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100+ Free MPT Practice Questions

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A client tells you in the initial meeting they intend to commit a future fraud against a third party. Under MRPC 1.6 and 1.2, the lawyer:

A
B
C
D
to track
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: MPT Exam

2

MPT Tasks per Exam

NCBE

90 min

Per Task

NCBE

20%

Share of UBE Score

NCBE

Closed

Universe Test

No outside law

30-50 hrs

Recommended Practice

Bar prep average

Free

Past MPTs

NCBE study aids

The Multistate Performance Test (MPT) is the skills portion of the bar exam: 2 tasks × 90 minutes (3 hours total). Each task gives you a File of facts and a Library of legal authorities and asks you to draft a memo, brief, client letter, contract clause, or other lawyering document. The MPT is 20% of the UBE score and tests the closed-universe skills most law schools spend the least time teaching — fact selection, applied analysis, and timed legal writing.

Sample MPT Practice Questions

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

1What two distinct sections of materials does every MPT task provide to the examinee?
A.A File and a Library
B.A Statement of Facts and a Statement of Law
C.A Memo and an Exhibit
D.An Opinion and a Brief
Explanation: Each MPT consists of a File (factual source documents — the supervising attorney's memo, witness statements, contracts, correspondence, etc.) and a Library (legal authorities — cases, statutes, regulations). The File supplies the facts; the Library supplies the law. NCBE's published format makes this two-part structure consistent across every released MPT.
2How long is each MPT task and how many tasks make up a single MPT administration?
A.60 minutes; 3 tasks
B.90 minutes; 2 tasks
C.120 minutes; 1 task
D.45 minutes; 4 tasks
Explanation: The MPT consists of two 90-minute tasks, for a total of three hours of testing. Each task is fully self-contained — its own File, Library, and assignment — and is graded independently. Knowing this allocation drives pacing: roughly 45 minutes to read and outline and 45 minutes to write.
3Which two MPT task types appear most frequently on released NCBE tests?
A.Will and trust
B.Objective memorandum and persuasive brief
C.Discovery plan and witness examination plan
D.Closing argument and opening statement
Explanation: NCBE statistics and bar-prep reviews of released MPTs show the objective memorandum to a supervising attorney and the persuasive memorandum/brief appear most often. Other task types — letters, contract provisions, closing arguments, counseling plans — do appear but with substantially lower frequency.
4An objective memorandum to a supervising attorney should primarily be written in what tone?
A.Persuasive and adversarial
B.Neutral and analytically balanced
C.Informal and conversational
D.Emotional and sympathetic
Explanation: An objective memo predicts how a court will likely rule. It addresses both favorable and unfavorable authorities and facts in a neutral, analytical voice. Persuasive language is reserved for briefs filed with a tribunal or letters intended to advocate to a third party.
5A persuasive brief differs from an objective memo primarily in that the brief:
A.May ignore unfavorable authority
B.Frames facts and law to support a desired outcome while still acknowledging contrary authority
C.Has no required citation form
D.Is shorter than a memo
Explanation: Persuasive writing emphasizes favorable facts and authorities and minimizes the impact of contrary materials, but candor to the tribunal (MRPC 3.3) still requires disclosing directly adverse controlling authority. A brief is one-sided in framing, not in candor.
6On an MPT, who tells the examinee exactly what document to produce and what format to follow?
A.The Library introduction
B.The opposing counsel
C.The supervising attorney in the task memo at the start of the File
D.The judge
Explanation: Every MPT opens with a memorandum from a supervising attorney that states the assignment, deadline, audience, format constraints (headings to use, sections to include or omit), and limits on outside research. Reading this memo first is the single highest-value MPT habit.
7A client letter task asks you to write to a non-lawyer client. The most important stylistic adjustment is to:
A.Use Latin phrases to demonstrate competence
B.Translate legal concepts into plain language a layperson can act on
C.Cite every case in Bluebook form
D.Omit any discussion of weaknesses
Explanation: Client letters must be intelligible to a non-lawyer audience: plain language, minimal jargon, clear explanation of options and risks. Case citations are usually unnecessary, and unfavorable considerations should still be disclosed so the client can make an informed decision.
8A demand letter to opposing counsel typically differs from an objective memo in that the demand letter:
A.Must omit any factual background
B.Advocates a position and states the client's demand or settlement terms
C.Is written in the third person only
D.Is governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Explanation: A demand letter is a persuasive, transactional document. It sets out the client's position, the legal and factual basis, and what the client wants — payment, performance, cessation of conduct, or a settlement proposal. Tone is firm but professional.
9On a contract-drafting MPT, the assignment most commonly asks the examinee to:
A.Draft the entire contract from scratch
B.Draft or revise specific provisions to address risks identified in the File
C.Litigate a contract dispute
D.Summarize the parties' negotiation history
Explanation: Contract-drafting MPTs usually present an existing draft or term sheet plus client concerns and Library authority. The examinee revises or drafts specific clauses (indemnification, non-compete scope, dispute resolution) to address those concerns within the legal limits the Library identifies.
10A mediation argument or settlement-proposal MPT differs from a courtroom brief because it:
A.Has no audience
B.Is addressed to a mediator/opposing party and emphasizes mutual interests and risk, not just legal entitlement
C.Cites only statutes, never cases
D.Is subject to the rules of evidence
Explanation: Mediation submissions are persuasive but pragmatic. They acknowledge the strengths of the other side's position, frame the client's case in terms of risk and value, and often propose a structured resolution. Pure legal-victory rhetoric tends to score lower.

