All but 4 jurisdictions require the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) to gain admission to the bar. Most people I’ve talked to tend to study for the MPRE the weekend before the exam or 1-2 days before. Why so little studying? The general answer I hear is “It’s an easy exam”. However, I’ve known more than just a few people who have passed the bar exam yet failed the MPRE. This is why I always recommend at least 1-2 weeks of study for the MPRE. Better safe than sorry is my philosophy.
It is not an “easy” exam. In my opinion, the questions are just as tricky as the MBE questions. Yes, it is easier than the MBE because you only have 1 subject, Professional Responsibility (PR). And PR is an easier subject than any of the 6 MBE subjects. So yes, it is easier than the MBE, but it is not “easy”. So, I always advise studying at least 40 hours for the MPRE. And be sure to do 100 or so practice questions at a minimum as well.
There are 60 questions. 10 of which are experimental (not graded). You have 2 hours and 5 minutes to do all 60 questions, which comes out to 2 minutes and 5 seconds per question. They test disciplinary rules of professional conduct in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the CJC, which is the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Most of the questions are MRPC (only about 10% of the questions usually test the CJC).
The good news is that it’s offered 3 times a year so if you don’t pass you can take it again in a few months. But why mess around, study sufficiently and get it done the first time around. Good luck next Friday!
