Get ready for an evolution! If you are planning to take the bar exam in July 2026 or later, the test you face may look very different from the one lawyers have taken for decades. The NextGen Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is coming, and it’s ushering in changes in how future attorneys are assessed.
Let’s dive into what you will face on exam day if you intend to sit for the bar in a jurisdiction that has adopted the new version of the UBE.
Out with the Old, In with the New
The NextGen UBE represents a fundamental shift in bar exam philosophy. The current Uniform Bar Exam relies heavily on memorization of black-letter law. The NextGen bar exam, debuting in some jurisdictions in July 2026, moves away from rote memorization toward a practice-oriented approach to assessment.
Why the change? The goal is to better assess the actual skills and substantive knowledge a newly licensed attorney needs on day one. Instead of just asking you to recite a rule, the NextGen bar exam asks you to think like a lawyer.
Format Changes to Come
Say goodbye to the alphabet soup of the UBE components. NextGen eliminates the separate Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), and Multistate Performance Test (MPT).
While you will still see some multiple-choice questions similar to the current MBE—where you choose the best of the given options to resolve a legal issue—you will also face entirely new question types designed to test your practical abilities.
Issue-Spotting Multiple-Choice Questions
This new format tests your ability to spot legal issues quickly. Approximately 40% of the exam time will be devoted to standalone multiple-choice questions with between four and six answer options and one or more correct answers. You will read a short fact pattern and then review the listed legal concepts. Your task is to select those concepts that apply.
This is a major departure from traditional testing. It values your ability to identify the problem over your ability to recall a specific, detailed rule. Plus, there is a bonus: if you select one correct answer choice, you get partial credit.
Integrated Question Sets
These sets are the heart of the “practice-oriented” shift, placing you in realistic lawyering scenarios. The examiners provide documents like client interview notes, police reports, or deposition excerpts, along with legal resources like statutes and cases.
You then answer a mix of multiple-choice and short-answer questions based on those materials. As you progress, you might get new facts or legal resources that change the analysis. These sets test your ability to synthesize information across multiple subject areas—for example, combining knowledge of Civil Procedure with Evidence to counsel a client effectively.
Longer Performance Task/Drafting Problems
Think of this as the next iteration of the MPT. You receive a file with factual information and a library of legal resources. Your job is to demonstrate your ability to use fundamental lawyering skills in realistic situations, completing tasks that a beginning lawyer should be able to accomplish.
Subjects Tested
You might be wondering if you still need to study the same core subjects. The answer is mostly yes, but with some tweaks. Most UBE areas remain, including:
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Evidence
- Real Property
- Torts
Note that Family Law will join the lineup starting with the July 2028 administration.
Subjects Being Dropped
Here is where the strategy changes. The NextGen exam is dropping coverage of Conflict of Laws, Wills, Trusts and Estates, and Secured Transactions.
Does this mean you can ignore these topics entirely? Not exactly. While you won't need to master Trusts and Estates, the subject may still appear on the exam alongside provided legal resources like statutes or case law. You won't need to memorize the rules, but you will need to know how to read and apply them if they are given to you.
Less Memorization, More Skills
Here's some happy news. For the subjects that remain, the NextGen exam significantly reduces the scope of material you must commit to memory.
Many concepts will require only familiarity rather than detailed encyclopedic knowledge. Because the exam provides legal resources for many questions, the emphasis shifts from “what do you know?” to “what can you do with what you know?”
A New Focus on Research
Legal research is a daily task for attorneys, and the NextGen UBE finally reflects that. You will need to demonstrate practical skills, such as:
- Identifying efficient research strategies for working with provided resources.
- Reaching closure on research questions.
- Developing and refining a theory of the given case.
Professional Responsibility Integration
Professional responsibility is no longer just for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE). The NextGen UBE integrates the Model Rules of Professional Conduct directly into client-advising scenarios. You will face questions about conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and competence.
Specific rules tested include:
- Rule 1.6: Confidentiality of Information
- Rule 1.7: Conflict of Interest (Current Clients)
- Rule 3.3: Candor Toward the Tribunal
- Rule 4.2: Communication with Person Represented by Counsel
Remember, this does not replace the MPRE. That remains a stand-alone exam, and it’s likely that many jurisdictions will continue to require passage for bar admission.
Is Your State Adopting NextGen?
The National Conference of Bar Examiners will offer both the UBE and NextGen exams for a two-year transition period starting in July 2026.
Learn about jurisdictions committed to transitioning to NextGen along with those that are waiting to switch. Be sure to check the NCBE website frequently for new information on jurisdictions’ plans to administer the NextGen UBE.
Taking the NextGen Bar Exam
The exam-day experience will differ from that of the current bar exam. The NextGen UBE eliminates the use of paper test packets and answer sheets. Instead, the entire exam will be taken on a laptop computer. This digital-first format means you must be comfortable parsing questions and legal authorities on a screen.
In addition, the exam is being trimmed. The UBE requires 2 days of testing, with morning and afternoon sessions of 3 hours each. The NextGen exam shortens the testing window to just one and a half days. Some jurisdictions may use part of the second day to test state-specific components.
Prepare for the Bar Exam with Confidence
The bar exam is changing, but your need for rigorous preparation hasn't. Whether you are facing the legacy UBE or the new NextGen format, BARBRI meets you where you are.
We have guided over 1.4 million law students through their bar exam passage, adapting our strategies to every major shift in testing history. With BARBRI, you get cutting-edge tools, expert courses and support, and the confidence that comes from knowing you are ready for anything the examiners throw at you.
Don't let the upcoming changes catch you off guard. Start your journey with the leader in U.S. bar prep.
The NextGen Bar Exam promises significant benefits for the entire legal profession. By better aligning assessment with practice requirements, the exam is poised to assess practice-readiness more effectively. Emphasis on practical lawyering skills equips attorneys to serve client needs more effectively.
Are you ready to evolve with the bar exam and start building practical legal skills? BARBRI NextGen UBE prep provides the tools, expert courses, and support to help you learn what's important for your future bar exam success.
Please check the NCBE website frequently for new information on jurisdictions’ plans to administer the NextGen UBE.
Interested in reading more? Fill out the form to read the full article.