Tag: MPRE

You, Me, and the MPRE: 2021 Dates and Deadlines

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Written by: Scot Goins, Director of Academic Achievement and Bar Success

One of the key things discussed in our original You, Me, and the MPRE series is the importance of allocating a proper amount of time to study for the MPRE exam. Of course, how can anyone plan accordingly if they don’t have the dates and deadlines?

No worries, as the information for the MPRE dates and deadlines for the 2021 administrations are available now at https://www.ncbex.org/exams/mpre/registration/, and you can learn about them below.

As a brief overview of the dates and deadlines, this year there will be six total administrations of the MPRE, however unlike last year, these dates will be grouped in three back-to-back dates (you’ll only take the exam on one of the six dates). Remember to ensure that you know the registration deadline for the administration that you want to take. Also, it is important to note that there is a difference between the registration deadlines and the recommended accommodation deadlines, so you will want to make sure to pay close attention to both if you intend to apply for accommodations.

The first administration of the 2021 MPRE will take place on March 29th or 30th, and the deadline for registration is January 28, 2021. If you are seeking accommodations, it is recommended that you submit those requests no later than January 4, 2021.

The next administration of the 2021 MPRE will take place on August 11th or 12th, and the deadline for registration for this exam is June 10, 2021. If you are seeking accommodations, remember that it is recommended that you submit those requests no later than May 4, 2021.

Your final opportunity to take the 2021 MPRE will occur on November 4th or 5th, and the deadline for registration for this administration is September 17, 2021. The recommended submission date for those seeking accommodations is August 2, 2021.

Remember, that the MPRE score requirement in Georgia is 75 (if you are intending to become licensed in a different jurisdiction you can find your specific requirements here). Regardless of where you intend to practice or what score you require, putting in the proper amount of study and utilizing the correct resources are both key to your success.

If you are looking for advice on how to be successful on the MPRE exam, including information about the content, free resources, and studying advice, check out our You, Me, and the MPRE series.

You, Me, and the MPRE – Part 4

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

MPRE Study Timelines and Review Strategies

Part 4

Written by: Scot Goins, Director of Academic Achievement and Bar Success

In the previous parts of this MPRE series, we have had an introduction to the MPRE, looked at the 5 W’s, reviewed the four free recommended resources, and generally gotten a good sense of what you will need to know to attain the score you need in your relevant jurisdiction. In Part 4 of the series, we will bring it all together and discuss study timelines and review strategies.

MPRE Study Timelines

The typical ‘how long should I study for?’ questions that arise around the MPRE are nothing new. Generally, as I have mentioned previously, students tend to both overlook the importance of studying for the MPRE and the time requirements that success on this exam takes. Furthermore, almost everyone has heard a rumor of someone who studied for a day or two, or didn’t study at all. Some students believe that completing a professional responsibility course during law school is all that they need, while others erroneously believe that their own personal ethics and morals are enough to guide them.

All of this brings us back to the original question asked, and that is how long should you study for this exam? The answer, like so many things in law school, is that it depends on a variety of factors:

  1. Professional Responsibility Class (PR): The first thing to consider is whether or not you have taken a PR class? If you have not, or if your class was more focused on case law than the model rules and code referenced in Parts 2 and 3 of this series, then you will want to schedule additional time to give yourself time to get familiar with these resources.
  2. Standardized Test-Taking Skills: Are you a good standardized test taker? Do you normally do well on multiple-choice style exams? If the answer to either of these questions is no, then you will want to give yourself additional study time.
  3. Pass Urgency: Given various timelines and the requirements by almost all jurisdictions to obtain a passing score on the MPRE, the closer you get to your required deadline, the more urgent it is to obtain a passing score on the next administration of the exam. If you want to ensure that you pass on the next administration, you must give yourself adequate time.
  4. What Else Is Going On?: Take a look at your life, be it socially, academically, professionally, or any other area that requires your time and attention. Are you going to be busy? Can you afford to allocate enough hours to the MPRE and take focus away from these other areas, or do you have less available time to devote to this exam? Understanding your various time commitments can help you get a head start on your studying and ensure you put yourself in a position to experience success.
  5. Failure to Pass the MPRE Previously: This one should seem obvious, but if you have previously failed the MPRE, then you need to make sure that your next attempt is successful. If you look back on your previous attempt, almost always you will find that you didn’t allocate enough time to your studies. Plan to do things differently this time.

