Wisconsin Bar Exam
***Wisconsin residents may be eligible for a Diploma Privilege and may be admitted without taking the Wisconsin Bar Exam. However, many states require attorneys admitted in Wisconsin to have passed the bar exam in order to obtain reciprocity.
Wisconsin Bar Exam Format
The Wisconsin bar exam takes three days. The first day is a mandatory registration session. The Wisconsin bar exam format may change but generally consists of the Wisconsin Essays, Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE”), the Multistate Performance Test (“MPT”), and the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE”). Wisconsin law may be tested on the Wisconsin bar exam.
Wisconsin/MEE Essays
Wisconsin generally tests six (6) to eight (8) essays. The essays are designed for 30-minutes and may include MEE essays. Subjects include:
- Business Associations (Corporations, Partnerships, Associations, and Sole Proprietorships)
- Civil Procedure (Pleading and Practice, and Jurisdiction of Courts)
- Commercial Law (Sales, Secured Transactions, and Negotiable Instruments)
- Constitutional Law (Federal)
- Contracts
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Evidence
- Family Law (Domestic Relations)
- Professional Responsibility (Ethics and Legal Responsibility of the Profession)
- Property (including Real Estate)
- Taxation (Federal)
- Torts
- Trusts and Estates
MPT (Performance Test)
Wisconsin generally tests one (1) MPT performance test.
MBE (Multiple Choice)
Wisconsin 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
Wisconsin accepts MBE scores transferred from other jurisdictions. Wisconsin accepts scaled scores of 135 or greater. The score must be achieved within 37 months (6 exams) of the current exam, and the applicant must have passed the entire previous bar exam.
Wisconsin Bar Exam Testing Schedule
Day 1 (Monday)
Afternoon – Mandatory Orientation
Day 2 (Tuesday)
Generally 1 or 2 MPTs and 6 Essays
Day 3 (Wednesday)
Morning – MBE Part I (100 questions; 3 hours)
Afternoon – MBE Part II (100 questions; 3 hours)
Wisconsin Bar Exam Dates and Application
The Wisconsin bar exam is held on the last Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of February and July. Applications can be found on the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners’ Website.
| Exam Date | Application Deadline | Final Deadline |
| February 20-22, 2017 | Dec. 1 | Jan. 1 |
| July 24-26, 2017 | May 1 | June 1 |
Grading
Wisconsin Bar Exam Weight
| Essays/MPT | 50% |
| MBE | 50% |
Grading Procedure
The Wisconsin bar exam is graded using scaled scores. The scaled essay and MBE scores are combined to generate the total bar exam score.
Passing Score
The minimum passing score is a combined score of 258 out of 400 possible points. Bar exam results are normally released in early April for the February exam and early September for the July exam.
Pass Rates
Not currently available.
Review and Appeal for Applicants Failing the Wisconsin Bar Exam
Unsuccessful applicants who file a written request with the Board within 90 days of mailing a notice by the Board of failure of the bar exam will be entitled to inspect the examinee’s essay exam papers.
Retaking the Wisconsin Bar Exam
Applicants may reapply to take the Wisconsin bar exam.