Before you begin studying for the bar exam, take the time to understand how it is evolving. The new bar exam, known as the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), isn’t just another test. It’s been reimagined to evaluate a broader range of legal skills in real-world scenarios that mimic the tasks you’ll perform as a practicing lawyer.
This new bar exam format places a strong emphasis on core legal subjects and skills. BARBRI is ready to help you streamline your bar prep and prepare confidently, with tested course tools already available and aligned with the NextGen UBE. The BARBRI NextGen UBE prep experience is reflective of BARBRI Bar Review’s proven learning science backed by decades of bar exam results. You won’t just learn the material; you’ll master how to apply it effectively in legal situations with realistic problems that mirror the questions on the NextGen UBE.
In this guide, we break down the key subject areas you need to master for the NextGen UBE. From Foundational topics like contracts and torts to Foundational Skills like legal writing and client counseling, here’s where to focus your exam prep.
Exam Priorities from July 2026–February 2028
From the first administration of the NextGen UBE in July 2026 to February 2028, the following Foundational Concepts and Principles and Foundational Skills will be tested:
Foundational Concepts and Principles
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Constitutional Law
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law/Criminal Procedure
- Evidence
- Real Property
- Torts
Foundational Skills
- Client Counseling and Advising
- Client Relationship and Management
- Investigation and Evaluation
- Issue Spotting and Analysis
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
Other areas of legal knowledge will also appear on the NextGen UBE to provide the context for testing one or more Foundational Skills. For those areas, you will not be expected or required to develop a base of knowledge. Instead, you will be provided with the necessary legal resources (e.g., statutes, regulations, and case law) to answer the questions and demonstrate the skills being tested. You should prepare for Family Law and Trusts and Estates issues in these skills-focused questions.
What to Expect Beginning in July 2028
Family law will be added to the above list of Foundational Concepts and Principles starting with the July 2028 NextGen exam. Other areas of legal knowledge will also appear on the NextGen UBE to evaluate one or more Foundational Skills, with the necessary legal resources provided.
Don’t Forget Professional Responsibility
A deep understanding of professional conduct is non-negotiable in the practice of law. The exam will test your ability to identify and resolve ethical dilemmas in the context of certain Foundational Skills, so be sure to study the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Select Model Rules of Professional Conduct (listed in the content scope outline) will be tested in the context of client counseling and advising, negotiation and dispute resolution, and client relationship and management.
You will be expected to rely solely on recall and understanding of select professional conduct rules, without any legal resources. It will be important to memorize rules related to such things as client confidentiality and conflict of interest.
Take the Next Step in NextGen Bar Prep
The NextGen UBE must be adopted by a jurisdiction before prospective attorneys will be tested in this bar exam format. What this means is that the traditional Uniform Bar Exam will continue to be administered in conjunction with the roll out of the NextGen exam for at least a few bar exam administrations. Learn more about jurisdictions that have adopted the NextGen UBE on the NCBE website.
We’re here to help you prepare for the bar exam as only BARBRI can. With proven strategies, smarter tools, and a deeply personalized approach, we help you move from where you are in your bar prep journey to where you need to be. Let’s get started!
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