%
  • MEE weighted 30%
  • MPT weighted 20%

A total scaled score of 272 or higher is required to pass the Pennsylvania Bar Exam.

Reciprocity

Acceptance of mbe score.

Pennsylvania does not accept an MBE score from an exam taken in another jurisdiction.

Admission on Motion

A member in good standing of a reciprocating jurisdiction may be admitted on motion in Pennsylvania if the applicant has engaged in the active practice of law for five of the seven years preceding application. Additional requirements apply.

Admission by UBE Score Transfer

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Pennsylvania Bar Exam Information

As of July 2022 Pennsylvania has adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) which includes essays and multiple-choice questions. The exam is comprised of three components: a Multistate Performance Test (MPT), a Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and a Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).

Feb 21-22, 2023 & July 25-26 2023
2-day Uniform Bar Exam
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA
$650
$1,325
October 30
First: Nov 15
Second: Nov 30
Final: Dec 15
First: $800
Second: $1,100
Final: $1,500

When is the 2023 Pennsylvania Bar Exam?

The Feb 2023 Pennsylvania Bar Exam is scheduled for Feb 21-22. Up-to-date information can be found at the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners .

Where is the Pennsylvania Bar Exam located?

There are two locations that host the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. These are hosted in Pennsylvania’s two biggest cities, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Pittsburgh location:

David L. Lawrence Convention Center 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Philadelphia location:

The Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 Hotel information can be found here .

How much does the Pennsylvania Bar Exam cost?

Applicants who file on time will pay a fee of $650. There are three late deadlines, each incurring an increased fee. Those fees are $800, $1,100, and $1,500. Any application postmarked after the final deadline will not be considered for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam.

What subjects are tested on the Pennsylvania Bar Exam?

Mbe subjects:.

  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts/Sales
  • Criminal Law/Procedure
  • Federal Civil Procedure
  • Real Property

Pennsylvania Essay Subjects:

  • Business Associations (Agency, Corporations, Partnerships)
  • Commercial Transactions (Commercial Paper & Secured Transactions)
  • Ohio Civil Procedure
  • Ohio Legal Ethics
  • Real/Personal Property

Multistate Performance Test:

“Closed universe” practical problem using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by examiners.

What is the format for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam?

The Pennsylvania Bar Exam is a Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) administered over two days. The Pennsylvania Bar Association has decided to fully implement the Multistate Uniform Bar Examination created by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. There are three segments of the test including a multiple-choice exam, an essay section, and two 90-minute performance test questions.

What is the minimum MPRE score needed to take the Pennsylvania Bar Exam?

The minimum qualifying score to take the Pennsylvania Bar Exam is 75.

How is the Pennsylvania Bar Exam graded?

All of the tests from the first day are scored together and make up 55% of the final grade. The MBE section is worth 45% of the final grade. A score of 272 is needed to pass.

When are the Pennsylvania Bar scores released?

Results for the February sessions are released in April, while the results for the July sessions are released in October. Because the exam has been delayed in 2020, it is not yet known when the results will be released. Please refer to the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners for more information.

Can I transfer my MBE scores from another jurisdiction?

No, Pennsylvania does not accept MBE transfers from other jurisdictions.

What is the Pennsylvania Reciprocity Agreement like?

Those from outside of Pennsylvania who wish to practice law in Pennsylvania will need to meet the following requirements:

  • Possession of a JD
  • Bar membership in a reciprocal state
  • A minimum score of 75 on the MPRE

You can find a list of reciprocal states here .

How can I contact the Pennsylvania State Bar Association?

The Pennsylvania State Bar can be contacted via the contact form on their website, by phone call to (800) 932-0311, or by mail addressed to: 100 South Street Harrisburg, PA 17101

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  • Pennsylvania State Bar
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A Look at the Pennsylvania Bar Exam

December 16, 2015 By Doretta McGinnis Leave a Comment

Pennsylvania Bar Exam

Do you hope to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania? If so, you’ll have to pass the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. Let’s take a look.

Requirements

The Pennsylvania Bar Exam has three components: the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), Pennsylvania essays, and the Pennsylvania Performance Test. Pennsylvania also requires the MPRE , which is administered separately from the bar exam, and applicants must pass a character and fitness inquiry. Here we’ll focus on the components of the exam.

The MBE consists of 200 multiple choice questions drawn from seven subjects: civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, real property, and torts. Civ pro and evidence focus on the Federal Rules, while con law tests knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. The other areas test widely accepted principles of common law.

Pennsylvania also tests state law through its essays and performance test .

The six Pennsylvania essays cover an extensive mix of federal and state topics. While the seven MBE subjects are tested, the essays add Pennsylvania content to some of the subject areas. The tested subjects are: business organizations; civil procedure (state and federal); conflict of laws; contracts; criminal law (including related state and federal constitutional issues and DUI); employment discrimination (limited to three federal statutes: Title VII, ADA and ADEA); evidence (state and federal); family law; federal constitutional law; federal income tax; professional responsibility; real property; torts; UCC Article 2 (sales); and wills, trusts and estates.

How can six essays cover all this material? Each essay features a complex fact pattern that implicates more than one subject. For example, recent essays have tested estates, federal income tax, and professional responsibility in a single essay, and torts, evidence and civil procedure in another. Because Pennsylvania tests subjects beyond routine law school requirements, you may want to plan ahead and take classes such as employment discrimination or conflict of laws if you plan to sit for the Pennsylvania bar.

