Differences Between MPT Tasks On The Bar Exam

Differences Between MPT Tasks On The Bar Exam

The MPT can include a variety of tasks to students taking the bar exam. However, the most commonly appearing MPT tasks are the objective memorandum, the persuasive brief, the demand letter, and the opinion letter. Students often struggle to understand the differences between these four MPT tasks. In this post, we discuss the different tasks that you might encounter on the MPT.

Differences Between MPT Tasks On The Bar Exam

Objective Memorandum

Objective memorandum versus persuasive brief

An objective memorandum differs from a persuasive brief in a few ways:

• First, an objective memorandum is usually written to an attorney in the examinee’s firm, whereas a persuasive brief is usually written to a judge.
• Next, an objective memorandum is written using a memorandum format, whereas a persuasive brief is written using a brief format.
• Additionally, an objective memorandum is written using objective language and headings, whereas a persuasive brief is written using persuasive language and headings. This is one of the most important distinctions between an objective memorandum and a persuasive brief.

Because both an objective memorandum and a persuasive brief are written to legal professionals (attorneys and judges), they are both written using legal terms and language.

Objective memorandum versus demand letter

An objective memorandum differs from a demand letter in a few ways:

• First, an objective memorandum is usually written to an attorney in the examinee’s firm, whereas a demand letter is usually written to the opposing party.
• Next, an objective memorandum is written using a memorandum format, whereas a demand letter is written using a letter format.
• Also, an objective memorandum is written using objective language and headings, whereas a demand letter is written using persuasive language and headings.

Because a demand letter may be written to a layperson(the opposing party) or an attorney (the opposing party’s counsel), the instructions in the file for a demand letter may suggest that a demand letter be written using “language appropriate to the recipient but assume[s] that the letter will be read by an attorney.” An objective memorandum is written using legal terms and language.

Objective memorandum versus opinion letter

An objective memorandum differs from an opinion letter in a couple of ways.

• First, an objective memorandum is usually written to an attorney in the examinee’s firm, whereas an opinion letter is written to the firm’s client.
• Next, an objective memorandum is written using a memorandum format, whereas an opinion letter is written using a letter format.
• Both an objective memorandum and an opinion letter are written using objective language and headings.

Additionally, because an opinion letter is often written to a layperson (the firm’s client), an opinion letter is written using common language and avoids formal legal terms, whereas an objective memorandum is written using legal terms and language.

Persuasive Brief 

Persuasive brief versus objective memorandum

A persuasive brief differs from an objective memorandum in a couple of ways.

First, a persuasive brief is usually written to a judge, whereas an objective memorandum is usually written to an attorney in the examinee’s firm. Next, a persuasive brief is written using a brief format, whereas an objective memorandum is written using a memorandum format.

Additionally, the persuasive brief is written using persuasive language and headings, whereas the objective memorandum is written using objective language and headings. This is one of the most important distinctions between a persuasive brief and an objective memorandum.

Because both a persuasive brief and an objective memorandum are written to legal professionals (attorneys and judges), they are both written using legal terms and language.

Persuasive brief versus demand letter

A persuasive brief differs from a demand letter in a few ways.

First, a persuasive brief is usually written to a judge, whereas a demand letter is usually written to the opposing party. Next, a persuasive brief is written using a brief format whereas a demand letter is written using a letter format. Because both a persuasive brief and a demand letter are persuasive documents, they are both written using persuasive language and headings.

Because a demand letter may be written to a layperson (the opposing party) or an attorney (the opposing party’s counsel), the instructions in the file for a demand letter may suggest that a demand letter be written using “language appropriate to the recipient but assume[s] that the letter will be read by an attorney.” A persuasive brief is written using legal terms and language.

Persuasive brief versus opinion letter

A persuasive brief differs from an opinion letter in a couple of ways.

First, a persuasive brief is usually written to a judge, whereas an opinion letter is written to the firm’s client. Next, a persuasive brief is written using a brief format, whereas an opinion letter is written using a letter format. Additionally, a persuasive brief is written using persuasive language and headings, whereas an opinion letter is written using objective language and headings.

Because an opinion letter is usually written to a layperson (the firm’s client) an opinion letter is written using common language and avoids formal legal terms, whereas a persuasive brief is written using legal terms and language.

