The bar exam is intended to be a comprehensive test of foundational legal principles and concepts, and the subjects you’re expected to know span the entire industry. But with the right preparation, you’ll be more than ready to take on whatever the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) throws at you.
Fortunately, the NCBE offers some help in preparing for the bar exam with its subject-matter outlines for topics that may appear on the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE). While it’s almost impossible for any one exam to prioritize every topic that appears on the subject-matter outlines, the outlines can at least give you an idea of what to expect and where to focus.
BARBRI also has you covered with our list of the subjects that might appear on the legacy Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) or NextGen UBE (beginning in some jurisdiction in July 2026), along with a brief description of each subject.
Subjects Tested on the Legacy Bar Exam (UBE)
If you plan to take the Uniform Bar Exam, you should know these core legal subjects:
Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) Subjects
Civil Procedure (Including Constitutional Protections + Proceedings Before Administrative Agencies)
The UBE assumes that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are in place, as well as the sections of Title 28 of the U.S. Code regarding trial and appellate jurisdiction, venue, and transfer. The bulk of the civil procedure questions on the UBE pertain to jurisdiction and venue, pretrial procedures, and motions.
Constitutional Law (Excluding Principles Covered Under Civil Procedure + Criminal Law)
The UBE tests extensively on the federal constitution, focusing primarily on individual rights, including the First Amendment, due process, takings, and equal protection. Other topics tested include judicial review, the separation of powers, and federalism.
Contract Law
Articles 1 and 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code form a major component of the MBE. You’ll also need to be particularly familiar with the formation of contracts and performance, breach, and discharge.
Criminal Law + Criminal Procedure (Excluding Coverage of Criminal Procedure Beyond Constitutional Protections)
The primary focus is on the constitutional protections of accused people. Other topics include homicides and other major crimes, inchoate crimes, and general principles.
Evidence
If you thought you could escape the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE), think again. Whether you plan to be a transactional lawyer or a litigator, you’ll be tested extensively on the FRE. The most tested topics in Evidence include the presentation of evidence, relevancy, and reasons for excluding relevant evidence.
Real Property
You will be tested relatively equally on ownership, rights, real estate contracts, mortgages, and titles. Unfortunately, the rule against perpetuities (RAP) is also a potential topic, so if your professor took it easy on you and avoided RAP, now’s your chance to tackle this classic issue.
Torts
Negligence is by far the most popular topic to be tested here, but you’ll also see questions on intentional torts, strict liability, products liability, and several other types of torts. Joint and several liability and pure comparative fault are applicable unless otherwise stated.
Learn more about prepping for the MBE.
Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) Subjects
All the MBE subjects, plus potential variations of the following (with responses required in essay form):
Business Associations (Including Agency + Partnership)
While most subjects tested on the UBE are also required law school subjects, Business Associations is one of the few that is not a required course at most law schools. If you did not take Business Associations in law school, much of this subject matter may be new to you. As you prepare for this topic, you’ll cover issues like agency, partnership, vicarious liability, fiduciary duty, dissolution, corporations, limited liability companies, and organizational structures.
Conflict of Laws
Conflict of laws issues are always found embedded within other issues on the MEE. You’ll never encounter a standalone conflict of laws question. Relevant topics include domicile, jurisdiction, choice of law, and recognition of other jurisdictions.
Family Law
You’ll see questions relating to marriage, separation, divorce, child custody, rights of unmarried cohabitants, adoption, alternatives to adoption, and the relationship between families and the state.
Secured Transactions
While the MBE might test you on aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code within its Contracts questions, the MEE requires you to focus specifically on one aspect of the UCC: Title 9, which governs secured transactions. A good bar review program will prepare you in general UCC principles, applicability and definitions, validity of security agreements, rights of parties, perfected and unperfected security interests, and default.
Trusts + Estates (Decedents’ Estates, Trusts, Future Interests)
Be prepared for validity of a trust, duties of the trustee, revocability, and types of trusts issues on the bar exam. You’ll also need to be prepared to answer questions on intestate succession, wills, family protection, and durable health care powers.
Beginning in July 2026, Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts and Estates, and Secured Transactions will no longer be tested on the MEE, although these subjects may appear on the Multistate Performance Test (MPT).
Exam Priorities for the NextGen Bar Exam
From the first administration of the NextGen UBE in July 2026 to February 2028, foundational knowledge in these areas will be tested:
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Constitutional Law
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law/Criminal Procedure
- Evidence
- Real Property
- Torts
Family law will be added to the above list of foundational concepts and principles starting with the July 2028 NextGen exam.
Note: Additional subjects will be included in performance tasks or in questions assessing foundational skills, but foundational knowledge in those subjects is not required. The examiners will provide reference materials or a library with appropriate legal resources.
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