Pennsylvania Bar Exam Information

2010 exam dates

The February 2010 Pennsylvania bar exam will take place on Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24. The July 2010 Pennsylvania bar exam will take place on Tuesday, July 27 and Wednesday, July 28.

2010 exam locations

The Board gives both the February and July exams in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvanis Convention Center and in Pittsburgh at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The Board adds a third location for the July exam - the Carlisle Expo Center.

MEE subjects (MBE subjects are in bold)

Business Organizations (Corporations, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, and Professional Organizations); Civil Procedure (Pennsylvania and Federal); Criminal Law (including Pennsylvania and Federal constitutional issues and DUI); Conflict of Laws; Contracts, Employment Discrimination (limited to Title VII, ADA, and ADEA); Evidence (Pennsylvania and Federal); Family Law; Federal Constitutional Law; Federal Income Taxes (personal only and limited to taxable and non-taxable income, deductions, proprietorships, and capital transactions); Professional Responsibility; Real Property; Torts; UCC Article 2 – Sales; and Wills, Trusts, and Decedents’ Estates (including related fiduciary responsibilities).

Structure

The Tuesday exam day consists of the written portion of the exam – six essays and the performance test. The Wednesday exam day consists of the MBE. The MBE is a 200 question multiple choice exam. 100 questions are asked in the morning over a three hour period, and 100 questions are asked in the afternoon over a three hour period. The MBE has 33 questions each for Contracts and Torts, and 31 questions each for Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, and Real Property. 190 of the 200 questions are graded, the other 10 are experimental. 200 questions over six hours averages out to 1.8 minutes per question.

Scoring

The six essays and performance test (which is valued at 1.5 times an essay question) are graded, totaled, and scaled to the MBE. The essays and performance test are worth 55% of the total score. The MBE is worth 45%. Examinees must attain a scaled score of 272 to pass.

MPRE

Candidates sitting for the Pennsylvania exam must achieve a minimum score of 75 on the MPRE. Candidates can achieve this score at any time prior to the exam. However, they must achieve this score within three months of the date results are released. This requirement ensures that a candidate’s application can be processed prior to the six-month expiration date of the admission certificate.

Pass rate

Pennsylvania’s pass rate for the February 2009 exam was 76% for first time takers, and 57% for all takers.

Other exam information

Pennsylvania offers a laptop program to all interested applicants. The Board mails candidate admission tickets approximately three weeks prior to the exam. The Board has available on its website released questions and analysis with model answers.

Bar examiner contact information

In Pennsylvania, one body processes bar applications while another administers the exam. The Supreme Court Prothonotary’s Office in Pittsburgh processes the applications. Applicants can reach this office at 412.565.2816. The Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners administers the exam. Applicants can reach the Board at the addresses and phone number below:

Application deadlines and fees

The Board has set one timely and three late deadlines for each exam. The fees increase with each deadline.

February exam:

Timely deadline – October 30 ($500 fee)
First late deadline – November 15 ($650 fee)
Second late deadline – November 30 ($950 fee)
Final deadline – December 15 ($1,350 fee)

July exam:

Timely deadline – April 15 ($500 fee)
First late deadline – April 30 ($650 fee)
Second late deadline – May 15 ($950 fee)
Final deadline – May 30 ($1,350 fee)

Note that the above deadlines are postmark dates. Applicants must pay fees via certified check, cashier’s check, law firm check, corporate check, or money order payable to “Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners.”

The Board will charge a $10 reprocessing fee each time it must return an application for incompleteness.

Forms

The bar exam application and supplementary forms are available online. Applicants must pay associated fees after they file online. Applicants should email help@pabarexam.org if they encounter technical difficulties with the online application.

Results

The Board releases results via press release and posts the pass list to its website. Results are valid for three years. Examinees must file an admission certificate within six months of release of results.

*All state bar exam information is subject to change without notice; please verify this information with the bar examiner’s office.*