This course focuses on the substantive areas of law most commonly tested on the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), including, but not limited to, Contracts (common law principles and Article 2), Criminal Procedure, Secured Transactions (UCC Article 9), and Trusts and Estates. While students receive lectures on these topics, the primary focus of the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) portion of the course is on the student’s ability to produce effectively written responses in a logical and coherent Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion (IRAC) format. Students are required to complete regular practice essays for homework, at least three essays on in-class quizzes, and at least two essays on the final exam. MEE instruction accounts for approximately two-thirds of the course. Students will also receive instruction, guidance, and feedback on the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), a critical legal writing simulation worth a significant portion (20 percent) of their overall bar exam score. Students will be required to write both neutral and persuasive MPTs for homework, in-class quizzes, and the final exam.

This upper-level substantive course covers areas of law that are frequently tested on the UBE and provides students with the opportunity to practice drafting MPT responses and answers to MEE essay questions.

This course is part of the Core Curriculum. Students whose grade point average ranks them within the second, third, and fourth quartiles of their class at the beginning of their penultimate year will be required to take this course in the fall semester of their final year. Students whose grade point average ranks them outside of this cohort are strongly encouraged to take this course.

Including the sections of this course that meet remotely, the four MEE and MPT quizzes and the final exam will be administered in person on campus. All students are expected to plan accordingly.

3 Credits