Performance Test

The final component of the bar exam is a performance test. The NCBE began producing the MPT in 1997. Pennsylvania adopted it for a while, but then began producing and administering its own performance test (PA PT). Current Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules allow administration of either the MPT or the PA PT. Unless and until Pennsylvania adopts the UBE , the Pennsylvania bar examiners are likely to continue administering the PA PT, which is virtually identical to the MPT in structure and objective.

Like the MPT, the PA PT is a 90-minute exam consisting of a File, containing assorted documents relating to a client’s situation, and a Library, containing relevant legal sources, such as statutes and cases. The PA PT is set in Pennsylvania, rather than in the fictitious MPT state of Franklin, and it relies on actual Pennsylvania legal sources. Nevertheless, it is a closed universe exam that does not require prior knowledge of any particular substantive law. Accordingly, MPT strategies apply equally well to the PA PT.

The components of the Pennsylvania Bar Exam are weighted as follows: MBE 45%, Essays 44%, PT 11%.

Grading of the essays focuses on issue spotting, the quality of discussion, application of law to facts, and logical reasoning to reach a conclusion, rather than on the correctness of the conclusion. After each administration, the essay questions, proposed examiners’ analyses and tentative grading guidelines are provided to a representative at each of the nine law schools in Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia metropolitan area – schools where many, if not a majority, of graduates sit for the Pennsylvania bar. The materials are circulated to law school faculty who teach the respective subjects covered by the essays and the PT. Comments and suggestions from faculty are shared with the bar examiners and graders at their semiannual grading calibration session and considered in finalizing the examiners’ analyses and grading guidelines.

The Pennsylvania Bar Exam is given on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July each year . Many examinees choose to take the Pennsylvania Bar Exam in conjunction with the New Jersey Bar Exam , which is given on the last Wednesday and Thursday of February and July. Students taking both exams must take the PA PT and essays on Tuesday, the MBE on Wednesday in Pennsylvania, and the New Jersey essays on Thursday.

The Pennsylvania bar does not have reciprocity with the neighboring states of Delaware, Maryland or New Jersey, but it does have reciprocity with New York and Ohio.

In recent years, the July pass rate has been in the vicinity of 75%, with the February pass rate considerably lower, at approximately 57%. As in many jurisdictions, the pass rate declined in 2015 . Thorough preparation is essential to passing the Pennsylvania Bar Exam.

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Did you find this post helpful? Check out some other great articles:

  • When and Where I Studied for the Bar Exam 
  • I Can’t Believe I Failed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam
  • Can Studying Early Help You Pass the Bar Exam
  • What You Can Do Now to Prepare for the Bar Exam

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About Doretta McGinnis

Doretta McGinnis is a law school tutor and bar exam tutor for the Law School Toolbox and Bar Exam Toolbox. After graduating from Harvard, she worked in academic publishing until a friend dared her to go to law school.

Doretta earned her JD at Penn Law, where she was an editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and a legal writing instructor. Eager to pay off her student loans, she practiced labor and employment law at a major Philadelphia law firm, but soon left Biglaw to pursue her interest in legal education.

Doretta joined the faculty at Widener University Delaware Law School, where, over the course of nearly 20 years, she served as Associate Director of the legal writing program and taught labor law, employment discrimination, and bar exam prep. She is the co-founder of Admission Logic, LLC, an independent educational consulting practice focused on focused on college and law school admissions.

Doretta regularly blogs about law school and the bar exam.

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pa bar exam essay subjects

MEE Subjects, Topics, and Frequencies

The Multistate Essay Examination (MEE®) is the essay component of the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE®). Your MEE score comprises 30% of your total UBE score. It consists of six 30-minute essays administered over 3 hours on the first day of the bar exam.

Examinees must demonstrate an understanding of fundamental legal principles, communicate efficiently in writing, and apply legal reasoning and analysis to fact patterns. Below, we summarize each subject on the MEE, detail key topics within each, and provide data on the most and least frequently tested MEE subjects.

MEE Subjects

Business associations, civil procedure, conflict of laws, constitutional law, contracts and sales, criminal law and procedure, real property, trusts and estates.

  • Article 9 (secured transactions) of the Uniform Commercial Code

Work with a dedicated attorney essay grader who will grade your essays and provide feedback.

A licensed attorney Themis essay grader looking at a Themis student’s MEE answer.

MEE Subject Frequency

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®) doesn't release which subjects it will test on any given exam. To prepare, you must study all MEE subjects even though you'll only be tested on a handful. However, the NCBE tests some subjects more frequently, so prioritize accordingly.

Note: See for yourself. The NCBE posts MEE questions and analyses from past administrations.

MEE Subject Frequency 2014-2023

The chart below shows that Civil Procedure has appeared on nearly every MEE for nearly a decade. In contrast, Criminal Law has only been tested 6 times, so it would make more sense to spend more time studying Civil Procedure.

Bar graph showing how often MEE subjects have been tested from 2014 to 2023.

Note: Business Associations is tested as Corporations and LLCs and Agency and Partnerships . Trusts and Estates is tested as Trusts and Future Interests and Decedents' Estates .

MEE Subjects Paired vs. Solo

Sometimes, the NCBE tests MEE subjects together in a single question. Anything is fair game. For example, Conflict of Laws is always tested with another subject, while Real Property is generally tested as a single question. See the chart below for how often subjects are tested alone or paired with another.

Bar graph showing how often MEE subjects have been tested alone versus with other subjects from 2014 to 2023.

Business Associations covers the legal principles pertaining to corporations and partnerships, including their formation, operation, and dissolution. Key topics include:

  • The roles and responsibilities of directors and officers
  • Shareholder rights
  • Issues related to the sale of a business
  • The fiduciary duties within a corporation
  • The liability that can arise in partnerships.

