MPT Types: What will I see on the MPT?

MPT Types: What will I see on the MPT?

If you are studying for the multistate performance test (MPT) you may wonder what types of MPT tasks you will see. Here, we give you a brief overview of the types of tasks you will see. 

MPT Types: What will I see on the MPT?

There are five primary MPT types or tasks you could see. They are summarized in the chart above, but we provide more information here:

• An objective memo is a very common MPT task. If you receive this task, you will generally be asked to write a letter to a managing partner to determine how a legal issue would be resolved. The tone is objective rather than persuasive.
• A persuasive brief is also one of the most common MPT tasks. This is usually written to a judge and the goal is to provide persuasive arguments on behalf of your client. Using strong headings is important in this task.
• A letter is the third-most common type of task but does not show up on the MPT nearly as much as a persuasive brief or objective memorandum. As you can see from the chart above, a letter can be objective (an opinion letter, which is usually written to a client) or persuasive (a demand letter, which is usually written to an opposing counsel).
• Lastly, you may see a wildcard task. A wildcard task is something else – drafting contract provisions, complaint allegations, leave-behind legislation, etc. Students tend to panic when they see a wildcard task but they are not that bad because you really just have to follow directions!

You can see how often each of these tasks are tested by checking out our MPT chart. As you can see, the most common tasks are the objective memo and persuasive brief. But, you should not ignore the other MPT types as any of them are fair game on the bar exam!

If you are looking for quick formatting guidelines on each of these MPT types, check out our MPT one-sheet here!  If you are looking for a little more detail on MPT formats, check out our MPT formats attack post here. Here, we explain each format a little more.

• Looking for MPT Help?

  We offer the following MPT products and services:

  • MPT private tutoring for those seeking one-on-one help to pass the MPT.
  • An MPT guide which takes students from the beginning to end in how to write an MPT.
  • MPT feedback for those seeking structural and organizational review of practice questions.
  • Real MPT questions! We offer all NCBE-released questions from 2000 to present compiled in one book.
  • An MPT seminar for those seeking help on how to tackle the MPT.

  Also, check out our new Free Bar Exam Resource Center, which includes our most popular free guides, posts, webinars, and more!