100+ Free Cameroon Bar Exam Practice Questions

Prepare for the Cameroon Bar Pupilage Entrance Exam — Examen d'Aptitude au Stage d'Avocat (Cameroon) exam with instant access — no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Cameroon Bar Exam Exam

10,000 FCFA

Registration fee (droits d'inscription) payable with the stamped application for the 2026 session

Arrêté No. 021/DPJ/SG/MJ of 12 February 2026 (MINJUSTICE)

2 Years

Duration of mandatory pupillage (stage) run from the date of the preliminary oath, before the CAPA exit exam

Law No. 90/059 of 19 December 1990, Article 11(1)

4 Hours

Duration of each written examination paper (Étude de cas and Culture générale)

Ministry of Justice / Cameroon Bar Examination Regulations

12/20

Final weighted average required across written and oral tests to pass the examination

Arrêté No. 021/DPJ/SG/MJ of 12 February 2026 (MINJUSTICE)

5 Years

Minimum years in practice for an advocate to issue a candidate's sponsorship letter (lettre de parrainage)

Arrêté No. 021/DPJ/SG/MJ of 12 February 2026, Article 3

3 Pupils

Maximum number of pupil advocates a single advocate may sponsor (6 for a professional civil partnership)

Law No. 90/059 of 19 December 1990, Article 9(3)

1,008 Admitted

Candidates finally admitted to pupillage out of 1,555 declared admissible in the 2026 session

MINJUSTICE order of 2 July 2026 publishing the final results

The Cameroon Bar Exam (Examen d'Aptitude au Stage d'Avocat) is Cameroon's official entrance gate into legal pupilage and the advocate profession under Law No. 90/059. Candidates must hold a recognized Licence en Droit (or LLB) and secure a 5-year advocate sponsor. The exam comprises two 4-hour written papers (legal case analysis, coefficient 4; general culture, coefficient 3) and a 15-minute oral defense (coefficient 2). This free practice bank delivers 100 English-language MCQs spanning professional ethics, OHADA business law, civil/criminal procedure, and court structure to help candidates master core doctrine.

Sample Cameroon Bar Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Cameroon Bar Exam exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under Law No. 90/059 of 19 December 1990 organizing the legal profession in Cameroon, which of the following activities is strictly incompatible with the practice of an advocate?

A.Engaging in commercial trading, even through an intermediary, or holding salaried public or private employment

B.Publishing academic articles in a peer-reviewed law journal

C.Serving as an unpaid arbitrator or mediator in a civil dispute

D.Sitting as an elected member of the Bar Council (Conseil de l'Ordre)

Explanation: Article 6 of Law No. 90/059 states that practice as an advocate excludes any relationship of subordination and is incompatible with any activity liable to undermine the independence of mind and liberal character of the profession, singling out in particular any salaried public or private employment and any commercial activity, even carried on through an intermediary.

2Under Article 11 of Law No. 90/059, what is the statutory duration of the pupillage (stage) that a pupil advocate must complete before sitting the CAPA exit examination?

A.Two (2) years

B.One (1) year

C.Three (3) years

D.Five (5) years

Explanation: Article 11(1) of Law No. 90/059 provides that the pupil advocate serves a two-year pupillage running from the date on which the preliminary oath is taken, under a maître de stage. The Certificat d'Aptitude à la Profession d'Avocat (CAPA) is taken at the end of that period, and only then may the advocate be inscribed on the roll.

3Under Article 9(3) of Law No. 90/059, what is the maximum number of pupil advocates (avocats stagiaires) that a single advocate may sponsor?

A.Three (3) pupils, with a ceiling of six for a professional civil partnership of advocates

B.One (1) pupil, with a ceiling of two for a professional civil partnership

C.Five (5) pupils, with a ceiling of ten for a professional civil partnership

D.No statutory ceiling; the Bâtonnier decides case by case

Explanation: Article 9(3) of Law No. 90/059 states that no advocate may sponsor more than three pupils and no professional civil partnership of advocates (société civile professionnelle) may sponsor more than six. The cap exists so that sponsorship remains a genuine training commitment rather than a formality.