Keeping those five factors in mind, my generally recommended study time is a minimum of 40 hours to guarantee success. This obviously can vary individual to individual, but allocating a minimum 40 hours to this process will put you in the best place for success. This breaks down as follows:

  • 12 hours of commercial bar vendor MPRE course videos
  • 15 hours of practice tests (minimum 4) and review of these tests
  • 8 hours of outline and notes review (provided by commercial bar vendor)
  • 5 hours of model rule and code review (including focus on comments)

Individuals will vary, so if either of the five factors above are an issue for you, it is likely that you will want to devote additional hours to each of these areas to maximize your chance for success. You can break this down however you like, but I would recommend a minimum of two weeks of study at 20 hours a week, up to a maximum of 4-6 weeks (allocating the appropriate hours for your needs). Creating a plan for your studies in alignment with the aforementioned factors and the review strategies that follow will put you in a position to succeed. Remember that a failure to plan is a plan for failure, so make sure you plan!

Review Strategies

As indicated in the previous section, I generally breakdown MPRE study into 4 component parts, and my review strategies align with those.

  1. Commercial Bar Vendor MPRE Course Videos (12 hours): These courses provide lecture-style videos and accompanying notes that will cover the most heavily tested topics on the exam. Watch them at least once, and you may want to re-watch any heavily tested area or areas that you struggle with.
  1. Practice Tests and Review (15 hours): Much like the bar exam itself, all of the knowledge in the world is useless if you cannot apply it, and the MPRE is no different. Not only will practicing help you get a sense for what will be on the exam, but it will also help you to apply the knowledge you have learned and also to identify any gaps in that knowledge. A careful review of the answers and explanations will assist you in focusing your review, and also help you to understand the distinctions and nuances that will help you correctly identify the right answer.
  1. Outline and Notes Review: This goes hand-in-hand with strategies 1 and 2. It isn’t enough to mindlessly read outlines, but rather you need to engage with the material. By watching lectures and taking practice tests, you will enhance your review of the material by allowing yourself to focus on shoring up your weaknesses and building upon your strengths. Identifying where you need work, researching nuances, and clearly understanding distinctions will help you be successful. Lastly, it is important to firmly establish an understanding of the outline material, which will cover most of what appears on the exam.
  1. Model Rules, Code, and Commentary Review: This is what I like to call low-hanging fruit that is often overlooked. The vast majority of the MPRE comes from the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Thus, it only makes sense to spend some time reviewing the heavily-tested areas at the least, and also to focus on the commentary in those areas. When you take your practice exams, you will develop a sense of where to focus, and you can also refer back to Part 2 of this series. Remember, the commentary provides insight on how to deal with potential problem areas, insight into the mindsets of the drafters, and generally will be beneficial to study.

Conclusion

If you have explored the MPRE series in its entirety, then you will find yourself well-situated to be successful on this important exam. Remember, however, that merely reading through this and gaining the knowledge of how to be successful is not enough. You have to take this information and apply it to your life, your approach, and your studies. If you do that, and invest the time into obtaining new knowledge, enhancing your understanding, taking practice tests, and reviewing the materials appropriately, you will be successful on the MPRE. 

Good luck and best wishes!

 

You, Me, and the MPRE – Part 3

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

MPRE Resources

Part 3

Written by: Scot Goins, Director of Academic Achievement and Bar Success

After introducing you to the MPRE, in Part 1 of this MPRE series we partook in a high level overview of the exam. In Part 2, we reviewed what subjects are tested. Today, in Part 3, we will take a look at some available resources that will enable you to successfully pass the exam.

First and foremost, I DO NOT recommend attempting to study for the MPRE on your own utilizing case books, law school outlines from professional responsibility courses, or just by heading to the library and looking up various items. The resources I list, especially in #1 below, provide a comprehensive overview of everything you need for the exam. These resources are FREE, and you should take advantage of them.

