Bar Exam Resource Guide
This resource guide highlights important information and services for Cleveland-Marshall students as they prepare to take the bar examination in Ohio or elsewhere.
Special Services for Cleveland Marshall Law Students
Veterans
Ohio Bar Exam Information
Application to Take the Ohio Bar
Bar Exam Information for Other States/Patent Bar
Multistate Bar Examinations
Commercial Bar Review Courses & Programs
Examination Preparation Resources at the Law Library
Resource Guides and CALI Lessonsfor Bar Subjects Bar Passer
Special Services for Cleveland-Marshall Students
Cleveland-Marshall students are able to take a three credit hour Bar Strategies class which has been offered since Fall 2005. The course covers Contracts, Torts, and Property, and is offered on a pass/fail basis. Preference for the Fall class will be given to those taking the February Bar Exam. Preference for the Spring class will be given to those taking the July Bar Exam. The March 2005 issue of the Bar Passer provides more details on the class.
Bar Exam Costs (September 2, 2004) - Excel spreadsheet prepared by Professor Beverly J. Blair.
Cleveland-Marshall's Bar Exam Logistics , 2004 ed. (Please note that this file is saved in Rich Text file (RTF) format, which allows it to be opened in both MS Word and WordPerfect.)
Veterans
Eligible veterans may receive reimbursement for the fee charged by the Ohio Supreme Court to take the bar examination under a licensing and certification benefit which took effect March 1, 2001. For information about reimbursement benefits and to find out if you are eligible, visit the GI Bill web site and click on Education Benefit Programs. Only the cost of the test is reimbursable: other fees associated with bar examination preparation, including those for materials and bar review courses, are not included in the benefit.
Ohio Bar Exam Information
Ohio Bar Admissions Office
The Supreme Court of Ohio derives its exclusive jurisdiction to regulate admission to the practice of law in the state from Ohio Constitution, Article 4, sec. 2. The rules for admission to the bar are set out in Rule 1 of the Rules for the Government of the Bar. The Bar Admissions Office page at the Court's web site contains applications, rules, requirements, important dates and general information and policies, as well as sample essay questions for the last several years and bar results.
Application to take the Ohio Bar Examination
The Application to Register as a Candidate for Admission web page contains most of the documents required to complete an Application to Register as a Candidate for Admission.
Important dates for 2008 include:
| April 1 | Deadline: Application to Take the July 2008 Bar Examination |
| May 10 | Deadline: Late Application to Take the July 2008 Bar Examination |
| July 29-31 | Administration of the July 2008 Bar Examination |
Columbus Hotel Information
A listing of hotels within 2.5 miles of the Ohio Bar Exam test site including prices and distances.
Materials Available at the Law Library
Ohio Board of Bar Examiners, Outline of Subjects Tested on Essay Portion of Ohio Bar Examination KFO 76 .Z9 O8546
[Library has 1984,1985, 1987, 1997, 1999 - November 2002 (most recent version posted on the Court's web site)] Outlines the subjects tested on the essay portion of the Ohio Bar Examination in order to provide a guide to bar examiners in drafting the essay questions. Note: the current list of subjects tested appears in Section 5, Ohio Bar Examination, of Rule 1: Admission to the Practice of Law of the Rules of Court for the Government of the Bar of Ohio.
Ohio Bar Examination: Essay Questions and Selected Answers KFO 76 .Z9 O553 [Library has 1992, 1994 - February 2007] Contains the essay questions given on the designated exam along with actual applicant answers. If the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) was part of the examination, it will include two MPT questions and sample applicant answers. The Law Library also has on Reserve a binder which arranges these essay questions by topic from Feb. 1997 through Feb. 2006.
KFO76 .Z9 O456.
Lecture by Marcia Mengel: Clerk of the Ohio Supreme Court [videorecording] KFO76 M45 2006 Clerk Mengel explains to applicants what they may expect when they take the Ohio bar examination.
Bar Exam Information for Other States and the Patent Bar
Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, American Bar Association, 1984 - . This publication of the National Conference of State Bar Examiners and the American Bar Association Section of Legal education compiles information received from state bar admission officers. Available from the ABA's web site and in print in the Law Library KF302.A15 C66
Bar Admission Offices for the Fifty States
The American Bar Association provides an online directory of bar admission offices for each state
Federal Bar Association
This site provides information on joining the federal bar.
Jurist: Bar Exams/ Bar Admissions
Includes links to state bar admission offices, as well as, rules, sample exams and recent results for many states.
Bar Exam Central at Law.com
Includes results, pass rates for prior years.