4In Cameroonian legal ethics, what is the legal consequence of an agreement whereby an advocate's fee is set exclusively as a percentage of the financial award obtained by the client (*pacte de quota litis*)?

A.The agreement is null and void (*nul et de nul effet*) and constitutes professional misconduct

B.The agreement is valid provided it does not exceed 30% of the recovered sum

C.The agreement is valid only if ratified in writing by the President of the High Court (TGI)

D.The agreement is enforceable exclusively before commercial arbitration tribunals

Explanation: Article 65.3 of the Règlement Intérieur of the Cameroon Bar forbids an advocate to fix fees by a pacte de quota litis, defined as an agreement made with the client before a final judicial decision that fixes the whole of the fee exclusively by reference to the judicial outcome. The same article expressly allows an advocate to seek a result-based fee as a supplement to an agreed base fee.

5Which organ of the Cameroon Bar Association has statutory authority to hear and adjudicate disciplinary offenses committed by practicing advocates?

A.The Bar Council (*Conseil de l'Ordre*) sitting as the Disciplinary Board

B.The General Assembly of Advocates (*Assemblée Générale*)

C.The Ministry of Justice Disciplinary Committee

D.The Court of First Instance (*Tribunal de Première Instance*)

Explanation: Article 56(2) of Law No. 90/059 states in terms that the Conseil de l'Ordre constitutes the disciplinary jurisdiction of the Bar. Sitting in that capacity it hears complaints against advocates and pronounces the sanctions listed in Article 57.

6What is the most severe disciplinary sanction that the Bar Council can impose on an advocate found guilty of gross professional misconduct under Law No. 90/059?

A.Disbarment (*radiation du tableau de l'Ordre*)

B.Temporary suspension for a maximum of five (5) years

C.A formal written warning (*avertissement*)

D.An administrative fine payable to the Ministry of Justice

Explanation: Article 57(1) of Law No. 90/059 lists five sanctions in ascending order: a call to order (*rappel à l'ordre*), a warning (*avertissement*), a reprimand (*blâme*), temporary suspension for a period that may not exceed one year, and striking off the roll (*radiation du tableau de l'Ordre*). Radiation is the heaviest because it ends the right to practise.

7Under Cameroonian law and legal ethics, professional secrecy (*secret professionnel*) binding an advocate is:

A.Absolute and of public order (*d'ordre public*), binding the advocate even after the termination of the client relationship

B.Relative, and may be freely waived by the advocate whenever convenient

C.Applicable only to criminal cases, not civil or commercial litigation

D.Extinguished automatically upon the death of the client

Explanation: Professional secrecy is a matter of public policy (*d'ordre public*) under Article 310 of the Penal Code and Bar rules. It covers all confidences shared by the client across all legal matters and continues perpetually after the case ends or the client dies.

8Under the Règlement Intérieur of the Cameroon Bar, what must an advocate do before initiating a criminal action, or joining as civil party in a criminal case, against a magistrate or a fellow advocate on behalf of a client?

A.Refer the matter to the Bâtonnier beforehand and obtain his authorization, which is deemed granted if he does not reply within fifteen days

B.Obtain an authorization decree from the Minister of Justice

C.Deposit a security bond of 1,000,000 FCFA at the High Court registry

D.Publish a legal notice in a national daily newspaper

Explanation: Article 47 of the Règlement Intérieur provides that no advocate may, on behalf of a client, initiate a criminal action or join as civil party in a criminal case against a magistrate or an advocate without first referring the matter to the Bâtonnier and obtaining his authorization. The Bâtonnier must decide within fifteen days; his silence within that period amounts to authorization.

9Under Article 37 of Law No. 90/059, how must an advocate in Cameroon hold money received on behalf of a client?