About the MPT Exam

The Multistate Performance Test (MPT) is a 3-hour skills-based component of the bar exam consisting of 2 separate 90-minute tasks. Each task provides a File (factual source documents) and a Library (cases, statutes, regulations) and asks the examinee to complete a realistic lawyering assignment — an objective memo, persuasive brief, client letter, contract provision, or other practice document. The MPT tests fact analysis, legal analysis, written communication, and time management under realistic practice conditions.

Questions

2 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours total

Passing Score

Set by jurisdiction

Exam Fee

Included in jurisdiction bar fee (NCBE)

MPT Exam Content Outline

25%

Fact Analysis

Sorting File documents, separating relevant from irrelevant facts, weighing credibility

30%

Legal Analysis

Applying Library authorities to facts, distinguishing precedent, IRAC structure

30%

Written Communication

Objective vs. persuasive writing, headings, citations, tone, formality

15%

Task Completion & Ethics

90-minute time management plus MRPC issue-spotting (3.1 frivolous claims, 3.3 candor)

How to Pass the MPT Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Set by jurisdiction
  • Exam length: 2 questions
  • Time limit: 3 hours total
  • Exam fee: Included in jurisdiction bar fee

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

MPT Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read the supervising attorney's memo FIRST — it tells you exactly what document to produce and what format to follow
2Spend roughly 45 minutes reading and outlining, 45 minutes writing — outline-first reduces rewriting under time pressure
3Use the headings the task instructions tell you to use; graders look for them as scoring anchors
4Treat the Library as closed-universe — never bring in outside law, even if you know the real rule
5Watch for ethics traps (MRPC 3.1 frivolous claims, MRPC 3.3 candor to tribunal) — flag and resolve them in your answer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MPT?

The Multistate Performance Test (MPT) is a skills-based component of the bar exam created by NCBE. Each MPT consists of two 90-minute tasks (3 hours total) that simulate realistic lawyering assignments. You receive a File (factual source documents) and a Library (cases, statutes, regulations) and must complete a written task such as a memo, brief, client letter, or contract provision. The MPT counts for 20% of the UBE score.

What task types appear on the MPT?

Per NCBE, examinees may be asked to draft an objective memorandum to a supervising attorney, a persuasive memorandum or brief, a client letter, a demand letter, a statement of facts, a contract provision, a will, a counseling plan, a settlement proposal, a discovery plan, a witness examination plan, or a closing argument. The objective memorandum and persuasive brief appear most frequently.

How is the MPT scored?

The MPT is graded by trained jurisdiction bar examiners using NCBE point sheets that emphasize fact selection, legal analysis, written communication, and task completion. Each task is scored on a relative scale, then scaled to the MBE. The MPT contributes 20% to the UBE composite score; minimum passing scores are set by each jurisdiction (typically 260-270 out of 400).

How much time should I spend practicing MPTs?

Most bar prep courses recommend 30-50 hours of dedicated MPT practice, including at least 8-10 full timed tasks. The MPT is the most improvable component of the bar exam because it is a closed-universe test — no outside law required. Allocate roughly 45 minutes to reading the File/Library and outlining, then 45 minutes to writing the assigned document.

Where can I find free past MPTs?

NCBE publishes a free set of recent MPT questions, point sheets, and selected examinee answers on its study aids page. Most jurisdictions also archive several years of released MPTs. Working through real released tasks with the official point sheets is the highest-yield MPT preparation.

Is the MPT going away with the NextGen bar exam?

The NextGen UBE, launching in select jurisdictions in July 2026, integrates skills with doctrinal testing rather than offering a stand-alone MPT. Until your jurisdiction adopts the NextGen exam, the traditional MPT remains in place. Check NCBE for your jurisdiction's adoption timeline.