“I am a foreign attorney taking the Uniform Bar Exam. How should I prepare?”

“I am a foreign attorney taking the Uniform Bar Exam. How should I prepare?”

We have several foreign attorneys or LLM students reach out because they plan on taking the Uniform Bar Exam (usually in New York). Many of these students ask us how they should prepare. In this post, we give advice for foreign attorneys and LLM students. 

“I am a foreign attorney taking the Uniform Bar Exam. How should I prepare?”

1. Make sure you focus on any areas of law you are unfamiliar with.

Some foreign attorneys or LLM students are not familiar with Sales, or Constitutional Law, or other difficult subjects. If you need extra time on these subjects, start studying early or get a tutor to help you with them! (We offer several bar exam private tutoring options).

2. Don’t neglect the multiple-choice portion!

Many foreign attorneys or LLM students excel at memorization. However, some are not used to multiple-choice format as it is not a test that is typically used in their country. If this is the case, make sure to practice a lot of multiple-choice questions (and use real MBE questions!) to get you familiar with this portion of the exam.

3. Focus on the MPT portion.

The multistate performance test (MPT) portion can be tricky for foreign attorneys or LLM students, particularly those who do not speak English as a first language and those who do not have practical experience. We find that practicing as well as tutoring goes a long way to assist in achieving a passing score! With the MPT portion being 20% of your score, you can’t afford to ignore it.

4. Start early or get extra help if you need it.

Given that this is a different exam that you may be used to, it is worth it to start early. This is especially the case if you have other major commitments (like a full-time job!). Some foreign students or attorneys greatly benefit from bar exam private tutoring or many of the additional resources that we provide (below). It is often helpful to be able to ask questions and make sure you are on track to take the exam.

5. If you are living abroad, make sure to adjust to the time zone early!

If you are on a schedule that is opposite of that of the U.S., we recommend trying to change your sleep patterns before the bar exam and if possible, arrive in the U.S. a little early so that you can get used to the time change. Being alert during the bar exam is key to passing!

We hope you enjoyed these tips specifically for foreign attorneys and LLM students!

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