The Washington Bar Exam lasts for two and a half days -- Tuesday, Wednesday, and a half-day on Thursday. In two and a half days, you are required to answer 24 essay questions, 18 in the substantive portion and six in the professional responsibility portion. Orderly presentation of material, grammatical construction, and legibility are important in grading. The reasons for each answer are more important than the conclusions.

The bar exam does not include MBE, MEE, MPT or MPRE.

Substantive Portion - 2 days:

*18 essay questions
*3 sessions of 2 hours and 15 minutes each day
*maximum of 64 handwritten lines or 4963 characters on a laptop

Professional Responsibility Portion - 1/2 day:

*6 essay questions
*1 session of 2 hours and 15 minutes each
*maximum of 29 handwritten lines or 2349 characters on a laptop

Grading of the Washington Bar Exam: To pass the Washington State Bar Examination, you must pass both the substantive portion and the professional responsibility portion. Each portion of the examination is graded separately. If you pass one portion of the examination but fail the other, you may retake the failed portion of the examination at the next regularly scheduled Washington State Bar Examination. You must pass both portions within a 25-month period or the passing score will be lost.

Admission on Motion: Washington admits attorneys from other states or U.S. territories under procedures similar to those under which Washington lawyers could be admitted on motion to the bar of the other jurisdiction. Washington has special procedures for persons who are In-House Counsel.

Washington will adopt The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) in July of 2013.
The UBE is prepared and coordinated by the National Conference of Bar Examiners to test knowledge and skills that every lawyer should be able to demonstrate prior to becoming licensed to practice law. It is comprised of a common set of six Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) questions, two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) tasks, and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). It is uniformly administered, graded, and scored by user jurisdictions and results in a portable score.

The UBE is administered over two days, with the MEE and MPT given on the last Tuesday and the MBE given on the last Wednesday of February and July. The MEE and MPT scores are scaled to the MBE, with the MBE weighted 50%, the MEE 30%, and the MPT 20%.

First Day (Tuesday) morning session:
* Three hours
* Six 30-minute MEE questions

First Day (Tuesday) afternoon session:
* Three hours
* Two 90-minute MPT questions

Second Day (Wednesday) morning session:
* Three hours
* 100 MBE multiple-choice questions

Second Day (Wednesday) afternoon session:
* Three hours
* 100 MBE multiple-choice questions

Endorsing Consideration of a Uniform Bar Examination:

WHEREAS, the states' highest courts regard an effective system of admission and regulation of the legal profession as an important responsibility for the protection of the public; and

WHEREAS, the increased demand for lawyer mobility results in greater multijurisdictional practice and increased access to admission on motion; and

WHEREAS, the increasing use of uniform, high quality testing instruments has rendered most jurisdictions’ bar examinations substantially similar; and

WHEREAS, law is the only major profession that has not developed a uniform licensing examination; and

WHEREAS, a uniform licensing examination for lawyers would facilitate lawyer mobility and enhance protection of the public; and

WHEREAS, state bar admission authorities and state supreme courts would remain responsible for making admission decisions, including establishing character and fitness qualifications and setting passing standards, and enforcing their own rules for admission; and

WHEREAS, issues relating to knowledge of local law can be addressed through a mandatory educational component, a separate assessment, or a combination thereof;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conference of Chief Justices urges the bar admission authorities in each state and territory to consider participating in the development and implementation of a uniform bar examination.

Adopted as proposed by the CCJ Professionalism and Competence of the Bar Committee at the 2010 Annual Meeting July 28, 2010.

The UBE is administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). For more information, please contact:

National Conference of Bar Examiners
302 South Bedford Street
Madison, WI 53703-3622
Phone: 608-280-8550
Fax: 608-280-8552
TDD: 608-661-1275