Before delving into the resources themselves, I want to provide a caveat about certain resources available on the internet that are available for you to buy. In most cases, for most people studying for the exam, there is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED to purchase any resources. There are so many options that are free that it sometimes can lead takers to think that they need to buy something additional to get an edge. This is especially true of that minority of students that fail the exam, although as you will see in Part 4 of this series, it most often is not the lack of adequate materials to prepare for the exam, but is instead a lack of preparation that leads people to fail to meet their jurisdictions requirements for passing. All of that said, there may be some examinees who struggle with certain materials, timing, test-taking skills, or other issues. These takers may benefit from tutoring or other options, but it should not be your automatic default option until you have utilized all of the other free resources available, and it is unlikely a first-time taker will need anything beyond these resources. A taker who has been unsuccessful multiple times may want to consider additional resources or engaging a tutor to work on strategies and mindset.

Now, let’s take a look at my top recommended free resources:

#1 Recommended Resource: Commercial Bar Vendor MPRE Course *MOST IMPORTANT*

It may surprise you to learn that most commercial bar vendors offer free MPRE courses. After all, the cost of a commercial bar course can be quite expensive. However, if you approach this from a logical perspective, you will quickly understand why a commercial bar vendor offers a free MPRE course.

If you are preparing to take the bar exam with such a course, how will you ever know anything beyond the marketing about any of these commercial courses? Attending a tabling session (in today’s world often virtual), a course demonstration, or talking with those who have previously taken an exam can be helpful, but the only real way to get an effective feel for the courses is to get some firsthand knowledge and experience. Since the MPRE is sometimes considered the ‘baby-bar’ by many, it makes sense to get exposure to bar vendors’ offerings through their MPRE course. Therefore, these companies generally offer a free course to allow students to experience their systems, methods, and interfaces, with the eventual hope that a student will select them for their bar preparation down the road. Additionally, since the MPRE administered does not vary state-by-state, and is instead uniform across the jurisdictions regardless of passing score requirements, an excellent MPRE course is a relatively inexpensive product that serves as both a study aid and a marketing tool for these companies.

My personal favorite free MPRE course is offered by Kaplan Bar Review, and when I last took the exam, this is what I utilized to attain one of the highest national scores (top 10%). I found the lectures, notes, outline book, practice questions, and practice exams left me more than prepared for the MPRE, to the point where I felt extremely comfortable during the exam.

I also really like BARBRI’s free MPRE course, and have also used it successfully in the past. (NOTE: MPRE scores expire over time, so you may find yourself taking this exam more than once if you move around or decide to change jurisdictions before meeting certain requirements). I’ve also reviewed BARBRI’s materials more recently, and would echo what I said about Kaplan Bar Review in that the BARBRI course will also leave you more than prepared for the exam.

Themis Bar Review (part of what I consider the ‘Big 3’ in terms of commercial vendors currently) also offers an excellent free MPRE course. Although my personal experience is not on the same level with this product, I have reviewed many of the materials and believe that this course will also provide more than adequate materials for any examinee to be successful.

There are other quality free resources from other bar vendors out there, but my personal experience with them is limited. The three aforementioned are ones that I feel comfortable recommending to anyone.

#2 Recommended Resource: The Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the Model Code of Judicial Conduct 

As I referenced in Part 2 of this MPRE series, the model rules and code are heavily tested on the exam, and although a commercial bar vendor’s offerings are generally sufficient for passing this exam, you can assuredly improve your score by studying both the model rules and code. The more heavily tested an area is on the exam (also explained in Part 2 of this series), the more time you may want to invest in reviewing that area in the model rules and code. Additionally, and perhaps the thing you can do to increase your score the most, I strongly encourage you to read the comments on specific rules. Not only will this help you gain a deeper understanding of any rules, but it will also help you to understand the mindsets behind the rules, likely leading you to get more items on the exam itself correct.

You can find the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct here and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct here.

