District of Columbia
Bar Exam: The District of Columbia offers the two-day Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), which is comprised of:
- Two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions, which are "closed universe" practical questions that feature instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by examiners.
- Six 30-minute Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) questions, which cover the following subjects:
- Agency & Partnerships
- Conflict of Laws
- Corporations & Limited Liability Companies
- Family Law
- Trusts and Estates
- Uniform Commercial Code, Article 9 (Secured Transactions)
- All MBE subjects as detailed below
- Two hundred multiple-choice Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) questions, covering the following seven subjects:
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law & Procedure
- Evidence
- Federal Civil Procedure
- Real Property
- Torts
Scoring: MEE and MPT scaled to the MBE, with the MBE weighted 50%, MEE 30%, and MPT 20%. An applicant taking both the essay portion and the MBE portion of the bar exam is require to achieve a combined scaled score of 266 to pass. This score is transferable to all other jurisdictions that have adopted the UBE, though each jurisdiction adopts its own passing score.
Filing Deadlines: The early application deadline for the February Bar Exam is December 15, and the late filing deadline is December 30. The early application deadline for the July Bar Exam is May 3, and the late filing deadline is May 18.
Fees: The fee for first-time takers is $232 if filed before the early filing deadline. The fee for applications submitted after the early filing deadline but before the late filing deadline is $432. Applicants must also pay a $395 fee for an NCBE Character & Fitness check. If you intend to use a laptop to take the exam, the laptop fee is $145.
Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam: A scaled score of 75 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) is required for admission to the bar.