Bar Exam Resources
MPT Bar Prep Course – Fall Semester Only
The MPT tests basic lawyering skills in a real-life simulation, requiring examinees to complete an activity that a new lawyer would be assigned (e.g. memo, brief, or client letter). This for-credit course focuses on reading and analyzing cases and statutes, applying legal principles to facts, and writing effective memos and briefs to help students achieve in law school and on the MPT.
Advanced Legal Reasoning Bar Prep Course – Spring Semester Only
A for-credit 3L bar prep course that gives students a head start in learning the substantive material that is tested on the bar exam, focusing on improving legal analysis skills, as well as practice with Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) subjects.
Saturday Sessions
Professor Birdsong hosts a series of virtual Saturday Sessions during the Bar Exam study period to help students with general study techniques, as well as tips and tricks for the MEE, MBE, and MPT.
Individual Tutoring
Professor Birdsong offers individual tutoring for those studying for the bar exam. Please email birdsong@smu.edu to set up an appointment.
Additional Resources
Texas now uses the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). The UBE is a 2-day test with the following components:
Day 1
Morning (3 hours) - Multistate Essay Examination (MEE). 6 essays
Afternoon (3 hours) - Multistate Performance Test tasks (MPT), 2 tasks
Day 2
Morning (3 hours) Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) – 100 multiple-choice questions
Afternoon (3 hours) MBE – 100 multiple questions
The MBE (multiple-choice section, 50% of your score) covers the following seven subjects:
• Contracts and Sales
• Constitutional Law
• Criminal Law and Procedure
• Civil Procedure
• Evidence
• Real Property
• Torts
Because all seven subjects can also appear in some capacity on the essay portion (MEE), it is critical to know these “double-tested” subjects well!
The MEE can test over the seven subjects listed above AND may test over:
• Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies),
• Conflict of Laws,
• Family Law,
• Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates; Trusts and Future Interests), and
• Uniform Commercial Code (Secured Transactions)