Business Associations is actually tested as 2 subjects on the MEE—"Agency and Partnerships" and "Corporations and LLCs." You may see these subjects tested separately or together.

Highly tested topics include:

  • Duties of Directors and Officers — This is a big one. It covers the duty of care and the duty of loyalty owed by directors and officers to the corporation and its shareholders.
  • Piercing the Corporate Veil — Regards when a court might hold shareholders personally liable for corporate debts, which is usually rare and happens only under specific circumstances.
  • Vicarious Liability in Partnerships — Understanding how partners can be liable for the actions of other partners.
  • Shareholder Rights — Includes voting rights, rights to dividends, and rights in the event of a merger or dissolution.
  • Fundamentals of Agency — The principles governing the relationship between agents, principals, and third parties, are especially important in partnerships.

Civil Procedure has appeared on the MEE every year since 2014 and is the most frequently tested MEE subject. It covers the rules and procedures that courts must follow in civil cases, including how lawsuits are initiated, the steps involved in litigation, and the principles governing the jurisdiction and authority of courts. Key topics include:

  • Personal jurisdictions
  • Subject matter jurisdiction
  • Venue selection
  • Different stages of a lawsuit: pleadings, discovery, trial procedures, and post-trial motions
  • Federal-state relations and conflicts, like those involving the Full Faith Credit Clause and the Erie Doctrine
  • Personal Jurisdiction — When a court has the authority over the parties in the lawsuit.
  • Subject Matter Jurisdiction — The court's authority to hear the type of case presented.
  • Venue and Transfer of Venue — Where a case should be filed and under what circumstances it can be moved.
  • Motions (especially Summary Judgment Motions) — Procedures for requesting a court to rule in a certain way.
  • Appealability and Final Judgment Rule — What decisions can be appealed and when.

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Conflict of Laws, also known as Private International Law, is not evaluated independently in the US. It involves cases where the laws of different jurisdictions intersect, including determining which jurisdiction’s laws apply to a case involving cross-border elements. Key topics include:

  • Choice of law
  • Jurisdiction
  • The recognition and enforcement of judgments from other jurisdictions

The NCBE embeds Conflict of Laws into other MEE topic areas. In other words, there are no stand-alone Conflict of Laws questions. The subject typically appears alongside family law, torts, and contracts, especially where these issues cross state or national boundaries.

  • Choice of Law Rules — Determining which jurisdiction's laws apply to a case.
  • Domicile — How a person's permanent home affects legal issues.
  • Full Faith and Credit Clause — How and when courts must recognize the laws and judicial decisions of other states.
  • Recognition of Judgments — When and how a court will enforce a judgment from another jurisdiction.
  • Jurisdictional Issues — Understanding when a court has the authority to hear a case with elements in multiple jurisdictions.

Constitutional Law focuses on the interpretation and application of the US Constitution, including the structure of the federal government, the powers and limits of its branches, and the rights and liberties guaranteed to individuals.

  • Principles of judicial review
  • The application of constitutional principles to modern legal issues
  • How constitutional rights are protected
  • Conflicts between constitutional rights and governmental interests
  • Individual Rights — Especially First Amendment freedoms like speech and religion.
  • Separation of Powers — The division of authority among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
  • Commerce Clause — Federal power to regulate interstate commerce.
  • Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses — Protections against discrimination and unfair governmental actions.
  • State Action Doctrine — When constitutional protections apply to actions by state governments.

Contracts covers the creation, interpretation, and enforcement of agreements between parties. Key topics include:

  • Formation of contracts
  • What happens when there's a breach
  • Various defenses to contract enforcement (e.g., duress, fraud, and illegality)
  • Formation of Contracts — The requirements for creating a valid contract.
  • Performance and Breach — What constitutes fulfilling or breaking a contract.
  • Remedies for Breach — Such as damages, specific performance, and rescission.
  • Defenses to Enforcement — Including lack of capacity, duress, misrepresentation, unconscionability.
  • Third-Party Rights — Including assignment of rights and delegation of duties.

Criminal Law and Procedure is a staple of the MEE, reflecting its fundamental role in the US legal system. It is tested with moderate frequency, often focusing on the elements of major crimes, defenses, and constitutional safeguards during criminal proceedings.

Criminal Law and Procedure encompasses the legal principles and rules designed to keep the public safe and deter wrongful conduct. About half of the questions in this section will focus on the constitutional rights of those accused of a crime. The other half covers the definitions of criminal offenses, the rights of the accused, and the procedural steps from investigation to trial, sentencing, and appeals. Key topics include:

  • Other crimes (e.g., theft, assault)
  • Inchoate offenses (attempts, conspiracy, solicitation)
  • Defenses to crimes
  • Constitutional protections for accused persons
  • The process of criminal adjudication
  • Homicide — Differentiating between degrees of murder and manslaughter based on intent and circumstances.
  • Mens Rea and Actus Reus — Understanding the mental state and physical act required for a crime.
  • Search and Seizure — The limits on law enforcement under the Fourth Amendment.
  • Miranda Rights — Ensuring accused persons are aware of their rights under the Fifth Amendment.
  • Defenses — Including insanity, self-defense, and duress, which can negate or mitigate criminal liability.

