University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

The urban public law school with a small liberal arts feel

Missouri Bar Exam Information PowerPoint Presentation: The Missouri Bar Exam The presentation was given by the Missouri Board of Bar Examiners during the 2002-2003 academic year. Since the slides are intended to accompany an oral presentation, it is important to supplement the presentation with a review of the Board's FAQ pamphlet and Rule 8 which are available on the Board's website at www.mble.org. Fall 2005 1L PowerPoint Presentation:   .ppt .htm Fall 2003 3L PowerPoint Presentation:    .ppt .htm The discussion that follows is based on information contained in Regulation 8.08 of the Missouri Board of Law Examiners, as revised on July 3, 2001, effective August 1, 2001. Applicants should check to be sure that the information is current by clicking on the link to Rule 8 on the Bar's website at www.mble.org. The Missouri Bar Examination is given for two days on both the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. Missouri Essay Examination (MoEE) The first day of the examination is devoted to the examination given by the board (MoEE). Part of this day may include questions prepared for the Multistate Essay Examination and may cover all or some of the following subject areas: agency and partnership, contracts/sales, constitutional law, corporations, conflicts of law, criminal law and procedure, estates, evidence, family law, federal civil procedure, real property, torts, trusts and future interests, sales, commercial paper, and secured transactions. Part of this day may include questions on some or all of the following subject areas: Missouri administrative law, remedies, and Missouri civil procedure. The Board of Law Examiners provides the Missouri essay questions following each examination after the results are released. The essay questions are posted on the Board's web page at www.mble.org  under the link entitled "past exams and study aids." This web site also contains sample Missouri Essay Examination questions which were written by the Missouri Board of Bar Examiners and supplied to the School by the Board previous to August 6, 2002. They follow. Sample Missouri Essay Examination Questions Excerpts from the February 1995 MoEE Excerpts from the July 1995 MoEE Excerpts from the February 1996 MoEE Excerpts from the July 1996 MoEE Excerpts from the February 1999 MoEE Excerpts from the July 1999 MoEE Multistate Performance Test (MPT) The first day of the examination will include a performance-based question not to exceed ninety minutes in length as prepared by the National Conference of Bar examiners. This portion of the examination is designed to test an applicant's ability to use fundamental lawyering skills in a realistic situation. Each test evaluates an applicant's ability to complete a task which a beginning lawyer should be able to accomplish. It requires applicants to: (1) sort detailed factual materials and separate relevant from irrelevant facts; (2) analyze statutory, case, and administrative materials for principles of law; (3) apply the law to the relevant facts in a manner likely to resolve a client's problem; (4) identify and resolve ethical dilemmas, when present; (5) communicate effectively in writing; (6) complete a lawyering task within time constraints. Examples of tasks applicants might be instructed to complete include writing the following: A memorandum to a supervising attorney A letter to a client A persuasive memorandum or brief A statement of facts A contract provision A will A counseling plan A proposal for settlement or agreement A discovery plan A witness examination plan A closing argument On reserve in the law library, as a bar examination study reference, are sets of some previously given MPTs, including the February 2004 bar examination (Missouri administered the "State v. Miller" MPT; the other two MPTs contained in the booklet were administered in other states). Students are reminded that the National Conference of Bar Examiners holds a copyright on these materials and the materials cannot be photocopied. Students wishing to purchase MPT questions sets, should visit the Conference's web sit at www.ncbex.org  to order the materials. In addition, the Conference make be contacted at the following address: National Conference of Bar Examiners 402 W. Wilson Street Madison, WI  53703-3614 Phone: 608-280-8550 Fax: 608-280-8552 TDD: 608-661-1275 The National Conference of Bar Examiners has posted the 1997 and 1998 MPTs on its website. Point sheets describe the factual and legal points encompassed within the lawyering task to be completed by applicants for each of the tests and outline possible issues and points that might be addressed by an examinee. They may be obtained at http://www.ncbex.org Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) This portion of the examination has been developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. It consists of six to nine questions. The areas of law covered by the questions are: Agency and Partnership, Commercial Paper, Conflict of Laws, Corporations, Decedents' Estates, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Sales, Secured Transactions, and Trusts and Future Interests. Some questions include issues in more than one area of law. It requires the applicant to demonstrate an ability to communicate in writing effectively. On reserve in the law library are sets of some previously given MEEs. Sample questions may be purchased from the National Conference of Bar Examiners who may be contacted in regard to cost at: National Conference of Bar Examiners 402 W. Wilson Street Madison, WI  53703-3614 Phone: 608-280-8550 Fax: 608-280-8552 TDD: 608-661-1275 The National Conference of Bar Examiners has posted questions from the MEE and model analyses that are illustrative of the discussions that might appear in excellent answers to the questions. You may access the questions and analyses at http://www.ncbex.org./pub.htm Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) The second day of the examination is devoted to the examination commonly referred to as the "Multistate Bar Examination" prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which covers the following subjects as determined by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. • Constitutional Law • Contracts • Criminal Law and Procedure • Evidence • Real Property • Torts