Suffolk Law - 2019 AJD New Student Information Guide

BAR INFORMATION

Multistate Performance Test (MPT)

Thirty-nine jurisdictions, but not Massachusetts, require the MPT which tests fundamental lawyering skills in a realistic situation by requiring students to draft a legal document such as an objective memorandum or a persuasive brief.

It’s a 90-minute to three-hour exam (depending on the state) and is administered the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in February and July, the same week as the rest of the bar exam.

States requiring the MPT of bar candidates include Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and, as of 2014, Connecticut.

Suffolk offers a two-day MPT Review each spring, taught by James Janda, Director of Bar Preparation Programs.

http://www.ncbex.org/about-ncbe-exams/mpre/

Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam

Successful completion of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is required in some states in addition to the bar exam. Testing dates for the MPRE occur in March, August, and November each year. Registration is required about two months in advance. Applications for the MPRE are available at http://www.ncbex.org/about-ncbe-exams/mpre/

It’s a 60-question, 2-hour, multiple-choice exam, prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners to test knowledge of how lawyers should behave, including the ABA’s rules of professional conduct .

The MPRE may be scheduled anytime in law school, but students are advised to do the MPRE early. They also are advised to first take Professional Responsibility.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts requires the MPRE be passed prior to application to the Massachusetts Bar. The minimum passing score for the MPRE for students taking the Mass Bar Exam is 85.

Other States

Each student should inquire in the jurisdiction in which he or she plans to take the bar for specific MPRE requirements. Students may inquire directly at the National Conference of Bar Examiners at www.ncbex.org

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