Evidence law governs the introduction of evidence presented at civil and criminal trials, specifying what information is admissible to judge the merits of a case. Ensure you answer these questions per the Federal Rules of Evidence, not your jurisdiction's rules of evidence. The presentation of evidence (objections, impeachment, etc.), hearsay, and relevancy make up over 80% of this issue. Key topics include:

  • Hearsay and its exceptions
  • Character evidence
  • The best evidence rule
  • Impeachment of witnesses

Evidence is a highly tested area on the MEE, emphasizing its critical role in legal proceedings. Exam questions often revolve around the admissibility of evidence and its impact on trial outcomes.

  • Hearsay and Exceptions — Understanding what constitutes hearsay and when it can be admitted.
  • Character Evidence — Knowing when evidence of a person's character is relevant and permissible.
  • Impeachment — The process of challenging the credibility of a witness.
  • Privileges — Recognizing when certain communications are protected from disclosure in court.

Family Law addresses legal issues related to domestic relations and family matters. In most situations, family law is tested independently. However, a Conflict of Laws problem does arise on occasion. Key topics include:

  • Marriage and divorce
  • Child custody and support
  • Adoption and paternity
  • Marital property rights
  • Domestic violence protection

As with other MEE question types, examiners in the Family Law MEE tend to focus on testing a few key concepts repeatedly. Highly tested topics include:

  • Marital Property — How assets and debts are divided upon divorce.
  • Child Custody — Determining the best interests of the child in custody arrangements.
  • Support Obligations — Establishing financial support for children and sometimes spouses post-divorce.
  • Grounds for Divorce — Understanding the legal reasons and procedures for ending a marriage.

Land and all tangible improvements to it are the primary focus of real property law. You can expect a question about ownership, rights, contracts, mortgage/security devices, and titles on the MEE. Key topics include:

  • Ownership rights and interests
  • Land use and zoning
  • Easements and covenants
  • Landlord-tenant issues
  • Sales and financing of real property
  • Ownership and Transfer — How property rights are held and transferred.
  • Easements — Rights to use another's land for a specific purpose.
  • Landlord-Tenant Law — The rights and duties of landlords and tenants.
  • Zoning and Land Use — Regulations affecting property development and use.

People who have been wronged in some way, whether physically or financially, can often find recourse under tort law. Intentional torts, strict responsibility, product liability, and other torts will make up the other half of the questions in this section (nuisance, defamation, invasion of privacy, etc). In this field of law, the NCBE advises you to assume the following:

  • Survival actions and wrongful death claims are available where appropriate; and
  • The standards for pure comparative blame and joint and several liability apply unless otherwise stated.

Tort law involves civil wrongs causing harm or injury, where the injured party may seek compensation. It covers:

  • Intentional torts
  • Strict liability
  • Privacy torts
  • Negligence — The duty of care owed, breach of that duty, causation, and damages.
  • Intentional Torts — Acts committed with intent to cause harm, such as battery, assault, and false imprisonment.
  • Strict Liability — Liability without fault, particularly in cases of abnormally dangerous activities or product liability.
  • Defamation — Untrue statements that harm someone's reputation, including libel and slander, and the defenses to these claims.
  • Privacy Torts — Including intrusion upon seclusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light, and appropriation of likeness.

The MEE will test your knowledge of trusts and estates twice a year or once every two years. Unlike other subjects, trusts and estates are typically assessed independently. Here are key topics covered in Trusts and Estates:

  • Decedents’ estates
  • Family protection
  • Living wills and durable healthcare powers
  • Trusts and future interests
  • Wills — Requirements for creating a valid will, modifications, revocations, and challenges.
  • Intestate Succession — How an estate is distributed in the absence of a valid will.
  • Trusts — Different types of trusts, their creation, and the duties of trustees.
  • Fiduciary Duties — The obligations of those who manage another's assets, including loyalty and care.

Secured Transactions

This topic pertains to the portion of the Uniform Commercial Code that regulates security interests in personal property—accepted, with minor adjustments, on a state-by-state basis.

Article 9 governs secured transactions in personal property, outlining the rules for creating and enforcing security interests in movable property, fixtures, and intangibles, such as:

  • Attachment and perfection of security interests
  • Priorities among competing claims
  • Foreclosure and repossession procedures
  • The effects of debtor default

Article 9 is a critical subject on the MEE, especially for its application in commercial and financing transactions.

  • Attachment — How a security interest attaches to the collateral.
  • Perfection — Steps required to give public notice of the security interest, typically through filing or possession.
  • Priority — Determining the order in which competing claims against a debtor's collateral are satisfied.
  • Default and Foreclosure — The rights of secured parties when a debtor defaults on an obligation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which mee subjects are the most difficult to learn, what are the most important topics on mee.

The most important topics on the MEE are Business Associations, Civil Procedure, and Trusts and Estates. These are, unsurprisingly, those that are tested most frequently. 

Which subjects are tested more frequently in the MEE?

The most frequently tested subjects on the MEE are, in order, Business Associations, Trusts and Estates, Civil Procedure, and Conflict of Laws.

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UBE Essay Frequency Chart

UBE Frequency Chart F23 5

UBE Essay Frequency Chart:   Which subjects are tested frequently on the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE)? To be the most efficient when you study, you will want to study the subjects that you are most likely to see. Below we reveal the highly tested subjects on both the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) as well as the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).  

Note: As we explain below, even if you are taking the exam in a jurisdiction that  is not a Uniform Bar Exam  jurisdiction but that contains the MEE as a component, it is wiser to look at this UBE essay frequency chart than it is to look at an MEE frequency chart. (The UBE essay frequency chart is more indicative of what could be tested on your exam!)

Lastly, if you are interested in the MEE topics that have been tested most frequently, please review our free MEE guide for the highly tested topics and don’t miss out on our MEE One-Sheets . They are one of our most highly-rated products!