A.In a dedicated bank account styled 'compte-clients', into which no personal funds may be paid and which cannot be attached by the advocate's own creditors

B.In the advocate's ordinary business account, provided a separate ledger entry is kept

C.In cash in the chambers safe, to be counted annually by the Bar Council

D.In a national escrow fund managed by the Directorate General of Taxation

Explanation: Article 37 of Law No. 90/059 requires the advocate to open at a bank a special account styled 'compte-clients', which may not be seized, and forbids paying any personal funds into it. Withdrawals require the client's written consent, and for an illiterate client that consent must be witnessed by two persons the client identifies. Sums received must be remitted to the client within a maximum of one month.

10How is the Bâtonnier of the Cameroon Bar Association elected, and what is the statutory term of office?

A.Elected by the General Assembly of advocates, by secret ballot and by simple majority, for a term of two (2) years

B.Appointed by decree of the President of the Republic for a term of five (5) years

C.Designated by the Supreme Court from among the most senior advocates for life

D.Elected by the Minister of Justice from a list of three candidates for four (4) years

Explanation: Under Article 51 of Law No. 90/059 the General Assembly votes by secret ballot, and the Conseil de l'Ordre and the Bâtonnier are elected by simple majority. Article 52 fixes their term at two years and requires the Bâtonnier to be chosen from among the members of the Council. The Bar is therefore self-governing: neither the executive nor the courts choose its head.

About the Cameroon Bar Exam Exam

The Cameroon Bar Examination (Examen d'Aptitude au Stage d'Avocat) is the statutory entrance examination required for law graduates to be admitted to pupilage (stage) and train as advocates (avocats) in the Republic of Cameroon under Law No. 90/059 of 19 December 1990.

Assessment

The examination is divided into a written admissibility stage (épreuves écrites d'admissibilité) and an oral admission test (épreuve orale d'admission). The written stage comprises two 4-hour papers: a judgment commentary or legal case study (commentaire de jugement / étude de cas, coefficient 4) testing substantive law and civil/criminal procedure, and a General Culture paper (culture générale, coefficient 3) focusing on contemporary legal, political, and institutional issues. Candidates declared admissible by the jury then sit a 15-minute oral interview before the jury (coefficient 2), evaluating legal reasoning, ethics, and oral argumentation. Marks are computed out of 20 with coefficients applied, and a final average of at least 12/20 is required to pass. The examination commission is chaired by the Bâtonnier and includes two law professors, two experienced advocates, and two magistrates; at least five jury members must be present to deliberate.

Time Limit

4 hours per written paper (two papers over two days), plus 15-minute oral examination

Passing Score

Final weighted average of at least 12/20 across the written and oral tests, each mark being out of 20 and weighted by its coefficient

Exam Fee

10,000 FCFA (XAF) registration fee (droits d'inscription), plus stamp duty and certified copies (Ministère d'État, Ministère de la Justice (MINJUSTICE), Direction des Professions Judiciaires, with the Ordre des Avocats au Barreau du Cameroun (Bar Council) receiving candidate files and chairing the examination commission)

Cameroon Bar Exam Exam Content Outline

coefficient 4 (written case study)

Deontology, Ethics & Legal Practice (Law No. 90/059)

Statutory rules governing the legal profession in Cameroon: advocate status, Bar Council powers, professional secrecy, conflicts of interest, fee regulation, pupillage obligations, and disciplinary liability.

coefficient 4 (written case study)

Civil, Commercial & OHADA Law and Procedure

Law of obligations, civil liability, land tenure, OHADA Uniform Acts (Commercial Law, Companies, Secured Transactions, Debt Recovery), and Cameroonian civil and commercial procedure.

coefficient 4 (written case study)

Criminal Law & Cameroonian Criminal Procedure

Cameroon Penal Code (Law No. 2016/007), criminal responsibility, offenses against persons/property/state, Special Criminal Court, and Criminal Procedure Code (Law No. 2005/007).

coefficient 3 (written general culture)

Constitutional Law, Judicial Organization & General Culture

Cameroon Constitution, Constitutional Council, bi-jural judicial organization (Law No. 2006/015 as amended), court jurisdictions, habeas corpus, and institutional history.

