Bar Exam Resources Guide

This Guide was created to assist W&L law students in preparing for the bar exam.

Helpful Information

Contact us!

For additional information on print and electronic resources available to you and the information on this Guide, please contact a librarian at LawRef@wlu.edu

For additional information on W&L bar courses, the bar exam components, studying assistance and tips, creating a bar exam study schedule, etc., please contact Prof. Leila Lawlor at llawlor@wlu.edu

For questions regarding the bar exam application process or materials, please contact Dean Maria Saez Tatman at msaeztatman@wlu.edu

Looking for a Notary?

In the Law School:

Sue Coffey, Lewis Hall 233A (540-458-8981 or CoffeyS@wlu.edu)

Brittany Fix, Lewis Hall 348 (540-458-8550 or BFix@wlu.edu)

Victoria Johnston, Lewis Hall 348 (540-458-8544 or VJohnston@wlu.edu)

Brianne Kleinert, Lewis Hall 245 (540-458-8567 or KleinertB@wlu.edu)

Emma Martone, Lewis Hall 324 (540-458-8541 or EMartone@wlu.edu)

Sheryl Salm, Lewis Hall 105 (540-458-8482 or SalmS@wlu.edu)

Milea Webb, Lewis Hall 322 (540-458-8584 or MWebb@wlu.edu)

Other Notaries on W&L's campus are listed online

One common element of the bar exam in many jurisdictions is the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE). For a list of jurisdictions that administer the MEE, please see the map at the bottom of this page. 

Content and Scoring of the Exam

The MEE consists of six 30-minute questions. It is administered by user jurisdictions as part of the bar exam on the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in February and July of each year. For the MEE’s scope of coverage, see the MEE Subject Matter Outline

Additional details regarding the structure of the exam and tested subjects are available on the NCBE’s MEE Preparation page.

According to the NCBE, “[t]he purpose of the MEE is to test the examinee’s ability to (1) identify legal issues raised by a hypothetical factual situation; (2) separate material which is relevant from that which is not; (3) present a reasoned analysis of the relevant issues in a clear, concise, and well-organized composition; and (4) demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental legal principles relevant to the probable solution of the issues raised by the factual situation. The primary distinction between the MEE and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is that the MEE requires the examinee to demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in writing.”

Study Resources for the MEE

The Law Library contains a special Bar Success Collection of resources to help you prepare for the bar exam. This collection is located in the Main Reading Room on Level 3A.

The Library also has eBook collections that can assist you in studying: 

Below is a sampling of the print and electronic resources available from the Law Library: 

If you’re looking to purchase additional resources yourself:

  • (FREE) MEE Questions and Analyses from older administrations are available on the NCBE website. 
  • The NCBE provides you with some sample test questions online. 
  • When you register for a Bar Review course they will provide you with multiple simulated MEE exams.
  • The NCBE has a list of MEE study aids in their online store.

Jurisdictions Administering the MEE

(updated Feb. 22, 2024):

Which states administer the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE)? - JD Advising