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Utah Bar Admissions

UTAH STATE BAR Bar Operations & Admissions
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About the Bar Exam

EXAM FORMAT

 

Utah has adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) coordinated by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). The Utah Bar Examination is a two-day examination, consisting of a one-day written component and a one-day Multistate Bar Examination (“MBE”) component. The test time allotted to the written component is six hours, and the time allotted to the MBE component is also six hours.

The Written Component. 

The written component is administered on the first day. It consists of 6 Multistate Essay Examination (“MEE”) questions and 2 Multistate Performance Test (“MPT”) questions. The 6 MEE questions will be administered in a three-hour session in the morning. The 2 MPT questions will be administered in a three-hour session in the afternoon. 

  1. MEEs. There are 6 MEE questions. Applicants will have 30 minutes to answer each MEE question. Each MEE question is taken from one or more of the following twelve subject areas:
    1. Business Associations (Agency and Partnerships; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies)
    2. Conflicts of Law
    3. Constitutional Law
    4. Contracts and Sales (UCC Article 2)
    5. Criminal Law and Procedure
    6. Evidence
    7. Family Law
    8. Federal Civil Procedure
    9. Real Property
    10. Torts
    11. Wills, Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates; Trusts and Future Interests)
    12. Secured Transactions (UCC Article 9)

 

For more information regarding the MEE, please visit the NCBE website.

  1. MPTs. There are 2 MPT questions on the Bar Exam. Applicants will have three hours to answer the 2 MPT questions. MPT questions are prepared by the NCBE will be given the same weight as two essays. The MPT examines seven fundamental lawyering skills that are required for the performance of many lawyering tasks. These skills include:
    1. Problem Solving
    2. Factual Analysis
    3. Legal Analysis
    4. Reasoning
    5. Written Communication
    6. Organization and management of a legal task
    7. Recognizing and resolving ethical dilemmas

For more information regarding the MPT, please visit the NCBE website.

The Multistate Bar Examination Component. 

The Multistate Bar Examination (“MBE”) is a national test prepared by the NCBE and is given on the second day of the Bar Exam. The test consists of 200 multiple-choice questions. The first 100 MBE questions will be administered in a three-hour session in the morning. The final 100 MBE questions will be administered in a three-hour session in the afternoon. The following subjects are tested:

  1. Civil Procedure
  2. Constitutional Law
  3. Contracts
  4. Criminal Law
  5. Evidence
  6. Real Property
  7. Torts

For more information on the MBE, please visit the NCBE website. 

 

SCORING

The raw scores from the written portion and the MBE portion of the examination will be converted to a scaled score. The maximum possible scaled score on each component of the test is 200 points. The MBE scaled score and the written scaled score are added together, resulting in a total combined scaled score or UBE score. An Applicant must receive a total combined scaled score of 260 to pass the Utah Bar Examination. Please see Rule 14-711 Grading and passing the Bar Examination for more information.

 

UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

A failing Applicant is entitled to examine his or her answers to the written portion of the examination. You may do so by sending a written request (email will suffice) to the Admissions Office with a $25 fee. The $25 fee must be paid online. Please see Rule 14-714.

Examinations shall be retained for not less than six months after the date that examination results have been announced.

Applicants who wish to retake the Utah State Bar examination immediately following the failed exam must file a Reapplication with the necessary fees and documentation by the retake deadline.

If it has been more than two years since the original application was filed, a complete Application must be completed instead of the Reapplication.

The retake deadline will be approximately 3 weeks after the results are released. An exact date will be provided in the results letter. For Applicants who apply to retake a later exam, normal deadlines and late fees apply.

 

STUDY HELPS

The Utah State Bar does not endorse any provider of Bar review courses.

Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), and Multistate Performance Test (MPT) Information Booklets may be downloaded from the NCBE website. MEE and MPT Questions and Analysis from previous examinations are also available.

 

 

LAPTOP COMPUTERS REQUIRED

All applicants are required to take the exam on their personal laptop computer and to pay the non-refundable $200 fee. The fee covers the software license, technical support, the site technician, power costs, and administrative costs. You will not be entitled to a refund of the computer fee in the event you experience technical difficulties, fail to attend the Bar exam, withdraw, transfer or are disqualified by the Board for any reason.

Visit ExamSoft to learn more about system requirements for laptops. Please be aware that smart phones and tablet devices (such as an iPad), cannot be used on the Bar examination.

Enrollment and software pre-installation is required to take the examination on your computer. Instructions on mandatory procedures and deadlines will be emailed at the beginning of the enrollment window. This is generally 5-7 weeks prior to the exam date. When you receive these instructions be certain to read and follow them carefully. Even if you have previously taken law school or state bar examinations using ExamSoft products, you must still complete the enrollment process.

The Utah State Bar assumes no responsibility for power or equipment failure or for technical difficulties encountered while using the software. If any of the above should occur during the examination and you are unable to continue the exam on your laptop, you must be prepared to continue the examination by handwriting.

 

RESTRICTION OF PERSONAL ITEMS DURING IN-PERSON EXAM

Personal items are prohibited from the testing area. More detailed information will be forwarded one month prior to the examination.

Restrooms and drinking fountains will be accessible during the examination with proctor surveillance. Tissues will be available in the exam room. One pair of earplugs will be provided each day of the exam.

Applicants with a medical condition that necessitates bringing medication, food, or special equipment (e.g., inhaler, insulin pump, lactation pump, etc.) into the exam room must complete the Courtesy Provisions for Health-Related Conditions form and email to Admissions at admissions@utahbar.org. Please be sure to follow up with Admissions on any request.

Use of specially designed chairs, footstools, podiums, or other types of personal equipment are restricted. If such equipment is necessary for the purpose of relieving some physical disability or impairment, you must complete a Courtesy Provisions for Health-Related Conditions form.