NCBE Conducts Nationwide Field Test to Prepare for NextGen Bar Exam

Press Release

MADISON, WISCONSIN, February 20, 2024 — 4,124 participants from 88 law schools in 41 jurisdictions recently participated in a nationwide field test for the NextGen bar exam, providing exam developers and psychometric experts at the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) with key data and feedback on new question types that will appear on the exam.

The data gathered from the field test will help NCBE ensure that the NextGen bar exam assesses the knowledge and skills needed by new lawyers fairly and accurately. The field test administration also helped confirm timing estimates, provided an opportunity to test computerized exam delivery and scoring systems, and gave jurisdiction graders an opportunity to practice grading new types of questions.

M. Florencia Cornu Laport, Director of Academic Success and Bar Preparation at Florida’s St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, said of that school’s participation in the field test, “It is important to us that our students and graduates have representation in the design of the new bar exam. Our participants report that what they saw on the field test aligned well with the knowledge and abilities they need in their future practice, leaving them feeling empowered and confident in their legal education and practical skills. The feedback we received from our students has been constructive in stimulating conversations on how we can better prepare them for the practice of law and the bar exam.”

“This field test was a crucial step for the development of the NextGen bar exam,” said Judith Gundersen, NCBE President and CEO. “The information we gathered will be instrumental as we prepare to launch the NextGen exam in 2026. We extend our sincere thanks to participating law schools, students, and graduates.”

The following law schools took part in the field test:

American University Washington College of Law
Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Belmont University College of Law
Birmingham School of Law
Boston University School of Law
Capital University Law School
Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law
Charleston School of Law
Cleveland State University College of Law
Columbia University Law School
Cooley Law School
Creighton University School of Law
DePaul University College of Law
Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
Elon University School of Law
Emory University School of Law
Florida A&M University College of Law
Georgia State University College of Law
Gonzaga University School of Law
Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Lewis & Clark Law School
Liberty University School of Law
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Massachusetts School of Law at Andover
Mercer University School of Law
Mississippi College School of Law
Mitchell Hamline School of Law
New England Law | Boston
Northern Illinois University College of Law
Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law
Oklahoma City University School of Law
Roger Williams University School of Law
Saint Louis University School of Law
San Joaquin College of Law
South Texas College of Law Houston
Southern University Law Center
Southwestern Law School
St. Mary’s University School of Law
St. Thomas University College of Law
Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law
Texas Tech University School of Law
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
University of Akron School of Law
University of Arkansas School of Law
University of Baltimore School of Law
University of California-Davis School of Law
University of Chicago Law School
University of Cincinnati College of Law
University of Colorado Law School
University of Dayton School of Law
University of Denver Sturm College of Law
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
University of District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law
University of Georgia School of Law
University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law
University of Idaho College of Law
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
University of Kansas School of Law
University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law
University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
University of Massachusetts School of Law - Dartmouth
University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
University of Minnesota Law School
University of Mississippi School of Law
University of Missouri School of Law
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
University of Nebraska College of Law
University of New Mexico School of Law
University of North Dakota School of Law
University of Notre Dame Law School
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law
University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law
University of Texas at Austin School of Law
University of Toledo College of Law
University of Tulsa College of Law
University of Wyoming College of Law
Vermont Law School
Washburn University School of Law
Washington University School of Law
West Virginia University College of Law
Western New England University School of Law
Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Widener University, Delaware Law School

The NextGen exam will have its first administration in July 2026; thirteen jurisdictions have already announced their intent to adopt the new exam.

Designed to reflect the work performed by newly licensed attorneys, the NextGen bar exam will test nine areas of legal doctrine (civil procedure, contract law, evidence, torts, business associations, constitutional law, criminal law, real property, family law) and seven foundational lawyering skills (legal research, legal writing, issue spotting and analysis, investigation and evaluation, client counseling and advising, negotiation and dispute resolution, client relationship and management). Tenets of attorney ethics will also be tested in conjunction with other topics and skills.

The new exam will balance the skills and knowledge needed in litigation and transactional legal practice and will reflect many of the key changes that law schools are making to their own curricula, building on the successes of clinical legal education programs, alternative dispute resolution programs, legal research, and legal writing and analysis programs. See https://www.ncbex.org/exams/nextgen/content-scope for detailed outlines of the legal doctrine and skills that will be tested on the exam.

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About the National Conference of Bar Examiners

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1931. NCBE promotes fairness, integrity, and best practices in bar admissions for the benefit and protection of the public, in pursuit of its vision of a competent, ethical, and diverse legal profession. Best known for developing bar exam content used by 54 US jurisdictions, NCBE serves admission authorities, courts, the legal education community, and candidates by providing high-quality assessment products, services, and research; character investigations; and informational and educational resources and programs. In 2026, NCBE will launch the next generation of the bar examination, ensuring that the exam continues to test the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for competent entry-level legal practice in a changing profession. For more information, visit the NCBE website at https://www.ncbex.org.

About the Next Generation of the Bar Exam

Set to debut in July 2026, the NextGen bar exam will test a broad range of foundational lawyering skills, utilizing a focused set of clearly identified fundamental legal concepts and principles needed in today’s practice of law. The skills and concepts to be tested were developed through a multi-year, nationwide legal practice analysis, focused on the most important knowledge and skills for newly licensed lawyers. Designed to balance the skills and knowledge needed in litigation and transactional legal practice, the exam will reflect many of the key changes that law schools are making today. NCBE is committed to ensuring a systematic, transparent, and collaborative implementation process, informed by input from and participation by stakeholders, and guided by best practices and the professional standards for high-stakes testing. For more information, visit https://nextgenbarexam.ncbex.org/ or https://www.ncbex.org/exams/nextgen.