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FOUNDATIONS IN US LAW
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the BARBRI International US Law Foundations (“Foundations”) module. The Foundations materials are meant to be a
supplement to the official curriculum that will go live once the BARBRI International Bar Review programme officially begins. This
module will introduce you to the US legal system and style of testing. While we will give you everything you need to pass the exam,
we recommend you start with adjusting your mindset to the task at hand. You should prepare yourself physically and mentally before
the programme begins.
This booklet provides details about the bar exam and how you will work through the BARBRI International Foundations materials. (If
you are taking the bar in an alternate state, don’t worry this applies to you too). BARBRI has over 50 years’ experience in preparing
individuals to sit and pass the bar. Trust us, we’ve got this!
NEW YORK BAR EXAM
The NY Bar is a two-day uniform bar exam (UBE) that features three different components: (i) Multistate essay exam (MEE), (ii)
multistate performance test (MPT), (iii) multistate bar exam (MBE). You will also need to sit and pass the (iv) New York Law Examination
(NYLE) & (v) Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE).
(i)
Essay Question Topics (potential) include: Business Association; Agency & Partnership, Corporation, Limited Liability
Companies, Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trust & Estates; Wills & Trusts, Future Interests, Uniform Commercial Code + MBE
subjects (listed below)
(ii)
Multistate Performance Test: Practical element of being a lawyer. All information needed to complete question is supplied in
the question.
(iii)
Multistate Bar Exam Topics include: Federal Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts/ Sales, Criminal Law &
Procedure, Evidence, Real Property & Torts.
Note on MBE: Questions appear on the MBE in random order, not by subject 175/200 are graded. The 25 questions that are not
graded are pre-test questions that are being screened for future exams.
NEW YORK BAR EXAM LAYOUT:
Day 1:
Morning Session: 3hrs (2x 90 mins MPT questions)
Afternoon Session: 3 hrs (6 x 30 mins MEE questions)
Day 2 (MBE):
Morning Session: 3 hrs (100 multiple choice questions)
Afternoon Session: 3 hrs (100 multiple choice questions)
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MARKING
Multistate Bar Exam: 50%
Multistate Essay Exam: 30%
Multistate Performance Test: 20%
Uniform Bar Exam total score is reported at 400
New York has set the passing score at 266
(iv)
New York Law Examination – This exam is not part of the main two-day bar exam. It is comprised of 50 multiple choice
questions. It is an open book test and can be completed online. You can sit this exam four times annually. The New York Law
Course prepares you for the exam and can be found on the New York Bar website. It can be completed one year before the
bar exam or three years after. The pass mark is 30/50.
(v)
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) – This exam is 2 hours long and includes 60 multiple choice
questions. It is administered 3 times a year. It is required for admission to all state bars apart from Maryland & Wisconsin.
Passing scores vary in each jurisdiction. MPRE scores are reported on a scale of 50- 150. NY requires a scaled score of 85.
BARBRI prepares students for the MPRE exam. We recommend students focus on the main bar exam and sit the MPRE later.
THE BARBRI METHOD: THE FOUNDATIONS METHODOLOGY
The Foundations module is 90 hours of self-directed study. We suggest students complete it before the main classes begin to
accustom themselves to the US legal system and style of testing. You will get a Foundations syllabus as part of the initial access,
which is a precursor to the main course syllabus that you will receive later. The subjects are arranged alphabetically, but you can go
through them in any order you like. Through Foundations, you will begin to:
(i)
Develop the skills needed to successfully pass the bar exam
(ii)
Create a broad understanding of the most tested subjects on the bar exam.
Our programme is flexible, however for best results we strongly recommend you follow our schedules. BARBRI has attached a rough
timetable at Appendix 1 for students to use as a guide (based on 1 month allocation for completing Foundations).
A)
Skills – The International Bar Review programme will continuously provide candidates with the law and skills to successfully
pass the bar exam. We recommend you try to hone your legal skills through the Foundations material. The purpose of the
Foundations skills workshop lectures are as follows:
Systematic Problem Solving – teach candidates to quickly discern key issues and facts, identify the distractor in the
question and provide an adequate answer
The Essay Writing Workshop – teach candidates to organise relevant law and fact into a responsive essay answer and
enhance legal writing skills
Essay Architect – assess candidates reading skills, review essay answer organisation and prompt students to build a legally
appropriate answer from component parts
B)
Substantive Overiews – This broadly outlines each subject and ways you should approach each subject on the day of the
exam. The subject overviews and glossaries broadly outline each subject and identify key terms. Use these overviews to
introduce the subjects so that they are not completely foreign to you when the main course starts.
C)
Frequently-Tested Topics – The frequently-tested topic section of Foundations introduces the eight core subjects tested
on the bar exam. You will watch pre-recorded mini-lectures that help introduce key components of each subject, and then
work through multiple choice questions regarding those areas of law to begin learning the black letter law on which you will
be tested. The frequently-tested topic modules then move on to both multiple choice and essay questions in each subject,
styled in the same way as those you will encounter on the bar exam.
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CONCLUSION
At BARBRI we commit to providing students with the resources needed to pass the Bar Exam. If you have any concerns, please
contact us (international@barbri.com) and we will be happy to assist you in any way possible.
APPENDIX 1
Month-long study schedule for Foundations in US Law
• DATE
TOPIC
TASK
Read intro note to Foundations course (15mins)
Watch systematic problem solving lecture (2hrs 15mins)
Week 1
Intro to Foundations
in US Law
Watch essay writing skills lecture (30mins)
Do essay architect exercise Contracts (2hrs)
Watch MPT skills: an introduction (30mins)
Watch MPT skills: the task memo (15mins)
Read overview and glossary (2hrs p/ subject)
Intro to Substantive Law
Watch lectures (5hrs p/subject)
Torts
Answer BARBRI AMP questions (2hrs p/ subject)
Federal Civil Procedure
Do MBE multiple choice questions and review answers
(1hr p/ subject)
Week 2
Real Property
Complete essay questions for each subject (30mins/each question)
and review correct answers (30 mins/each answer)
Week 3
Criminal Law &
Procedure Evidence
As above
Week 4
Constitutional Law
Contracts & Sales
As above
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