The Multistate Examination of Professional Responsibility (MPRE) is a multiple-choice exam required for admission to grades in all US jurisdictions, except Wisconsin, Maryland, and Puerto Rico. The exam tests an attorney’s knowledge of established standards of professional conduct and is held three times a year. Each jurisdiction determines its own passing exam score. Candidates usually take this exam before graduating from law school.
The Multistate Examination of Professional Responsibility, or MPRE, is a multiple-choice exam required for admission to grades in all United States jurisdictions, with the exception of Wisconsin, Maryland, and Puerto Rico in April 2011. Washington will require the MPRE to begin in July 2013. The 60-question exam is held three times a year in two-hour, five-minute sessions and tests an attorney’s knowledge of established standards of professional conduct. The National Conference of Bar Examiners developed the MPRE and began administering it in 1980.
The MPRE does not test a candidate’s personal moral values, but rather their understanding of the standards that govern a lawyer’s professional conduct. These standards are based on rules from various sources, such as the American Bar Association (ABA), the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Constitutional decisions and federal and state jurisprudence also establish guidelines for attorneys regarding evidentiary rules and procedures.
The exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. The candidate will be expected to apply their understanding of judicial ethics and answer questions about how attorneys are disciplined by state authorities. Other test items measure knowledge of common law and generally accepted rules that govern attorneys in the United States. There are 10 additional test center review items that measure the examiner’s reaction to test conditions.
An MPRE question is a pattern of facts followed by a question with four possible answer options. The test taker must choose the best of four possible answers. Questions often include key words or phrases such as “subject to discipline,” which asks whether the conduct described would subject the attorney to disciplinary action. Other key phrases include “subject to litigation sanction” and “subject to disqualification”.
Each jurisdiction determines its own passing exam score. The standard scoring scale ranges from 50 to 150, with an average of 100. Applicants must retain their score reports, as some jurisdictions require them as part of the bar application process.
Candidates usually take this exam before graduating from law school. An MPRE score from one jurisdiction is automatically valid in all other jurisdictions if the time requirements are met. There are many study aids and guides available. Most are books with practice exams and test-taking tips, but flash cards are another option. Companies like Kaplan offer preparatory courses online, while many law schools offer classes in professional responsibility.
Some jurisdictions waive the MPRE requirement for applicants with a C grade or higher in a professional ethics law school class. Connecticut and New Jersey are two examples. Jurisdictions that do not require the exam include questions about local rules of conduct in their specific bar exams. Candidates should consult with the Bar Association in the jurisdiction in which they wish to practice for specific MPRE requirements.
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