MPT Breakdown: What Is This Part Of The Bar Exam?

MPT Breakdown: What Is This Part Of The Bar Exam?

The Multistate Performance test, also known as the MPT, is administered as part of the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). This post we provide an MPT breakdown for those who want to learn more about it!

MPT Breakdown: What Is This Part Of The Bar Exam?

What is it and how long do I have to complete it?

The MPT tasks are considered “lawyer” assignments. Students need to complete two different writing assignments. The most common task is writing a memo; however, the MPT can also ask students to draft a contract provision, an argumentative response to a court, a will, a closing argument, a letter to a client, or another unique task. Students must complete the task in 90 minutes. Ideally, students should spend 45 minutes on each task. However, this is not a requirement and students can adjust their time allocations based on the difficulty of each task.

For more details on the UBE, check out What Topics Are Tested on the UBE.

What materials does the exam provide to complete the task?

Each MPT has two parts: the file and the library. Check out our post to the commonly asked question, should I read the file or the library first?

First, the file contains the task directions and the facts of the issue. The facts provided the necessary background information on the issue, sometimes it is a letter to an attorney asking the question, sometimes they are trail documents containing a record of the case, it all depends on what the question asks you to do.

Second, the library contains the laws needed to complete the task. Most often students receive multiple cases and one to three statutes. Students need to use a combination of the case law and statutes and apply it to the facts in the file to create a comprehensive answer to the prompt. However, examiners throw in a case or law that is irrelevant to the prompt, so be sure to read each one carefully!

Are there any other common mistakes students make during the MPT?

There are generally three common mistakes students make regarding the MPT.

1. Students rush through the question and dive straight into the facts and rules, thinking they must write a memo because that is the most common assignment. As a result, the students submit an answer that is not in the proper format, resulting in a large loss of points. Make sure to complete the task. If you need to write a memo, write a memo, if it is a persuasive argument, write a persuasive argument. Spend the necessary time and read the instructions to avoid mistakes such as this.
2. Next, students use laws and cases they learned in school to answer the prompt. Remember, these essays take place in a fictional location, DO NOT use laws and cases that it does not provide. Students believe that providing extra laws or cases boosts their score because they demonstrate knowledge of the subject. Instead, students lose the majority of the points.
3. The third mistake is the most common and most severe, students fail to put in the necessary study time for the MPT. Because they are given the laws and facts, students believe that there is nothing that can be studied.

While you cannot “study” for the MPT, you can still prepare for it. Students who do not spend enough time preparing often do not pace well and run out of time, fail to fully address the prompt, or provide an incomplete response they have not practiced the type of question being asked. Students who practice the various types of MPTs can thoroughly answer the question because while the question’s content is new, they know the proper approach and can craft an answer to fit the prompt.

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