#3 Recommended Resource: NCBE MPRE Sample Questions and Answers

The NCBE has released sample questions (and answers) to help examinees develop a sense for what will be on the actual MPRE. You can find these sample MPRE questions and answers here. It makes sense to take a look at what the folks who design the exam put out. It should also be noted that the NCBE does offer other materials for purchase, but as I stated above, it is my personal belief and opinion that the vast majority of examinees do not need to spend money on preparation materials.

#4 Recommended Resource: Your Law School’s Academic Achievement, Success, and/or Bar Prep Programs

In the modern era, a large portion of schools have administrators, staff, professors, and/or other professionals who are dedicated to helping students be successful achieving certain milestones on their journeys to becoming lawyers. Although these programs are often focused on either academic programs and support or bar exam success, often they will also have individuals who are more than happy to assist you with advice and guidance on preparing for the MPRE. Here at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, the Office of Academic Achievement and Bar Success provides our students with such support. However, if you are a student or an alumnus of a different law school, I highly encourage you to reach out to similar offices at your respective law school.

If you utilize the four recommended MPRE resources that I have identified, in conjunction with the study timelines and review strategies in Part 4 of this MPRE Series, you will be well prepared for success on the exam. Remember to check out Part 4: MPRE Study Timelines and Review Strategies to see the final part in the series that will help you to achieve the results you want.

 

You, Me, and the MPRE – Part 2

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

What Is Tested on the MPRE?

Part 2

Written by: Scot Goins, Director of Academic Achievement and Bar Success

In Part 1 of this 4-part series, we took a high-level look at the MPRE, reviewing the exam basics and the requirements to achieve a passing score. In Part 2, we will dive deeper into the content of the exam, and review how the exam breaks down into its component parts in order to help guide your studies. The percentages indicated are general guidelines, but remember that specific administrations can vary slightly.

A good starting place to reviewing what is tested on the MPRE comes from the NCBE which states that the exam ‘is based on the law governing the conduct and discipline of lawyers and judges, including the disciplinary rules of professional conduct currently articulated in the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, and controlling constitutional decisions and generally accepted principles established in leading federal and state cases and in procedural and evidentiary rules.’

One question that arises for exam takers is ‘what about changes to either the model rules or the model code?’ The good news is that any amendments won’t be reflected on the MPRE any earlier than one year after the amendments receive approval by the ABA. The bad news is that you have to keep in mind that any such rules or code that are amended may be tested by questions that reflect the aforementioned prior to being amended. It behooves an examinee to review any amendments by visiting the respective ABA sites referenced previously, just to make sure that one is aware of any potential changes that may be ripe for testing (or alternatively, that will not be ripe for testing and require adherence to rules or code that exists in its pre-amended form).

It should be noted that the NCBE states that questions outside of the conduct or disciplinary context are designed to measure an exam taker’s understanding of the generally accepted rules, principles, and common law regulating the legal profession in the United States and apply the majority view of cases, statutes, or regulations on the subject. To the extent that questions of professional responsibility arise in the context of procedural or evidentiary issues, such as the availability of litigation sanctions or the scope of the attorney-client evidentiary privilege, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence will apply, unless otherwise stated. As a general rule, particular local statutes or rules of court will not be tested on the MPRE; however, a specific question may include the text of a local statute or rule that must be considered when answering that question.’

Before we breakdown the MPRE based on this extremely helpful subject outline that the NCBE provides (which is a one-page summary overview of the exam that is helpful to review on a daily basis), there is an additional document that the NCBE provides. This helpful review tool for the MPRE relates to important distinctions regarding what I refer to as ‘may versus must’ and ‘should versus shall’ language distinctions. Much of the language in the rules and code has important modifiers, and this is an opportune time to conduct a highly encouraged review of the key words and phrases document that the NCBE provides for MPRE takers.

