Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar

• Publication year: 2011
• Pages: 0163

Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar
Vol. 72 No. 2 Pg. 163
The Alabama Lawyer
MARCH, 2011

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA

March 2, 2011

ORDER

It is ordered that Rule VI(B), Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar, be amended to read in accordance with the appendix attached to this order;

It is further ordered that the amendment of Rule VI(B) be effective May 1, 2011.

It is further ordered that the following note from the reporter of decisions be added to follow Rule VI(B):

"Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule VI(B), Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar, is published in that volume of Alabama Reporterthat contains Alabama cases from ___ So. 3d."

Cobb, C.J., and Woodall, Stuart, Bolin, Parker, Murdock, Shaw, Main, and Wise, JJ., concur.

APPENDIX

Rule VI(B). Bar Examination

A. Bar Examination Subjects

(1) Academic Bar Examination. The Academic Bar Examination shall consist of the Uniform Bar Examination ("the UBE") and the Alabama Essay Examination ("the AEE"). The UBE is prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners and includes the Multistate Essay Examination ("the MEE"), the Multistate Performance Test ("the MPT"), and the Multistate Bar Examination ("the MBE"). The AEE is prepared by the Board of Bar Examiners.

(a) The MEE. The MEE is a three-hour essay test. The purpose of the MEE is to test the examinee's ability (1) to identify legal issues raised by a hypothetical factual situation; (2) to separate material that is relevant from that that is not; (3) to present a reasoned analysis of the relevant issues in a clear, concise and well-organized composition and (4) to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental legal principles relevant to the probable resolution of the issues raised by the factual situation. The MEE may test the following subjects: Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies), Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Real Property, Torts, Trusts and Estates (Decedents' Estates; Trusts and Future Interests), and Uniform Commercial Code (Negotiable Instruments (Commercial Paper); Secured Transactions). Some questions may include issues in more than one area of law.

(b) The MBE. The MBE is a one-day multiple-choice test. The purpose of the MBE is to assess the extent to which an examinee can apply fundamental legal principles and legal reasoning in analyzing fact patterns. The MBE will test the following subjects: Contracts, Torts, Real Property, Evidence, Criminal Law, and Constitutional Law.

(c) The MPT. The MPT is two 90-minute tests covering the following skills: problem-solving, legal analysis and reasoning, factual analysis, communication, organization and management of a legal task, and recognizing and resolving ethical dilemmas.

(d) The AEE. The AEE shall not exceed three hours in length. This portion of the examination will cover subjects not tested by the UBE.

(2) Legal Ethics Examination. The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination ("the MPRE," see Rule VI(B)F) prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners shall be used as the examination on Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility.

An applicant must pass both the Academic Bar Examination and the Legal Ethics Examination to be certified as a successful candidate.

B. Preparing, Conducting and Grading Examinations

(1) Preparing Examinations. The Board of Bar Examiners shall be responsible for preparing the AEE, under guidelines

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