Which subjects are tested on the Uniform Bar Exam?

The Uniform Bar Exam is composed of the Multistate bar exam (MBE); the Multistate Performance Test (MPTs), which do not cover a specific area of law–rather, they test lawyerly skills; and also an essay portion, the multistate essay exam (MEE). Below are the tested subjects on the Multistate Bar Exam and the Multistate Essay Exam portion of the Uniform Bar Exam. To see how the MPTs have been tested, check out our  MPT chart .

Subjects tested on the Essay Portion of the Uniform Bar Exam

For the essay portion, you will have six questions to answer in three hours (so 30 minutes/question). the Uniform Bar Exam tests the same subjects that the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) tests. (The Multistate Essay Exam is a six-question exam used by Uniform Bar Exam states as well as other states that do not offer the Uniform Bar Exam.)

The National Conference of Bar Examiners lists the following subjects as potential areas of law:

  • Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies),
  • Civil Procedure,
  • Conflict of Laws,
  • Constitutional Law,
  • Criminal Law and Procedure,
  • Family Law,
  • Real Property,
  • Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates; Trusts and Future Interests), and
  • Uniform Commercial Code (Secured Transactions).

Six essays appear on the Uniform Bar Exam, chosen by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). (Thus, while in the past, the NCBE has released 7-9 questions for jurisdictions that use the Multistate Essay Exam to choose from, the subjects that appear on the Uniform Bar Exam have always been the same. Further, beginning February 2014, the NCBE only wrote six questions for the Multistate Essay Exam, thus eliminating the choice by the jurisdiction about which essay topic to administer.) So we think this UBE frequency chart means more than an MEE frequency chart (but we do have an MEE frequency chart here if you want to check it out). We think it is wiser to look at this chart though!

So, as you can see from the chart above, the single most highly tested subject on the essay portion of the Uniform Bar Exam is Civil Procedure. We’ve also divided up the subjects so you can see the most highly-tested to least-tested subjects. Please click on the chart to open it in a new tab to make it bigger!

[Note the data below comes from the February 2011 bar exam to the most recent bar exam.]

Tier One: Highly Tested Subjects on the Uniform Bar Exam  (In Order of Most-to-Least Tested)

  • Civil Procedure (20 full essays plus 1 combined with another subject)
  • Agency and Partnership (13 full essays plus 5 combined with another subject)
  • Contracts (16 full essays)
  • Real Property (14 full essays)
  • Secured Transactions (14 full essays)
  • Corporations and LLCs (10 full essays plus 5 combined with another subject)
  • Evidence (11 full essays plus 3 combined with another subject)
  • Decedents’ Estates (Wills) (10 full essays plus 4 combined with another subject)
  • Trusts and Future Interests (10 full essays plus 3 combined with another subject)
  • Constitutional Law (8 full essays plus 2 combined with another subject)
  • Torts (8 full essays plus 3 combined with another subject)
  • Family Law (9 full essays)

Tier Two: Lesser-Tested Subjects on the Uniform Bar Exam (In Order of Most-to-Least Tested)

  • Criminal Procedure (8 full essays plus 2 combined with another subject)
  • Criminal Law (6 full essays plus 1 combined with another subject)
  • Conflict of Laws (This is usually combined with Decedents’ Estates, Family Law, Civil Procedure, or Corporations/LLCs. It is not tested on its own.) (0 full essays, 6 essays combined with another subject)

A few additional notes

  • Sometimes the National Conference of Bar Examiner’s (NCBE) labels a subject “Criminal Law and Procedure” when really it is just one or the other that is tested. We listed the true amount of times NCBE tested those subjects above.
  • We started collecting data from 2011 on because that is when the first Uniform Bar Exam was administered.
  • Wondering how the July and February essay exams differ? Check out this post to see the differences !

Feel free to download the UBE chart (or email us at [email protected] if you have difficulty downloading it!) If you repost it somewhere on the internet, we would appreciate a link to this site :) Thank you!

Lastly, just like all subjects are not treated equally, neither are all topics!

The NCBE tends to test certain topics within each subject more than other topics.

See this post for an overview of the highly tested MEE topics . If you are looking for an overview of the highly-tested topics on the MEE, check out our MEE One-Sheets . These give you an overview of the highly-tested areas of the MEE in one sheet, front and back. We sell them in our online store.

Multistate Bar Exam (MBE)

For the Multistate Bar Exam portion, you will have 200 multiple-choice questions to answer over a period of six hours. The MBE covers the following seven subjects (which are equally tested):

  • Contracts and Sales (25 multiple-choice questions)
  • Constitutional Law (25 multiple-choice questions)
  • Criminal Law and Procedure (25 multiple-choice questions)
  • Civil Procedure (25 multiple-choice questions)
  • Evidence (25 multiple-choice questions)
  • Real Property (25 multiple-choice questions)
  • Torts (25 multiple-choice questions)

Because all seven subjects are tested equally (and they also all appear in some capacity on the essay portion of the Uniform Bar Exam, as discussed below) it is very important to know these subjects well!

[If you are wondering why the number of questions does not add up to 200, it is because as of the February 2017 exam, only 175 are scored. The other 25 are “test questions”]

Wondering which topics within the subjects are most frequently tested on the MBE?

Check out our MBE frequency chart here . You will see some topics (like negligence!) are so important and well worth your time while others (like privileges and policy exclusions) will have about two questions total on the MBE!