Without further ado, let’s examine the 12 MPRE topics prevalence breakdown: 

  1. The Regulation of the Legal Profession (6-12%)
  2. The Client-Lawyer Relationship (10-16%) 
  3. Client Confidentiality (6-12%)
  4. Conflicts of Interest (12-18%) <Highly Tested>
  5. Competence, Legal Malpractice, and other civil liability (6-12%)
  6. Litigation and Other Forms of Advocacy (10-16%)
  7. Transactions and Communications With Persons Other Than Clients (2-8%)
  8. Different Roles of the Lawer (4-10%)
  9. Safekeeping Funds and Other Property (2-8%) <Easy area to get maximum points)
  10. Communications About Legal Services (4-10%)
  11. Lawyers’ Duties to the Public and the Legal System (2-4%)
  12. Judicial Conduct (2-8%) <In my experience, often overlooked by MPRE takers>

Although this list appears short, remember that the topics themselves are internally broad and require the appropriate time and study devoted to each. As you can see from the percentage breakdowns, there are several areas that WILL be worth 10% or more of the entire exam (the lawyer-client relationship, conflicts of interest, and litigation and other forms of advocacy). In fact, those three areas alone could potentially account for anywhere between 32-50% of the entire exam, so make sure you concentrate especially on them. However, given that there are only 50 tested questions that count towards your score, you don’t want to ignore any topical area.

Remember to checkout Part 3, where we will discuss resources for your MPRE preparation, including free MPRE courses, and also Part 4, where we will discuss study timelines and review strategies to ensure that you achieve success on the MPRE.

You, Me, and the MPRE – Part 1

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

The 5 W’s of the MPRE

Part 1

Written by: Scot Goins, Director of Academic Achievement and Bar Success

Previously, in the introduction to this MPRE series, I engaged in a brief overview of the exam, including what states require a passing score, what kind of mindsets students approach the exam with, and then provided an advance overview of what this series would cover. In this section, we cover the 5 W’s in order to get an understanding of where the MPRE comes from, the makeup of the exam, and to provide a firm foundation for Part 2, which breaks down the exam into its component parts. Remember also that Part 3 of the series will cover the resources available for MPRE preparation, and that Part 4 of the series will help review study timelines and strategies to help ensure you are successful on your first take.

Let’s now take a look at the 5 W’s of the MPRE:

Who: The MPRE is developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and (currently) is administered by Pearson Vue. Beginning in 2020, the test will be administered entirely on a digital platform, thereby removing old worries about sharpening pencils, erasure marks, and accidentally getting tears on your scantron (just kidding, it’s really not that bad!). In 2019, 54 jurisdictions required the MPRE.

Where: Test takers visit a Pearson Vue testing center (if you want to locate your nearest testing go here) to take the MPRE. 

When: Previously, the MPRE was administered on the weekend generally, but that all changed in 2020. During this calendar year, the MPRE takes place during the week and you can see that schedule here. An important thing to note about the MPRE registration deadlines is that they often occur more than a month before the exam. So, if you are thinking about registering for the March or August 2021 administrations, make sure to do well in advance. Also note that unlike 2020, there is no October administration of the exam in 2021 (instead, there will be a November administration).

Registration for the 2021 MPRE administrations opens on December 14, 2020, and is currently slated to have a fee of $135. It also appears the exam will be shifting to a two consecutive day format, unlike the staggered schedule seen in 2020.

Why: The MPRE is administered to test examinees on their knowledge and understanding of established standards and rules related to the professional conduct of lawyers. It does not test an individual to determine his or her personal ethical values and morals. Since lawyers can serve in a variety of roles, including as judges, counselors, legal advocates, and so forth, it is important to ensure that attorneys have an understanding of rules and expectations for them. The test questions generally deal with circumstances

The law governing the conduct of lawyers in these roles is applied in disciplinary and bar admission procedures, and by courts in dealing with issues of appearance, representation, privilege, disqualification, and contempt or other censure, and in lawsuits seeking to establish liability for malpractice and other civil or criminal wrongs committed by a lawyer while acting in a professional capacity.

What: The MPRE is an exam administered over two hours that consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Of these 60 questions, only 50 are actually scored, and the other 10 are considered pretest questions and are generally said to be indistinguishable from the scored questions. Your takeaway from that is simple: treat all 60 questions like they count. The scaled score that takers will receive can range from a low of 50 to a high of 150.

