Descripton of the MEE

The Multistate Essay Examination is a collection of essay questions. Applicants are expected to spend approximately thirty minutes answering each of the questions.

The purpose of the MEE is to test the applicant’s ability to:

• identify legal issues raised by a hypothetical factual situation;
• separate material which is relevant from that which is not;
• present a reasoned analysis of the relevant issues in a clear, concise, and well organized composition; and
• demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental legal principles relevant to the probable solution of the issues raised by the factual situation.

The Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), which was inaugurated in July 1988, is administered on the Tuesday prior to the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). 

For February 2007, the MEE will consist of seven questions, each of which is designed to be answered in thirty minutes. Each jurisdiction may decide which questions its applicants should answer. This feature provides the jurisdictions with the flexibility to design their own test.

The areas of law that may be covered by the February 2007 MEE are: Agency and Partnership, Commercial Paper (Negotiable Instruments), Conflict of Laws, Corporations and Limited Liability Companies, Decedents’ Estates, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Sales, Secured Transactions, and Trusts and Future Interests. Some questions may include issues in more than one area of law.

The July 2007 MEE will offer nine questions to jurisdictions and will have expanded specifications. Jurisdictions will be able to select the questions they wish to administer from the nine offered.

Areas of law that may be covered on the July 2007 MEE include the following: Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies), Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Real Property, Torts, Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates; Trusts and Future Interests), and Uniform Commercial Code (Commercial Paper (Negotiable Instruments); Secured Transactions). Some questions may include issues in more than one area of law.

The primary distinction between the MEE and the MBE is that the MEE requires the applicant to demonstrate an ability to communicate in writing effectively.