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  • Annual Compilation of Bar Examination Questions & Answers Call Number: KF303.I57 Essay questions and answers from selected states published twice a year.
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  • Patent Agent's Exam Call Number: KF3165.Z9 P38
  • Questions and Answers for Bar Examination Call Number: KFP76.Q46
  • Sample MBE Call Number: KF303.S25 Two hundred multiple choice questions and answers from past exams.
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Admission to the Bar - Preparation and Resources: Pennsylvania

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Contact Information

Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners 5070A Ritter Road, Suite 300 Mechanicsburg, PA   17055 (717) 795-7270 www.pabarexam.org

The Pennsylvania Bar Exam

  • Pennsylvania Bar Exam Information

The Pennsylvania Bar Exam is administered on the last Wednesday of July and February, and the Tuesdays immediately before.  The July exam is offered in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg, while the February exam is only offered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.  The Tuesday session consists of a Performance Test (PT) question and six Pennsylvania-specific essay questions developed by the Board.  In the Board's discretion, it may develop its own Performance Test question for a particular test, or it may use the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) question.  The Wednesday session is the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE).

The commonwealth-specific essays test one or more of the following subjects:

  • Business Organizations (including Corporations, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, and Professional Corporations)
  • Civil Procedure (Pennsylvania and Federal)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Criminal Law (including related Pennsylvania and federal constitutional issues and DUI)
  • Employment Discrimination (limited to Title VII, ADA, and ADEA)
  • Evidence (Pennsylvania and Federal)
  • Federal Constitutional Law
  • Federal Income Taxes (personal only and limited to taxable and non-taxable income, deductions, proprietorships, and capital transactions)
  • Professional Responsibility
  • Real Property
  • U.C.C., Art. 2 (Sales)
  • Wills, Trusts, and Decedents' Estates (including related fiduciary responsibilities)

For more information on the Pennsylvania Bar Exam, check the links at Bar Exam Information

Admission to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners is the admissions screening body for the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Unrestricted admission to the Bar can be had under a number of procedures:

  • By Examination
  •    Graduates of Accredited and Unaccredited Programs
  •    Foreign Attorneys
  • On Motion (Reciprocity)--domestic attorneys

There are also a number of methods by which an applicant can obtain a restricted admission to the Bar of the Commonwealth:

  • Admission as Limited In-House Counsel
  • Admission as Foreign Legal Consultant
  • Attorneys in Defender or Legal Services Program
  • Legal Intern Certification
  • Limited Admission of Military Attorneys

Admission by Examination for graduates of accredited and unaccredited programs requires:

  • receipt of an undergraduate degree
  • graduation from an ABA-approved law school (as of the time of graduation), or a non-approved law school provided the applicant is a member of the bar of a reciprocal jurisdiction in good standing and practicing five of the last seven years there.
  • completion of the bar application
  • payment of $625 ($650 as of 8/1/17) fee for timely bar application and character & fitness review (higher fees for increasing levels of lateness)
  • passage of the character & fitness review
  • a scaled score of 75 or more on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)
  • a scaled score of 272 on the combined essay, Professional Test (PT), and Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) portions of the bar exam

Foreign attorneys are subject to the requirements above, plus:

  • member in good standing of the bar of another country or state
  • practicing in that other country or state for 5 of the last 8 years
  • completion of 24 credit hours at an ABA-approved law school in bar subjects in lieu of the educational requirements above

Admission on Motion can be applied for by domestic attorneys. The applicant must come from a reciprocal jurisdiction (see tab in this LibGuide) and be a member of the bar in good standing of that state and practicing for five of the prior seven years, as well as meeting the normal educational and character/fitness requirements of the process for Admission by Examination.  The fee for admission on motion is $1,250 ($1,325 as of 8/1/17).

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners web page

Bar Admission Rules

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Character and Fitness

The Pennsylvania Board of Bar Examiners conducts its character and fitness investigations in-house.  Matters causing concern over an applicant's fitness to practice law in the Commonwealth may result in the convening of a hearing.  There is a general duty of candor and supplementation, as is usual for bar applications.

An overview of the character and fitness process can be found at Character and Fitness - Overview , reproduced below.

Character and Fitness - Overview

As part of the process of seeking a certificate for admission to the bar from the Board of Law Examiners, applicants must complete an application and provide background information for the purpose of enabling the board staff to conduct a character and fitness investigation and determination.

The Board staff reviews the applications and may use other means of investigation to determine the fitness and qualifications of the applicant. For bar exam applications , the board staff begins a preliminary investigation of the application before the bar examination. However, the full investigation and determination of character and fitness is made only after the successful completion of the bar examination. For other applicant types, the board staff begins the investigation upon acceptance of the online application. The character and fitness determination process can take anywhere from three weeks to more than one year depending on the nature of the investigation, the issues involved, response to requests for additional information, cooperation from outside sources, etc.

  • Pennsylvania Character and Fitness FAQ's
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AmeriBar's Pennsylvania Bar Exam Essay Master Course Information

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ESSAY MASTER COURSE DETAILS

■   Essay Subject Outline Book

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Agency Domestic Relations Partnerships
Civil Procedure Employment Discrimination Trusts
 Conflict of Laws Ethics Wills
Corporations Federal Income Taxation MBE Subjects- Supplements

Listen to samples of lectures and view pages from outlines .

■ Released Essay Questions

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■  Strategy Workshop Lectures

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The strategy workshop is designed to teach students the strategies and techniques required to pass the exam.    The workshop covers both study strategies and essay writing techniques.  Learn how to use effective legal writing strategies to your advantage.  The lectures help students utilize legal writing techniques to maximize points when drafting essay answers.  The workshop cover s everything from how to set up your study schedule, to what to do each day to prepare.  It also contains strategies on how to prepare for and write a bar exam essay answer.   The workshop has been prepared with the retaker in mind, but is incredibly useful for all examinees.

