All but a handful of states require that you pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) before joining the legal profession. As a law student, you know that preparing for any test involves a lot of study and, wherever possible, a class that can help get you up to speed on a complicated topic. Fortunately, there are a lot of options. The following article provides an overview of some prominent MPRE review courses.
What Is the MPRE?
The MPRE is a two-hour legal ethics exam with 60 multiple-choice questions that test law students on the American Bar Association (ABA)'s Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Like the bar exam, the MPRE includes ten unscored questions. But of course, there's no way to know which questions are just being tested out.
All U.S. jurisdictions except Wisconsin and Puerto Rico require you to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam for admission to the state bar. Each jurisdiction chooses its own passing score, but they are usually between 75 and 86.
The MPRE is offered in March, August, and November each year. Unlike the bar exam, you can take the MPRE test before you graduate from law school. If your program requires an ethics course (most do), consider taking the MPRE as soon as possible after completing that course. That way, the rules are fresh in your mind.
You can also improve your chances for a passing score by completing an MPRE prep course. You'll find more information about various courses below.
MPRE Review Courses
The following are MPRE review courses offered throughout the country. In addition to these resources, there may be local MPRE prep course providers that offer different materials or services.
Many MPRE prep programs are free. Most companies that sell bar review courses will offer free MPRE materials as a marketing ploy for students to try their products. You could even try different MPRE practice tests as a cheap opportunity to learn which bar review provider is right for you while also getting valuable MPRE preparation.
Some of the most popular free MPRE review courses include:
National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
The NCBE website is a good place to start your search for MPRE study materials. After all, they are responsible for developing the MPRE. The organization offers free sample test questions, some limited free study materials, and an online practice exam for $60 that mimics the real MPRE.
BarBri's free MPRE review program promises to deliver detailed, current, and timely information to prepare you for the exam. The course includes lectures, study guides, and practice questions.
Kaplan offers a free MPRE course online, or you can get a hard copy of the textbook for $15. They provide a 300+ page downloadable document with outlines, course materials, recorded lectures, MPRE practice questions, and flashcards.
Pieper's free course materials include outlines, practice questions, simulated exams, and a focus on mnemonic devices to help remember key concepts. If you live in New York, you can attend free live lectures, or you can watch their video lectures on demand.
Quimbee's MPRE course provides daily tasks, video lessons, and two diagnostic exams that simulate the real MPRE.
Themis offers a free MPRE review course with over 200 practice questions, model answers, and explanations. The course also provides outlines to help guide your study.
More Resources for Law School Success
The MPRE is just a small part of the process that takes you from law student to practicing attorney. Along the way, you'll have questions about law school clinics, moot court competitions, bar exam study, finding your first job, and much more. Resources to help you make wise decisions can be found throughout FindLaw's Law Students section.