Demand Letter

Demand letter versus objective memorandum

A demand letter differs from an objective memorandum in a couple of ways.

First, a demand letter is usually written to the opposing party, whereas an objective memorandum is usually written to an attorney in the examinee’s firm. Next, a demand letter is written using a letter format, whereas an objective memorandum is written using a memorandum format. Also, a demand letter is written using persuasive language and headings, whereas an objective memorandum is written using objective language and headings.

Because a demand letter may be written to a layperson (the opposing party) or an attorney (the opposing party’s counsel), the instructions in the file for a demand letter may suggest that a demand letter be written using “language appropriate to the recipient but assume[s] that the letter will be read by an attorney.” An objective memorandum is written using legal terms and language.

Demand letter versus persuasive brief

A demand letter differs from a persuasive brief in a few ways.

First, a demand letter is usually written to the opposing party, a persuasive brief is usually written to a judge. Next, a persuasive brief is written using a brief format whereas a demand letter is written using a letter format. Because both a demand letter and a persuasive brief are persuasive documents, they are both written using persuasive language and headings.

Because a demand letter may be written to a layperson (the opposing party) or an attorney (the opposing party’s counsel), the instructions in the file for a demand letter may suggest that a demand letter be written using “language appropriate to the recipient but assume[s] that the letter will be read by an attorney.” A persuasive brief is written using legal terms and language.

Demand letter versus opinion letter

Students tend to have the most trouble differentiating between a demand letter and an opinion letter than between any other of the frequently tested MPT tasks. Although a demand letter is similar to an opinion letter in some ways, a demand letter differs from an opinion letter in other ways.

First, because both a demand letter and an opinion letter are letters, they are both written using a letter format. Next, a demand letter may be written to a layperson (the opposing party) or an attorney (the opposing party’s counsel), the instructions in the file for a demand letter may suggest that a demand letter be written using “language appropriate to the recipient but assume[s] that the letter will be read by an attorney.” Somewhat similarly, because an opinion letter is usually written to a layperson (the firm’s client) an opinion letter is written using common language and avoids formal legal terms.

However, a demand letter is usually written to the opposing party, whereas an opinion letter is written to the firm’s client. Additionally, a demand letter is written using persuasive language and headings, whereas an opinion letter is written using objective headings and language.

Opinion Letter 

Opinion letter versus objective memorandum

An opinion letter differs from an objective memorandum in a couple of ways.

First, an opinion letter is written to the firm’s client, whereas an objective memorandum is usually written to an attorney in the examinee’s firm. Next, an opinion letter is written using a letter format, whereas an objective memorandum is written using a memorandum format. Both an opinion letter and an objective memorandum are written using objective language and headings.

Additionally, because an opinion letter is often written to a layperson (the firm’s client), an opinion letter is written using common language and avoids formal legal terms, whereas an objective memorandum is written using legal terms and language.

Opinion letter versus persuasive brief

An opinion letter differs from a persuasive brief in a couple of ways.

First, an opinion letter is written to the firm’s client, whereas a persuasive brief is usually written to a judge. Next, an opinion letter is written using a letter format, whereas a persuasive brief is written using a brief format. Additionally, an opinion letter is written using objective language and headings, a persuasive brief is written using persuasive language and headings.

Because an opinion letter is usually written to a layperson (the firm’s client) an opinion letter is written using common language and avoids formal legal terms, whereas a persuasive brief is written using legal terms and language.

Opinion letter versus demand letter

Students tend to have the most trouble differentiating between an opinion letter and a demand letter than between any other of the frequently tested MPT tasks. Although an opinion letter is similar to a demand letter in some ways, an opinion letter differs from a demand letter in other ways.

First, because an opinion letter and a demand letter are both letters, they are both written using a letter format. Next, because an opinion letter is usually written to a layperson (the firm’s client), an opinion is written using common language and avoids formal legal terms. Somewhat similarly, because a demand letter may be written to a layperson (the opposing party) or an attorney (the opposing party’s counsel), the instructions in the file for a demand letter may suggest that a demand letter be written using “language appropriate to the recipient but assume[s] that the letter will be read by an attorney.”

However, an opinion letter is written to the firm’s client, whereas a demand letter is usually written to the opposing party. Additionally, an opinion letter is written using objective headings and language, whereas a demand letter is written using persuasive language and headings.

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