How to Pass the Cameroon Bar Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Final weighted average of at least 12/20 across the written and oral tests, each mark being out of 20 and weighted by its coefficient
Assessment: The examination is divided into a written admissibility stage (épreuves écrites d'admissibilité) and an oral admission test (épreuve orale d'admission). The written stage comprises two 4-hour papers: a judgment commentary or legal case study (commentaire de jugement / étude de cas, coefficient 4) testing substantive law and civil/criminal procedure, and a General Culture paper (culture générale, coefficient 3) focusing on contemporary legal, political, and institutional issues. Candidates declared admissible by the jury then sit a 15-minute oral interview before the jury (coefficient 2), evaluating legal reasoning, ethics, and oral argumentation. Marks are computed out of 20 with coefficients applied, and a final average of at least 12/20 is required to pass. The examination commission is chaired by the Bâtonnier and includes two law professors, two experienced advocates, and two magistrates; at least five jury members must be present to deliberate.
Time limit: 4 hours per written paper (two papers over two days), plus 15-minute oral examination
Exam fee: 10,000 FCFA (XAF) registration fee (droits d'inscription), plus stamp duty and certified copies

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Cameroon Bar Exam Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the verbatim provisions and ethical prohibitions of Law No. 90/059 of 19 December 1990 organizing the profession of advocate in Cameroon.

2Understand the bilingual and bi-jural harmony of Cameroon: master both French Civil Law principles (Civil Code) and English Common Law concepts applicable in Anglophone regions, alongside OHADA Uniform Acts.

3Pay meticulous attention to the Criminal Procedure Code (Law No. 2005/007), specifically police custody time limits (Section 119), the mandatory preliminary inquiry in felonies (Section 142), and habeas corpus before the President of the High Court (Section 584).

4Know the hierarchy and specific jurisdiction of trial courts under Law No. 2006/015 on Judicial Organization (TPI for misdemeanors/claims under 10 million FCFA; TGI for felonies/claims over 10 million FCFA).

5Be thoroughly prepared for ethical scenario questions involving conflicts of interest, handling client funds, confidentiality exceptions, and relations with the Bar Council and the Bâtonnier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official format of the Cameroon Bar Examination?

The official examination consists of two 4-hour written papers (a legal case study/judgment commentary carrying coefficient 4, and a general culture paper carrying coefficient 3), followed by a 15-minute oral examination (coefficient 2) for candidates who achieve admissibility.

What qualifications and prerequisites are needed to apply for the Cameroon Bar Exam?

Applicants must be Cameroonian citizens (or nationals of countries with reciprocity agreements), aged at least 21, holders of a recognized Licence en Droit (LLB equivalent) in legal sciences, enjoy full civil rights with a clean criminal record, and hold a formal sponsorship letter from an advocate with at least 5 years of active practice.

How long is the pupillage (stage) after passing the exam?

Candidates admitted to the Bar exam complete a mandatory two-year pupillage (stage professionnel) under the supervision of their maître de stage. Upon completing the two years, they must sit and pass the Certificat d'Aptitude à la Profession d'Avocat (CAPA) exit examination before swearing the final oath and being inscribed on the Tableau de l'Ordre.

What score is required to be admitted to the Cameroon Bar pupilage?

Every test is marked out of 20 and weighted by its coefficient (4 for the case study, 3 for general culture, 2 for the oral). A candidate is declared successful on obtaining a final weighted average of at least 12/20. The jury separately publishes a list of candidates admissible to the oral stage; in the 2026 session 1,555 candidates were declared admissible and 1,008 were finally admitted.

How does this practice question bank relate to the real Cameroon Bar exam?

The official Cameroon Bar exam consists of written legal essays, case analysis, and oral defense before a jury, without multiple-choice questions. This bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation designed to help candidates master substantive Cameroonian statutes (Law 90/059, Law 2005/007, Law 2016/007), OHADA law, and judicial doctrine.