The dean of students advises third-year students who are taking the bar for the first time as well as returning alums seeking admittance to the Iowa Bar.
The bar exam is the final step in the transition from law student to lawyer. Registration and requirements for bar exams vary by state. Please review the following links for more information.
Basic Information
Requirements and Registration
- Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements of the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) lists rules for admission to the bar of every US state.
- Contact information and links to web sites for state bar admissions offices is available at the NCBE Web Site.
- The Iowa Judicial Branch Web Site provides information about the Iowa bar exam as well as a downloadable application. The Law Student Registration is also available.
- The College of Law has prepared information about the Foreign Legal Consultant Licensure vs. Bar Admission [pdf] in Iowa for people licensed to practice law in a foreign jurisdiction.
- Important Information for Foreign-Educated Applicants to the New York State Bar [pdf]
Paying for Bar Review Courses
Private loans are available for bar study expenses. Information is available from the Office of Financial Aid. Please note that some employers pay for bar review courses and materials, and some bar review organizations offer a discounted rate for students who register in their first year.
Bar Review Preparation
- The Iowa State Bar Review School, a committee of the Iowa State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, coordinates the preparatory course for the Iowa bar examination. NOTE: Iowa Bar Exam takers wishing to sign up for the Iowa Bar Review School should register directly under the Iowa section at www.barbri.com.
- LexisOne offers a selective list of commercial bar review vendors.
- FindLaw offers a lengthy list of commercial bar review courses and resources.
The Multistate Tests
In addition to the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination the NCBE provides the following tests used in many US jurisdications:
- The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is a six-hour, 200 question multiple-choice examination covering contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law, evidence, and real property. The MBE is used by most U.S. jurisdictions, including every state except Louisiana and Washington. The Information Booklet [pdf] includes information about the test, including subject outlines and sample questions.
- The Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) is a three-hour, six-question essay examination covering agency and partnership, commercial paper, conflict of laws, corporations, decedents' estates, family law, federal civil procedure, sales, secured transactions, and trusts and future interests. The Information Booklet includes information about the test, including subject outlines and sample questions.
- The Multistate Performance Test (MPT) consists of three 90-minute skills questions covering legal analysis, fact analysis, problem solving, resolution of ethical dilemmas, organization and management of a lawyering task, and communication. The Information Booklet includes information about the test, including an outline of the skills tested and summaries of previously administered tests.
Make sure to check out other resources the NCBE offers such as bar admission statistics, study aids (some available online for free), and more.
Previous Bar Exams
Previous multistate tests are available on reserve in the Law Library. State-specific exam material, when available, can be found through the NCBE state-specific site. (Find the state you need and then look at its web site for details.) You can find additional preparatory books can be found through InfoHawk or visit the Law Library and ask a reference librarian for assistance.
