Illinois Bar Exam

Illinois Bar Exam Format

The Illinois bar exam takes two days and consists of the Illinois Essays, the Multistate Performance Test (“MPT” ), the Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE” ), and the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE” ). Illinois law is tested on the Illinois bar exam.

Illinois Essays
Illinois tests three (3) state essays. Each essay is designed for 30 minutes. Subjects may include:

  • Administrative Law
  • Agency and Partnership
  • Business Organizations (Corporations and LLCs)
  • Commercial Paper (UCC Art. 3)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law (Illinois and Federal)
  • Contracts
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Equity
  • Evidence
  • Family Law
  • Federal Jurisdiction & Procedure
  • Federal Taxation
  • Illinois Civil Procedure
  • Partnership
  • Personal Property (including Sales and Bailments)
  • Real Property
  • Secured Transactions (UCC Art. 9)
  • Suretyship
  • Torts
  • Trusts and Future Interests
  • Wills and Decedents’ Estate

MEE (Essays)
Illinois tests six (6) MEE essays. Subjects include:

  • Business Associations (Agency, Partnership, Corporations, LLCs)
  • Civil Procedure (Federal)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Family Law
  • Negotiable Instruments/Commercial Paper (UCC Art. 3)
  • Real Property
  • Secured Transactions (UCC Art. 9)
  • Torts
  • Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates, Trusts, Future Interests)

MPT (Performance Test)
Illinois tests one (1) MPT performance test.

MBE (Multiple Choice)
Illinois uses the standard MBE. Subjects include:

  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Real Property
  • Torts

MBE Score Transfer
Illinois accepts MBE scores from other jurisdictions. Illinois accepts MBE scaled scores of 141 or greater. The score must be from a bar exam administered within 13 months (2 prior exams) of the current exam. The applicant must pass the bar exam where the score was achieved. Applicants must also pass the essay portion of the Illinois bar exam (scaled score of 132 or greater).

Illinois Bar Exam Testing Schedule

Day 1 (Tuesday)
Morning – 3 Illinois Essays and 1 MPT (3 hours)
Afternoon – 6 MEE Essays (3 hours)

Day 2 (Wednesday)
Morning – MBE Part I (100 questions; 3 hours)
Afternoon – MBE Part II (100 questions; 3 hours)

Illinois Bar Exam Dates and Application

The Illinois bar exam is administered on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. The bar exam is held in Chicago, Illinois. Applications can be found on the Illinois Board of Admissions’ Website.

Exam Date Application Deadline Late Deadline
 Final Deadline
February 21-22, 2017 Sep. 15 Nov. 1 Dec. 15
July 25-26, 2017 Feb. 15 April 1 May 15

Grading

Illinois Bar Exam Weight

IL Essays/MEE 43%
MPT 7%
MBE 50%

Grading Procedure
The Illinois bar exam is graded using scaled scores.

Passing Score
The minimum passing bar exam score is 264. Bar exam scores for the February exam are released during the first two weeks in April and during the first two weeks in October for the July exam. Passing bar exam scores are valid for four years.

Pass Rates
Not currently available.

Review and Appeal for Applicants Failing the Illinois Bar Exam
Unsuccessful applicants may request permission to inspect their answers on the essay portion of the exam and a sample passing answer.

Retaking the Illinois Bar Exam

Applicants may retake the Illinois bar exam for a reduced fee.