Patent Bar
Site of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Office of Enrollment and Discipline contains information on requirements for admission to the patent bar, notice of examinations, exam questions and answers and exam results.
Materials Available at the Law Library
Law and Legal Information Directory KF 190 .L35 Chapter 3 - Bar Examination and Admission to Legal Practice Requirements
The Lawyer's Almanac KF 190 .L3625 Has maps of states using the Multistate tests, required passing scores, and bar examination statistics. List of state bar associations is also included.
The Bar Examiner K2 .A74
NCBE quarterly magazine on bar admission issues.
BAR/BRI Digest KF 303 .N28 Articles on bar exam issues, information on the Multistate and Patent bar exams, and a comprehensive guide to each state's bar exam requirements and BAR/BRI course information.
The Best Test Preparation and Review Course, Patent Bar Exam : For Registration to Practice Before the U.S. Patent Office
KF 303 .B47 2000 This book includes tips and strategies for passing the patent bar including two actual patent exams.
Multistate Bar Examinations
The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
The NCBE is the non-profit corporation that develops and prepares the Multistate sections of bar examinations. The four multistate exams include the MBE, MPT, MPRE, and MEE. Their web site contains information booklets on each test (click on pdf link after selecting the multistate you want from the left-hand column), and study aids.
MBE Multistate Bar Examination
The MBE is a six hour, two hundred question multiple choice examination covering contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law, evidence, and real property.
MEE (Multistate Essay Exam)
The 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 estates.
MPT Multistate Performance Test
The MPT is three ninety minute skills exam covering legal analysis, fact analysis, problem solving, resolution of ethical dilemmas, organization and management of a lawyering task, and communication. The MPT became one of the Multistate tests in 1997.
MPRE Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination
The MPRE is a fifty question, two hour, multiple choice examination administered three times a year. Registration is also available online.
Materials Available at the Law Library
Rigos Bar Review Series KF303 .R54 2008 Has MBE review for contracts and UCC Art. 2, torts, real property and future interests, evidence, constitional law, criminal law and criminal procedure, MEE review, MPT review, and MPRE review.
Sample MBE KF 303 .N25
[Library has I- February 1991, II - July 1991, III- July 1998] Actual MBE used in a prior bar examination. Includes sample answer sheet and exam key but doesn't provide explanation of answers. Purpose stated is to "familiarize applicant with the format and nature" of the exam, not the substantive law because applicable law may have changed.
Multistate Bar Examination Questions KF 303 .N37
[Library has 1989-90, 1992] Contains over five hundred previously published questions and an answer key in order to "familiarize the applicant with the format and nature" of the MBE not to review the substantive law as it may have changed since that exam.
Mastering the MBE: Test Taking Strategies for Scoring High on the Multistate Bar Exam KF 303 .T35
Techniques on preparing for the Multistate Bar Exam and dealing with the bar exam in general.
The MPT, Multistate Performance Test KF 303 .M82
Reprint of MPT Exams that were administered in states that use this test. Includes point sheets that "describe the factual and legal points encompassed in the lawyering task, and outlines issues and points that may be addressed by examinee." Point sheet is not an official grading guide.
MPRE Sample Questions VI KF 303 .M56
Most of the one hundred and fifty MPRE questions have been administered on actual exams and cover areas in the MPRE subject matter outline. Includes an answer key and description of the MPRE.
Gilbert MultiState Exam Workshop KF 303 .G553 1999
This title includes over 1400 representative questions grouped according to difficulty and bar exam oriented answers with fully detailed explanations. Includes four audio cassettes.
Supreme Bar Review : MPRE Review Lecture Outline & Released MPRE Questions with Answer Key KF303 .M67 2004
This title includes a comprehensive lecture outline, lecture handouts, released MPRE questions and an explanatory answer key to released questions. A 3 hour and 50 minute DVD is included. The lecturer is Cleveland-Marshall professor Stephen Lazarus.
Commercial Bar Review Courses & Programs
Bar review courses, such as those listed below, offer preparation for the Bar Exam. Inclusion in this list is for informational purposes only, and does not imply endorsement or recommendation.
BAR/BRI
BAR/BRI is a nationwide full-service bar review course. BAR/BRI's coverage includes substantive and practical preparation for the MBE, the "state specific" section and the Multistate Performance Test or Multistate Essay Exam for states that have adopted those components.
BAR/BRI Patent Bar Review
The BAR/BRI Patent Bar Review focuses on preparing individuals to pass the patent bar exam and offers a six day program at various times of the year in different parts of the country.
