The NextGen UBE Drops Next Month

When it comes to the bar exam, less is more. In a perfect world, it wouldn't exist at all—law schools would be so skilled at preparing their students for the realities of legal practice that Biglaw firms would be lining up to hand them $235K a year the moment they cross the graduation stage. But in the real world, you can't have it all. Instead of Knicks sweeps, we get series tainted by the commander in chief catching up on his beauty(?) rest after being mercilessly booed, along with a tense Game 4 comeback. Instead of universal diploma privilege, we get an upgraded bar exam that cuts three hours off the testing time. Imperfect, but still something worth boasting about.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners is launching the revamped NextGen Uniform Bar Exam for fortunate aspiring lawyers to take next month. From NCBEX:

Based on feedback from participants and performance data collected from those tests across thousands of examinees, we repeatedly revised and refined the exam questions, format, and overall experience until we were confident they met the rigorous standards required of the bar exam.1 The outcome is a thoroughly validated assessment that is highly relevant to modern legal practice. So you can be confident that the NextGen UBE you'll be sitting for is proven and reliable. All you need to do is prepare properly, take care of yourself, and show up on exam day ready to perform at your best. NCBE and your jurisdiction have worked diligently to ensure that your experience before, during, and after exam day goes smoothly, allowing you to concentrate on what truly matters: showcasing your legal knowledge and skills so you can advance to the next stage of your career.

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Given how poorly the Californian attempt to break away from the standard bar exam turned out, leading with the new test being tried and tested is a smart move. After easing test-takers' concerns, they go on to compare the old and outdated version of the exam with the new and improved one. Highlights include a three-hour reduction in exam duration, the ability to use your own computer, and—most importantly—changes to subject matter that should better assess readiness for practice. The content will be evaluated through a mix of multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets, and a performance task to be completed within an hour. This exam will require you to demonstrate, among other skills, proficiency in legal research, client counseling and advisory abilities, and knowledge of constitutional protections for the accused. In other words, they're testing for the kind of knowledge you'd actually need if you had an Esq. after your name.

If you've already registered for the next bar exam, you have about a month left to study. If not, the next NextGen UBE will be offered in February. Good luck!

Official Examinees’ Guide To The NextGen UBE [NCBEX]

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Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Before joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s. He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boat builder who is learning to swim and is interested in rhetoric, Spinozists, and humor. Getting back into cycling wouldn't hurt either. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by Tweet/Bluesky at @WritesForRent.

Topics:

Bar Exams

Law Schools

NextGen Bar Exam

Uniform Bar Exam