Illinois
Bar Exam: Illinois 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: The MEE and MPT sections are scaled to the MBE, with the MBE weighted 50%, MEE 30%, and MPT 20%. The scores are combined to determine if the applicant has achieved a passing score of 266. 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 September 15, the late filing deadline is November 1, and the final filing deadline is December 15. The early application deadline for the July Bar Exam is February 15, the late filing deadline is April 1, and the final filing deadline is May 15.
Fees: The fee for first-time takers is $950 if filed before the early filing deadline. The fee for applications submitted after the early filing deadline but before the late filing deadline is $1,150. The fee for applications submitted after the late filing deadline but before the final filing deadline is $1,450. If you intend to use a laptop to take the exam, the laptop fee is $105.
Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam: A scaled score of 80 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) is required for admission to the bar.
Contact Information: (217) 522-5917 // Website