PMBR Preliminary Multistate Bar Review
PMBR is a supplemental Multistate course that specializes in preparing students specifically for the Multistate Bar Examination, commonly referred to as the MBE. The MBE is a uniform, national 200 question multiple-choice exam covering the six subject areas of Torts, Contracts, Property/Future Interests, Evidence, Constitutional Law and Criminal Law/Procedure. Every state, with the exception of Louisiana and the state of Washington, has adopted the MBE as part of its exam.
BAR Plus Bar Review
BarPlus offers information about bar exams throughout the country and links to MPRE preparation.
Beat the Bar.Com
Beat The Bar.Com provides study tools to use with multi-state questions. Beat The Bar Study Tools are intended to work with any source of Multi-state Bar Exam questions, BAR/BRI, PMBR, MicroMash, etc. The materials provided consist of six study tools with one tool for each MBE topic.
Celebration Bar Review
The Celebration Bar Review is a home study bar review and test preparation course. Each Celebration Bar Review course includes a complete lecture series on audio cassette tape, narrative outlines of the law, questions for each part of the exam, a personal study guide and the services of a personal mentor. Each course includes essay writing workshops and discussions of state specific essays.
This comprehensive program is designed from the ground up to prepare you specifically for the Ohio bar exam and includes everything you need to pass the first time. DVD Bar Review of Ohio is the only bar review course taught entirely by an Ohio-based faculty (including several Cleveland-Marshall Law professors). Every student receives complete home-study DVD video lectures for all subjects; students also have the option to attend classroom sessions (in select cities). The DVD videos feature a unique menu-driven system which corresponds with the headings in the written outlines. This comprehensive program also includes Essay, MBE and MPT workshops, a complete MPRE Review, and a free Course Guarantee.
Essay Advantage is a supplemental course specifically designed for the written portion (essay and MPT) of the Ohio Bar Exam. The Ohio program contains one full day of live instruction on how to write answers to the various question types featured on the Ohio Bar Exam, an interactive handout to accompany the lecture, a 300-page book highlighting the vast majority of topics and substantive law that has been tested on the Ohio Bar Exam, practice essays with model answers and grading keys for many of the assigned questions, and a number of carefully selected essay questions that you can answer and submit for individual analysis and critiquing.
Fleming's Fundamentals of Law
Fleming's Fundamentals of Law (FFOL) is a full service legal seminar business offering instruction to law students in all areas of their legal education with bar materials focusing on the California Bar.
Intellectual Properties Enterprises
IP Enterprises provides an array of prep review materials aimed at helping you pass the patent bar exam. IP Enterprises provides you with a lecture style outline of the MPEP, 37 C.F.R. and 35 U.S.C. The outline includes summaries, key points, and an index.
Jim Longacre's Pass the Patent Bar
A patent bar home study course.
MicroMash Bar Review
The MicroMash Bar Review is a home based bar review course which includes components for the MBE and state bar exams. The MicroMash MBE Review is a software based program with more than 2,200 questions and answers. The MicroMash State Bar Review provides print based materials for 22 jurisdictions.
Practising Law Institute Multistate Exam Course
The PLI MBE program is a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week program designed to assist students in studying for the MBE portion of their state's bar exam. All lectures, outlines, workshops and MBE type questions are available to the student via both the internet and CD-ROM.
Practising Law Institute Patent Bar Review
PLI offers live, home study and/or Webcast patent bar reviews courses.
Reed's MultiState Bar Review
Reed's offers professional bar exam tutoring and instruction in either private or group tutorials by a variety of means including complete audio bar reviews, live seminars, video courses, etc.
The Study Group Personal Bar Review
The Study Group Personal Bar Review is a home based bar review course. It includes lectures on Audio CD, past questions and exams, and a day-by-day syllabus and study guide.
Supreme Bar Review
This course is designed to supplement whichever full-service program you take for your state’s bar exam. Unlike other multistate workshops which require students to attend classroom sessions for three or six days, this program is designed to be viewed at your convenience on your own personal set of DVD videos. The videos and accompanying outline materials offer a complete review of all six multistate subject areas, including helpful test-taking hints. There are also workbooks containing practice MBE questions and full-length practice exams. Enroll now and receive a free supplemental PLI Multistate Bar Review course at no additional charge (a $295 value), which features interactive CD-ROMs to review and test on all six multistate subject areas.
