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July 20, 2009
mpre
The MPRE is a multiple choice exam covering legal and judical ethics; it is given three times a year, in August, November and March, usually on a Friday, sometimes a Saturday. Go to www.ncbex.org for more details and to register. For those in Illinois, consult the IL S CT R on bar admission because IL will not accept your score until you have completed roughly 2/3 of law school. For any special rules from other states, go to the ncbex website andclick on your state's bar admission office.
While on the ncbex website, click on mpre and then click on the information booklet. You can download it for free. Also download for free the MPRE VI exam that is available on line.
How to study for the exam:
1.) review the content covered by the exam. The NCBE Information Booklet on the MPRE gives you an outline of the topics covered and the % of questions to expect from each area. Knowing the material is critical. In addition to what you covered in legal profession, the exam tests judicial ethics. BarBri offers a day long lecture in preparation for the exam. See the BarBri rep. I recommend you take the BarBri course and attend the lecture, but if you do not, be sure to get old BArBri outlines of the material available for purchase on line or from fellow students. And be sure you practice.
2.) practice multiple choice questions for the MPRE. You can know the material but if you have not practiced MPRE m-c questions, you will have trouble. The MPRE booklet has 20 or so practice questions in the format now being used; the MPRE VI test booklet contains some 150 practice questions, tho many are of the format no longer being used. They are still good practice questions.
2.a.) read - read - read the key terms presented in the guide and the MPRE VI test booklet. Learn the difference between "proper" and "must" or "may." Note when the question asks for "criminal liability" or "civil liability" or "discipline" or "or "disqualification."
2.b) learn how to read m-c questions. Even if you think you know, read below.
2.c.) go on-line and take the online mpre exam for $24 or so, for practice.
2.b.) The best bit of advice on m-c questions boils down to three steps, but be forewarned: they take time, careful attention, and practice.
Step one: start by reading the call of the question - not the top of the question. This will focus you on - legal or judicial - which attorney's behavior - am I looking for liability or being disqualified, etc.
Step two: now read the facts once, slowly and careully. Re-read the call of the question.
Step three: now read each choice carefully and make a true-false analysis. You will usually find the word "because" separating the conclusion and the reasoning. Start on the right side of "because." Is this statement true or false? If false, move on.
If true, ask - if this statement is true, is it the reason for the result? Sometimes, it is true but irrelevant. Sometimes, it is true but only a partial reason for the result.
Keep going until you have reasoned through all four choices. Make your best decision, move on, do not change your mind, unless you see something you failed to read the first time. But if you followed this advice, you will not miss much the first time.
Posted by Suzanne at July 20, 2009 09:37 AM