Performance test
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The performance test or "PT" is a section of the bar exam that is intended to mimic a real-life legal task that future lawyers may face. Of the three parts of most states' bar exams -- MBE, essay, and PT -- the PT is probably the most reflective of how well a candidate will perform outside of an academic setting.
A performance test may include tasks such as writing a legal memorandum, drafting an affidavit, or drafting a settlement offer letter to opposing counsel.
[edit] California PT
Probably the most difficult PT is that of the California bar exam. The three-day California bar exam, which has the lowest pass rate in the country, includes two performance test sections, one the first day and one the last day. Each PT last three hours.
[edit] Multistate Performance Test
This is a test drafted by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), modeled after the California test and intended as a supplement to NCBE's Multistate Essay Examination. NCBE currently offers three different performance tests, each 90 minutes long (as opposed to 3 hours in California). As of July 2006, 31 jurisdictions use the MPT, with another set to do so in July 2007.
[edit] Sources
- California Bar Exam
- National Conference of Bar Examiners Tests (click on link for Multistate Performance Test for more information)
- Performance Test Tips