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IMPORTANT NOTE

The Essay Master Course is available for students who already have materials for the Multistate Bar Examination ("MBE"). The MBE subjects may also be tested on the essay exam.  The Essay Master Course contains practice essay questions and answers covering MBE subjects.   However, it does not contain complete outlines of general legal principles for the subjects tested on the MBE .   Ensure that you have adequate materials to help you prepare for the MBE subjects. If you do not have complete outlines for the MBE subjects, you should enroll in AmeriBar's Complete Home Study Course , which covers all of the subjects on the exam.

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Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners
5070 A Ritter Road, Suite 300
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Telephone: (717) 795-7270

2014: February 25-26; July 29-30

The Pennsylvania bar exam is administered two times each year -- on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July.  

 

The first day of the exam consists of six essay questions that are prepared by the state examiners and one Performance Test question.  Applicants are expected to demonstrate their knowledge of Pennsylvania law, where applicable, when answering the essay portion of the bar examination.  

 

On the second day of the exam, the Multistate Bar Examination is administered.  The MBE consists of 200 multiple choice questions on the following six subjects:   contracts, criminal law, constitutional law, real property, evidence and torts.  The MBE does not contain specific state law questions.  .

The Board seeks applicants who can demonstrate their knowledge of state law (if applicable) when answering the essay portion of the bar exam.  The Board stresses that the value of an essay answer does not completely depend upon the correctness of the conclusion, but rather upon the recognition of issues and the applicant's ability to present a discussion that adequately applies the law to the facts presented.  The applicant must be able to reason in a logical manner in arriving at an answer.  

The MBE counts for 45% of the score.  The essays and MPT count for 55% of the score. A successful candidate for admission to the Pennsylvania bar must attain a scaled score of 272 on the combined scores of the Performance Test, the essay examination and the MBE.  The six answers to the essay examination, and the Performance Test (valued at 1.5 times an essay question) will be graded, totaled and scaled from 1 to 200 points.  The combined essay and Performance scores will be weighted at 55%, and the MBE score will be weighted at 45% of the MBE scaled score.  The scaled scores will then be combined to determine whether a scaled score of 272 or has been attained.  
In addition to passing the Pennsylvania Bar Exam, an aplicant must attain a score of 75 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam.  Click here for more information about AmeriBar's Free Online MPRE Review Course.

Feb 2011

81%

46%

70%

July 2010

85%

40%

80%

Feb 2010

74%

36%

56%

July 2009

87%

24%

81%

Feb 2009

76%

33%

57%

July 2008

89%

40%

83%

Feb 2008

76%

44%

61%

July 2007

85%

27%

78%

Feb 2007

74%

39%

56%

In order to be admitted by motion*: 1. You must be a graduate of an ABA accredited law school; and 2. You must be admitted to the bar of another jurisdiction and have practiced law (or taught law at an ABA accredited law school) for at least five of the prior seven years; and 3. Your prior jurisdiction must have a policy by which Pennsylvania attorneys can be admitted without taking your prior jurisdiction's bar examination (recirocity). * - An applicant may not be admitted if they have ever taken and failed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam.  Applicants must attain a score of 75 on the MPRE/. RECIPROCAL JURISDICTIONS Alaska Michigan Tennessee Colorado Minnesota Texas Connecticut Missouri Utah District of Columbia Nebraska Vermont Georgia New Hampshire Virginia Illinois New York Washington Indiana North Carolina West Virginia Iowa North Dakota Wisconsin Kentucky Ohio Wyoming Massachusetts Oklahoma

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IMAGES

  1. PPT

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  2. 17-Jul PA bar exam Q&A

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  3. Bar Exam Sample

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  4. HOW TO Answer BAR EXAM Essay Questions Impressivel

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  5. Bar Exam Essay Attack Sheets + Bar Exam Essay Prewrites

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  6. Pa bar exam practice essays

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COMMENTS

  1. The Smart Guide to the Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) 6 essays ^ ... Feb. 2025 exam: Feb. 25-26, 2025 *The Pennsylvania Bar Exam takes place on the last Tuesday & Wednesday of February and July. How to Prepare for the Pennsylvania Bar Exam (FREE Study Guides) ... Subjects Tested on Pennsylvania Bar Exam. MEE Essay Subjects. Business Associations (Agency, Partnerships ...

  2. PA Bar Exam Passing Standards

    PASSING STANDARDS: A successful applicant for admission to the bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in addition to the other examination requirements must attain a scaled score of 272 on the combined scores of the PT, essay examination and MBE.. The six answers to the essay examination and the PT (valued at 1.5 times an essay question) will be graded, totaled and scaled to the MBE.

  3. Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    *** Important Notice re: July 2020 PA Bar Exam: In light of COVID-19, the July 2020 PA Bar Exam has been moved to September 9 and 10, 2020. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has authorized a limited license for July 2020 PA Bar Exam applicants. More information can be found here.

  4. Ultimate Guide to Pennsylvania Bar Exam, Bar Prep

    Pennsylvania Bar Exam Scores and Grading. A passing score for the Pennsylvania bar is a 272. Scores of the three tests comprising the bar are weighted as follows: MBE = 50% of total score. MEE = 30% of total score. MPT = 20% of total score. *A passing score for the MPRE in Pennsylvania is 75/150.