Other States:
The Bar Code: The Bar Code is a bar review course and private tutorial service with programs in California, New York, Nevada and Arizona. The Bar Code is a supplemental writing course with specialties on the essay and performance test components of the bar exam. LIVE and distance learning options are available. All California tutors are former bar exam graders.
Pieper NY Multistate Bar Review Ltd.
Pieper offers bar review courses that prepare candidates for every aspect of the New York and multistate bar examinations.
Examination Preparation Resources Available at the Law Library
How to Pass When You Failed the Bar Exam : 40 Simple Ways to Improve Your Next Preparation / Michael J. Moiso KF303 .M642
The Bar Exam in a Nutshell / Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus
KF 303 .D37 2003
Bar Exam Resource Guide & Planner KF303 .B36 2003
How to Study for the Bar Exam in 3 days / Erik J. Heels
KF303 .H44 2003
If I Don't Pass the Bar I'll Die : 73 Ways to Keep Stress and Worry from Affecting Your Performance on the Bar Exam / Rosemary La Puma KF303 .L37 2002
Compilation of Bar Examination Questions and Answers
KF388 .N5 Each biannual issue contains three or more selected state bar exams, it may include official answers.
The Legal Essay Exam Writing Primer / Wentworth Miller
KF 303 .M55 Contains a chapter on "Fundamentals of Bar Exam Study and Strategy" and one on multiple choice questions.
Bar Exam Survival Kit / Jeff Adachi
KF 303 .A32 2002 Authored by a former bar exam grader and current Bar/Bri professor and author, this title contains 15 law charts, detailed strategies for all bar subjects, seven analyzed examples of bar exam essays and more.
Scoring High on Bar Exam Essays
KF 303 .G35 Book divided into three parts: 1) Information about the bar exam (how questions are graded, and types of essay questions), 2) Suggested method of answering essay questions, and 3) Sample bar examination questions and answers. Plus an Appendix, "How to Do Legal Analysis."
How to Pass the Bar Exam
/ J.P. Davis
KF 303 .D38 Has history of bar exam, tips on how to prepare, approaches to answering exam questions, sample exam questions and frequently asked questions.
"Persistence Pays Off" / Stephanie B. Goldberg, 32 Student Lawyer 22 (April 2004) Gain insight from some of the many people who failed the bar exam
"Brace Yourself for the Bar Exam," / Cynthia L. Cooper, 31 Student Lawyer 14 (February 2003) K23 .T8
Law Library Audio-Visual Exam & Bar Preparation Study Aid Materials
The Law Library's collection includes over 2,500 video, CD, DVD and audio cassettes. Many of these AV materials can assist you in preparing for law school exams and the bar exam. You may check out any of the materials listed on this page for a renewable one week loan period. These materials are housed in the Study Skills collection in room AO66. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call Access Services at 216-687-2250.
SUM & SUBSTANCE SERIES
The Sum and Substance audio CD series is produced by the Thomson West Group. Also called the "Outstanding Professor Series" the collection attempts to capture the teachings of America's best law professors in their areas of expertise. Each title presents the essentials of a selected legal topic.
- Administrative Law / Steven Finz KF 5402 .F56 1995
- Civil Procedure / Arthur R. Miller KF 8841 .M56 199
- Constitutional Law / Mary M. ChehKF4550 .C53 2005
- Contracts / Douglas J. WhaleyKF801 .Z9 W42 2002
- Criminal Law / Joshua DresslerKF9218 .D686 1998
- Criminal Procedure / Joshua Dressler. KF 9616.3 .D74 2005
- Evidence / Steven J. GoodeKF8935 .Z9 G66 2004
- Intellectual Property / John R. Thomas KF 2979 .T46 2000
- Legal Research / Robert C. Berring KF 240 .B467 2001
- Professional Responsibility / John S. Dzienkowski KF305 .D54 2004
- Property / Julian C. Juergensmeyer KF570 .Z9 J84 2000
- Sale and Lease of Goods / Douglas J. Whaley KF 915.Z9 W53 2004
- Securities Regulations / James D. Cox KF 1439 .C69 2004
- Torts / Steven Finz KF1250 .A2 F46 2005
- Trusts / Gerry W. Beyer KF 730.Z9 B49 2004
- Wills & Succession / Gerry W. Beyer KF753 .Z9 .B49 2004
- Wills & Trusts / Gerry W. BeyerKF755 .Z9 B49 2004
LAW SCHOOL LEGENDS SERIES
The Law School Legends Series is an audio CD series produce by BarBri. Each title in the series condenses an entire legal topic into one lecture. The series includes hundreds of examples and exam tips.
