The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE”) is an ethics exam administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (“NCBE”) and not by the state of New Jersey. The MPRE is administered separately from the New Jersey bar exam and is generally tested three times each year in March, August, and November.
Please visit the Ethics Exam/MPRE page for general information about the MPRE and the MPRE application process.
MPRE for New Jersey
New Jersey requires an MPRE scaled score of 75 or greater prior to admission. Applicants are encouraged to take the MPRE while in law school. Applicants may also take the MPRE after the bar exam, but the Board expects this to occur before the bar exam results are released. Taking the MPRE at a later time will likely result in the applicant having to petition the Court to accept the late MPRE score.
As an alternative to the MPRE, applicants may submit a Law School Certificate of successful completion of an approved course of professional ethics. The course must be for credit (at least one credit hour), a minimum of nine classroom hours of instruction, and be devoted entirely to legal ethics and professional responsibility. Applicants must have received at least a “C” grade or its equivalent. (Admission to the Bar Book, Section E).
New Jersey MPRE Scoring Reciprocity/Transfer
New Jersey accepts MPRE scaled scores that were achieved in another jurisdiction.