  5. PDF February 2021 Pennsylvania Bar Exam Frequently Asked Questions

    The exam will consist of a performance test, six essay questions, and 200 multiple-choice Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) questions administered over a three-day period for applicants testing under standard conditions. Applicants must make a good faith effort on each question on the exam. Only applicants seeking admission in Pennsylvania may sit for ...

  6. LibGuides: Bar Exam & MPRE Resource Guide : Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    Structure of the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. The first day of the examination consists of one Performance Test (PT) question and six essay questions that are prepared by the examiners and approved by the Board. The second day of the examination is the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). Additional Information.

  7. The Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    The Pennsylvania Bar Exam. Get ready for the 2024 Pennsylvania Bar Exam. Learn exam dates, costs, scores, pass rates, results, requirements, subjects, and practice with sample questions. Try MBE Sample Questions. The Pennsylvania Bar Exam adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE®) in July 2022. The UBE is divided into three sections—the Multistate ...

  8. The Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    Pennsylvania administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) that consists of three parts: the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). The exam is scheduled biannually on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. The MPT and MEE occur on Tuesday; the MBE occurs on Wednesday.

  9. Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    Pa.B.A.R. 205 - Admission of Foreign Attorneys and Graduates of Foreign Institutions; Application for Permission to Sit for the Pennsylvania Bar Examination and for Character and Fitness Determination under Pa.B.A.R. 203/205. Application deadlines and filing fees for the bar exam. The following deadlines are POSTMARK deadlines.

  10. Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    Find important Pennsylvania Bar Exam information such as dates, subjects, scoring, and, reciprocity. ... Pennsylvania Bar Exam information is subject to change without notice. ... (UBE). Day 1 . Six 30-minute Multistate Essay Exam questions and two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test questions. Day 2 . Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200 ...

  11. Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    General details and passing standards for the Pennsylvania bar exam may be found online. Pennsylvania Bar Exam Schedule: Day 1: 2 Performance Test (PT) questions & 6 MEE essays. Day 2: MBE, 6 hours. The essay and PT portions of the Pennsylvania bar exam are 55% of your total bar exam score and tests the following subjects:

  12. Pennsylvania Bar Exam Information and Details

    Pennsylvania Bar Exam (UBE) details. A typical Pennsylvania Bar Exam is a 2-day Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) Pennsylvania Bar Exam information is subject to change without notice. Please verify details with the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners. Please also reference the NCBE Covid-19 updates page for NCBE updates and individual jurisdiction ...

  13. Pennsylvania Bar Exam Information

    Exam Dates: Feb 21-22, 2023 & July 25-26 2023. Exam Type: 2-day Uniform Bar Exam. Location: Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA. Application Fee: $650. On-motion Application Fee:

  14. A Look at the Pennsylvania Bar Exam

    The components of the Pennsylvania Bar Exam are weighted as follows: MBE 45%, Essays 44%, PT 11%. Grading of the essays focuses on issue spotting, the quality of discussion, application of law to facts, and logical reasoning to reach a conclusion, rather than on the correctness of the conclusion. After each administration, the essay questions ...

  15. MEE Subject Breakdown: Frequency and Highly-Tested Topics

    The Multistate Essay Examination (MEE®) is the essay component of the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE®). Your MEE score comprises 30% of your total UBE score. It consists of six 30-minute essays administered over 3 hours on the first day of the bar exam. Examinees must demonstrate an understanding of fundamental legal principles, communicate efficiently in writing, and apply legal reasoning and ...

  16. UBE Essay Frequency Chart

    Subjects tested on the Essay Portion of the Uniform Bar Exam. For the essay portion, you will have six questions to answer in three hours (so 30 minutes/question). the Uniform Bar Exam tests the same subjects that the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) tests. (The Multistate Essay Exam is a six-question exam used by Uniform Bar Exam states as well as ...

  17. LibGuides: Bar Exam Resources: Past Bar Exams

    Patent Bar Exam Information. Annual Compilation of Bar Examination Questions & Answers. Call Number: KF303.I57. Essay questions and answers from selected states published twice a year. Delaware Bar Examinations. Call Number: KFD76.D4. Delaware essay and professional conduct questions and answers. Patent Agent's Exam. Call Number: KF3165.Z9 P38.

  18. Pennsylvania

    a scaled score of 272 on the combined essay, Professional Test (PT), and Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) portions of the bar exam; Foreign attorneys are subject to the requirements above, plus: member in good standing of the bar of another country or state; practicing in that other country or state for 5 of the last 8 years

  19. PDF Pennsylvania Bar Exam Information

    The Pennsylvania bar exam is a two-day exam. Pennsylvania has not adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). Day 1: Six essay questions developed by the Pennsylvania board and the Performance Test (PT) developed by the Pennsylvania board. Day 2: Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a six-hour, 200-question, multiple-choice exam. Subjects Tested Pennsylvania ...

  20. Pennsylvania Essay Master Course Information

    The Pennsylvania outline book contains outlines for all non-Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) subjects testable on the essay portion of the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. It also contains essay testing supplements for the MBE subjects. This book, along with the MBE course, contain the law you need to know in order to pass the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. The focus ...

  21. The Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners

    The Board of Law Examiners is empowered by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to recommend for admission only those individuals who have demonstrated the minimum competency and requisite character necessary to become a member of the bar of this Commonwealth. This mission preserves the integrity of the legal system, and protects all individuals seeking legal representation from unethical or ...

  22. Pennsylvania Bar Exam Information

    Pennsylvania Bar Exam Dates. 2014: February 25-26; July 29-30: Pennsylvania Bar Exam Format . The Pennsylvania bar exam is administered two times each year -- on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July.