News/Resources

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) announced today that Frederick J. Coolbroth of New Hampshire has been awarded the 2025 Diane F. Bosse Award for Excellence and Service in Bar Admissions.

The official name of the NextGen bar exam will be the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen UBE). The name reflects NCBE’s commitment to ensuring a fair exam designed to support score portability.

Delaware has announced that it intends to administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in February 2028. Thirty-nine jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) announced today that the national mean scaled score for the February 2025 Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) was 130.8. The MBE, one of three sections that make up the bar exam in most US jurisdictions, consists of 200 multiple-choice questions answered over six hours.

Massachusetts has announced that it intends to administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2028. Thirty-eight jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

Texas is moving forward with plans to administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2028. Thirty-seven jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

The Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands has announced that it intends to administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2026. Thirty-six jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

Idaho has announced that it intends to administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2026. Thirty-five jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) has published its 2024 Year in Review, now available on the NCBE website. The Year in Review highlights the work of NCBE’s volunteers and staff in fulfilling its mission and provides a data-filled snapshot of the work NCBE undertakes in its commitment to serving the bar admissions community.

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals Committee on Admissions has announced that it will administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in February 2028. Thirty-three jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

Hawai‘i and Maine have announced that they will administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2028. Thirty-two jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

The New York State Court of Appeals has announced that it will administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2028. Thirty jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam; seven jurisdictions will first administer the new exam in 2026, thirteen in 2027, and ten in 2028.

Virginia and South Dakota are the latest jurisdictions to announce that they will adopt the NextGen bar exam. South Dakota will first administer the new exam in July 2027, and Virginia will hold its first administration in July 2028.

The national mean scaled score for the November 2024 MPRE was 95.6, 2.4 points lower than the November 2023 mean of 98.0. The November 2024 mean reflects the performance of 19,737 examinees, 1,538 fewer than the November 2023 examinee count of 21,275.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) has published the family law subject matter outline for the NextGen bar exam. The outline is intended to inform stakeholders of the specific topics within family law to be assessed on the new exam starting in July 2028. These topics have been identified as those that are most essential for newly licensed lawyers.

The Alaska Supreme Court has announced that it intends to administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2028. Twenty-seven jurisdictions have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) has announced a new annual award to honor a bar examiner who demonstrates leadership, integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to serving the legal profession through bar admissions in their own jurisdiction and beyond to help ensure a competent, ethical, and diverse legal profession.

The Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has announced that it will administer the NextGen bar exam beginning in July 2026. The Court will continue to administer local content essays alongside the new exam. Twenty-six jurisdictions in total have now announced plans to adopt the NextGen exam.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kara McWilliams, PhD, as its Chief Product Officer. In this role, McWilliams will lead the development and execution of NCBE’s current product strategy, guide the delivery of the NextGen bar exam, and oversee the introduction of new business models and innovative products and services.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jake Vizner as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO). Vizner will lead NCBE's technology strategy as the organization prepares to launch the NextGen bar exam in 2026.