- Administrative Law / Patrick J. Borchers KF 5401 .B67 2005
- Civil Procedure / Richard D. Freer KF 8440 .F698 2005
- Conflict of Laws / Patrick J. BorchersKF 412 .B67 2002
- Constitutional Law / John C. Jeffries, Jr. KF4550 .A1 J44 2005
- Contracts / David Epstein KF 801.Z9 E681 2005
- Evidence / Faust F. Rossi KF 8935.A7 R67 2005
- Family Law / Roger E. Schechter KF 505.Z9 S34 2002
- Professional Responsibility / Erwin Chemerinsky KF 306 .C52 2004
- Real Property / Paula A. Franzese KF 570 .F73 2005
- Sale & Lease of Goods / Michael I. Spak KF 915.Z9 S73 2005
PMBR MULTISTATE BAR REVIEW AUDIO CASSETTE SERIES
PMBR Multistate Bar Review Audio Cassette series is hours of audio lectures on the primary legal topics of Contracts, Property, Evidence, Constitutional Law, Torts, and Criminal Law. The set is comprehensive in its coverage of Multistate Bar Exam topics.
- MBR Multistate Bar Review KF303 .M88
GILBERT MBE WORKSHOP AUDIO CASSETTE SERIES
The Gilbert MBE Workshop Audio Cassette series contains audio lectures on the primary legal topics of Contracts, Property, Evidence, Constitutional Law, Torts, and Criminal Law.
- Gilbert MBE Workshop KF303 .G553
Non-Commercial Web Sites Dedicated to Bar Exam Preparation
Findlaw for Students: The Bar
Web page includes links to bar results and exam information, bar review courses, sample bar exams and state bar homepages.
Washburn Law Library
General bar preparation information including bar review course links and Multistate exam information.
lexisONE - Bar Resource Center
Provides: Links to state and national bar associations, links to state bar exam information and links and descriptions of the Multistate tests.
Passing the Bar by Professor Vernellia Randall
University of Dayton professor's page providing advice to law students and recent law school graduates on preparing for the bar, including advice on how to take bar essay exams and multiple choice exams.
Resource Guides & CALI Lessons for Bar Subjects
Resource Guides
Our Law Librarians have prepared resource guides highlighting the major treatises, study aids and legal authorities for particular subject areas with an emphasis on Ohio. Guides pertinent to bar subjects include:
- Contracts Resource Guide
- Corporation Law Resource Guide
- Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Resource Guide
- Evidence Law Resource Guide
- Property Law Resource Guide
- Torts and Personal Injury Resource Guide
- Legal Ethics, Professionalism and Professional Responsibility Resources
CALI Lessons
The Cleveland-Marshall College of Law subscribes to the CALI Library of Lessons tutorials. CALI tutorials, written by law faculty and librarians from American law schools, are reviewed and revised on a regular basis. The lessons are designed to help you become accustomed to taking multiple-choice examinations and provide feedback to your answers.
If you are a Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Student, and have not yet accessed the CALI tutorials via our Law School subscription, Students click here. If you are a Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Faculty member, and have not yet accessed CALI via our Law School subscription, Faculty click here. Many of the over 300 CALI tutorials cover bar subjects. For example:
Business Associations: Agency & Authority, Business Judgment Rule, Conflict of Interest, Partnership, Shares and Shareholders, Other Issues
Civil Procedue: Civil Procedure
Commercial Transactions: Commercial Transactions
Consttituional Law: Constitutional Law
Contracts: Drafting, Formation, Performance and Breach, Remedies, Other Issues
Criminal Law: Constitutional Limitations, Excuses, Federal Habeas Corpus, Mens Rea, Mistake, Other Issues
Professional Responsibility: Professional Responsibility
Evidence: Hearsay, Other Issues
Property Law: Adverse Possession, Landlord and Tenant, Rule Against Perpetuities, Covenants, Equitable Servitudes and Restrictions, Easements, Other Issues
Torts: Damages, Defamation, Libel, Slander, Intent, Product Liability, Strict Liability, Other Issues
Wills and Trusts: Wills and Trusts
The Bar Passer
The Bar Passer is a Cleveland-Marshall College of Law publication designed to highlight bar passing strategies and bar exam logistics.
- Current issue: October 2007
- Prior issues: September 2006, March 2005; April 2005
The Bar Tender was the precursor to the Bar Passer. You may view the following past issues.
- November 2004 Issue 5
- October 2004 Issue 4
- September 2004 Issue 3
- September 2004 Issue 2
- September 2004 Issue 1
| revised March 2008 | jrn, aeb |