Scores to pass the MPRE vary based on jurisdiction. Georgia requires a minimum passing score of 75, which ties with Alabama, the District of Columbia, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Palau, and the Virgin Islands for the lowest required score for passing. In order to provide some perspective, the mean scaled score for the entire group of MPRE takers in 2019 was 94.9. Although this number is higher than Georgia’s required passing score, that does not mean that you can overlook this exam. Regardless of your intended practice state’s requirements, this is a test that you have to prepare for to be successful, and approaching it with the mindset that the average score is higher neglects the fact that about 20% of takers (almost 12,000!) fail to achieve a score of 75. Don’t be part of that group, and make sure you take this test seriously.

The majority of future examinees at this point, having reviewed the respective score required by their state, will then ask how to achieve that score. This is tough to state accurately because the NCBE equates the scores, so there is no hard and fast answer. However, you can approximate that a required score of 75 requires about 56% correct and an 85 requires about 60% correct. Remember, however, this is a statistical proximation and SHOULD NOT be the metric that you shoot for generally. Like the bar exam, the MPRE is somewhat a test of minimum competence in terms of scoring, but why risk failing by aiming low? My advice is always to put the time in to achieve the best score that you are capable of and EXCEED the minimum requirement, as opposed to aiming low and potentially falling short. Put the time in!

Remember to check out Part 2, where we will breakdown the different areas of professional responsibility that are tested on the exam. As I stated previously, this will help you focus your studies and maximize your time as you pursue attaining a passing score on the MPRE.

You, Me, and the MPRE – Introduction

Posted on by Hilary Waldo

Written by: Scot Goins, Director of Academic Achievement and Bar Success

Introduction

One of the hurdles that the vast majority of law students will face on their journeys to becoming licensed attorneys here at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (‘AJMLS’) is the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (the ‘MPRE’). In fact, unless you are intending to practice in the jurisdictions of Wisconsin or Puerto Rico, every other jurisdiction has a MPRE requirement (although it should be noted that both New Jersey and Connecticut allow law students to bypass this requirement via the successful completion of a professional ethics course in law school). However, despite the fact that almost every future lawyer will have to take this exam, it is often one of the most often overlooked and underprepared for tests that students will face. This can lead to students failing an exam that is perhaps the most straightforward and easy to prepare for exams that they will take. This failure often doesn’t serve as a long-term barrier to becoming a lawyer, but it does cause delays, anxiety, and results in costs both in dollars and time that can easily be avoided.

Given that we are a few weeks out from the October administrations of the MPRE, most students find themselves with one of three mindsets. Some students will find themselves wondering how much they need to study (if at all), and whether or not their professional responsibility class in law school or their own personal morals and ethics will be enough to carry them through. Others will have committed to a solid few days of study, likely utilizing a free MPRE course provided by a commercial vendor (recommended to use), and will just hope for the best studying when they can. Lastly, some students are full of anxiety about the MPRE and fear that no matter what they do, success may elude them on exam day.

Regardless of which mindset you have, the good news is that this series will ensure that you are on the correct path to success on the MPRE. After this introductory post, later in Part 1, we will review what the MPRE is and what score is required for your jurisdiction (here we will focus on Georgia, which is where AJMLS is located, and where the majority of our students take the bar exam). Next, in Part 2, we will breakdown the different areas of professional responsibility that are tested on the exam, in order to help you understand where to spend the majority of your study time. Then, in Part 3, we will discuss resources for your MPRE preparation, including free MPRE courses (Disclaimer: I have a favorite, but there are several nice options). Finally, in Part 4, we will review an appropriate timeline and review strategies for your studies (although individuals vary a great deal, so you may have to adjust your timeline according to your own progress).

The MPRE can be a hurdle, but the reality is that it should not be much of one. By preparing correctly, allocating adequate time for preparation, and engaging in the appropriate practice and review, this test will be one and done for you (unless you need your score later – in most jurisdictions, your MPRE score will expire after a certain amount of time). Put your time in before the test and ensure you are successful the first time you take this exam.