Bar Exams
To become a practicing attorney, there are several steps you must take in addition to earning your JD Degree. Details of each will follow:
- Pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam(MPRE)
- Pass a Character and Fitness Investigation
- Pass a State Jurisdiction Exam if applicable
- Pass the Bar Exam
The MPRE is a 125-minute, 60-question multiple-choice exam on the rules of professional responsibility and is required for admission to the bar in the majority of jurisdictions. It is given three times a year (March, August, and November) and is typically taken while a law student. Check with the board of bar examiners about their rules as some states require a passing score prior to sitting for the bar exam. While the completion of an ethics course is often not required, many students prefer to have taken such a class prior to taking the MPRE.
Committees on Character and Fitness in all jurisdictions conduct a background investigation on each applicant for admission to the bar. In most states, completing a character and fitness questionnaire is part of the application to sit for the bar exam. However, some states require this information in a separate application, some as early as your 2L year. The particulars vary, but in general, applicants are asked to provide detailed information about such matters as educational background; any disciplinary actions taken against them while enrolled in any school; employment history; charges of dishonesty during employment; employment discharges; involvement in any civil, quasi-criminal or criminal proceedings; credit history; and motor vehicle violations.
It is absolutely essential that applicants answer all questions in the Character and Fitness inquiry honestly and completely. If there is any doubt whatsoever as to whether disclosure of a given matter is called for, applicants are well-advised to err on the side of disclosure. Although there are some matters that may adversely affect licensing, often failure to disclose information will yield a more serious outcome than the underlying matter would have produced had the applicant disclosed it. Students with questions should contact the Assistant Director of Bar Success & Academic Excellence or the Associate Dean for Student Life & Academic Services.
Sometimes a question can arise as to whether information gleaned during a Character and Fitness inquiry is fully consistent with information reported by the student on the application for admission to the Law School, or as to whether the student has adequately informed the Law School of subsequent developments in the areas inquired about on the application. Any inconsistency between information obtained during a Character and Fitness inquiry and that which the student has reported to the Law School is likely to be taken very seriously by examining authorities. If students need to make an amendment to their WashU Law application, contact Elizabeth Walsh, Associate Dean for Student Life & Academic Services, explain the details of the amendment along with why you didn’t disclose this information in your application. Additionally, provide any relevant supporting documentation.
To obtain a license to practice law, you must apply for bar admission through the specific board of bar/law examiners in the jurisdiction where you intend to practice. The bar exam is offered in February and July in almost every jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction has its own rules, procedures, and deadlines to follow in order to take the exam and gain admission. Most bar application deadlines will occur during your final year of law school.
It is your responsibility to contact the board of bar examiners in the jurisdiction where you intend to practice in order to obtain specific information about the exam format, fees, deadlines, and applications. The National Conference of Bar Examiners website has links to all of the bar admission requirements. A comprehensive guide to the bar application process is available from NCBEX. You should familiarize yourself with the rules of the jurisdiction(s) where you intend or think you may want to practice. Failure to obtain this information far in advance of graduation may unnecessarily delay your admission to the bar.
Most jurisdictions have adopted and administer the Uniform Bar Examination (“Legacy UBE”), which tests uniform principles of law. Lasting 2 days, the Legacy UBE consists of:
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE)- a six-hour, 200-question, multiple-choice examination covering Contracts, Torts, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedure, Civil Procedure, Evidence, and Real Property.
- Multistate Essay Exam (MEE)- a three-hour, six-question essay examination covering MBE subjects and Business Associations.
- Multistate Performance Test (MPT)- two 90-minute skills questions covering legal analysis, fact analysis, problem solving, resolution of ethical dilemmas, organization and management of a lawyering task, and communications.
It is your responsibility to contact the board of bar examiners in the jurisdiction where you intend to practice in order to obtain specific information about the exam format, fees, deadlines, and applications. The National Conference of Bar Examiners website has links to all of the bar admission requirements. A comprehensive guide to the bar application process is available from NCBEX. You should familiarize yourself with the rules of the jurisdiction(s) where you intend or think you may want to practice. Failure to obtain this information far in advance of graduation may unnecessarily delay your admission to the bar.
Beginning in 2026, some states will be administering the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam (“NextGen UBE”). Exam details are below:
- Format: 9 hours over 1.5 days.
- Delivery: Computer-based, using NCBE’s secure testing browser on examinee laptops at jurisdiction-managed sites.
- Subjects Tested: Business associations, civil procedure, constitutional law, contract law, criminal law, evidence, real property, and torts.*
- Skills Assessed: Legal research, legal writing, issue spotting and analysis, investigation and evaluation, client counseling and advising, negotiation and dispute resolution, and client relationship and management.
- Question Formats: Multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets (simulating real-world legal tasks), and performance tasks.
*starting in 2028, family law will be included in the subjects tested.
Some implementation dates for the NextGen UBE are set forth below:
Missouri:
Final administration of the Legacy UBE: February 2026
First administration of the NextGen UBE: July 2026
Illinois:
Final administration of the Legacy UBE: July 2027
First administration of the NextGen UBE: February 2028
New York:
Final administration of the Legacy UBE: February 2028
First administration of the NextGen UBE: July 2028
Texas:
Final administration of the Legacy UBE: February 2028
First administration of the NextGen UBE: July 2028
Washington D.C.:
Final administration of the Legacy UBE: July 2027
First administration of the NextGen UBE: February 2028. Regardless of which bar exam you will take, we encourage you to meet with WashU Law’s Assistant Director of Bar Success & Academic Excellence for additional information and guidance.
In addition to the bar exam and to be admitted to the bar, jurisdictions may test applicants over specific state subjects. For example, in Missouri, it is the MECT – Missouri Educational Component Test, and in New York it is the NYLE – New York Law Exam. The state-specific websites will provide information about any requirement including the time parameters in which it must be completed.
Because of the amount of material covered on the bar exam, you are strongly encouraged to use a commercial bar preparation course for your bar study. You are encouraged to determine which course is best for you by watching the informational videos provided by the companies, and speaking with alumni and bar review representatives, as well as your employer.
- Bar Forms
If you need a form completed that requires the signature from the Dean or the Registrar, email it to the Law School’s Academic Services, or bring it by the Office of Student Life (Room 210). Do not wait until the last minute. It takes many business days to process these forms and return them to the applicable jurisdiction.
- Boards of Law Examiners Information Sessions
Each year, members of the Boards of Law Examiners from several jurisdictions (including DC, IL, MO, TX and NY) will present information about their specific state bar requirements, character and fitness, expenses, and more. They are also available to answer student questions and attendance is strongly encouraged.
- Fingerprinting
Many jurisdictions require fingerprinting. WashU Police provides a free fingerprinting service if digital fingerprints are not required. Many students have used IdentoGO which provides digital fingerprinting services for a fee. Check with your jurisdiction to see what type of fingerprints you are required to submit.
- Strategy Meetings
Every 3L will be required to meet with the Assistant Director of Bar Success & Academic Excellence during their 3L year. In this meeting, information and resources will be provided, and strategies on where a student should take the bar will be developed.
- Transcripts
To sit for the bar, jurisdictions will require a transcript showing proof of your JD Degree. Transcripts are obtained by the student through the Office of the University Registrar for a small fee.
Note: a HOLD will be placed on your application or transcript if you have any outstanding fines or financial obligations pending. Contact the university’s Accounting Office to clear up any financial discrepancies.
Unless an exception is granted by the Vice Dean’s office, all grades must be entered by the Office of Student Life before a student can be certified to take the Bar Examination.