The NCBE administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) that includes the MBE, the MEE, and the MPT. Last year the NCBE announced that it is updating its bar exam testing format and replacing the current UBE with the NextGen UBE exam. The NextGen UBE would test what the NCBE terms ‘foundational lawyering skills’ that are expected of a newly licensed lawyer.
Beginning July 2028, the current UBE will be completely replaced by the NextGen UBE.
However, the NCBE is debuting the NextGen UBE in a few states beginning in July 2026. This is probably to assess the testing format, performance and grading before rolling it out broadly to all the UBE states.
Foundational Lawyering Skills
NextGen, the new bar exam format, is designed to test law students’ readiness to practice as litigators, and as transactional attorneys who are capable of conducting client interviews, investigating pertinent facts and legal issues, conducting legal research, drafting briefs, memos, discovery documents etc., negotiating settlements utilizing legal and ADR principles, and managing client relationships.
All of these, certainly, are foundational skills that lawyers must possess from day one of their practice.
New Subjects Introduced in the NextGen UBE
NextGen UBE is adding two new subjects to the existing content:
- Business Associations and
- Family Law
Additionally, it seems NextGen UBE is also adding core principles of ADR since that’s a foundational skill being tested. While NCBE does not explicitly state learning ADR rules, a strong understanding of ADR concepts would definitely be helpful in passing the NextGen UBE.
Shorter Testing Time under the NextGen UBE
The NextGen UBE is shorter than the UBE. Whereas the current UBE is administered over two days, the NextGen will test bar takers for only 1.5 days. There will be no afternoon session on the second day of the bar exam.
Currently, the UBE tests bar examinees over 4 sessions of 3-hours each. Under the NextGen UBE, bar takers will be finished in 3 sessions of 3-hours each. The bar will continue to be administered on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. Under the NextGen UBE, the exam will be completed after the Wednesday morning session that ends at 12 noon. See more about the exam changes here.
Frankly, the current 2 full days structure is brutal and testing conditions alone have caused many people to fail an exam for which they are likely adequately prepared. So a shorter exam is definitely a much needed relief!
NextGen UBE for the July 2026 Bar Exam
The following states are administering the NextGen UBE for the July 2026 bar exam.
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Maryland
- Missouri
- Oregon
- Washington
As of now, the larger states of Florida, New York and Texas are planning to switch to NextGen in July 2028.
It is possible that California might join the list. After California’s failed experiment of the fully remote February 2024 bar exam, the State Bar has returned to administering the previous CA bar exam model. However, with no change in bar exam funding, the state continues to explore other viable alternatives. Recently, the State Bar of California has emailed surveys to current bar exam takers on joining the NextGen UBE.
Studying for the NextGen UBE
The NCBE is selling official study aids for the NextGen bar exam here.
As a bar exam taker, whether you are studying for the legacy UBE or the NextGen UBE, you are still required to know fundamental legal rules in all the current seven MBE subjects. BarTaker’s quizzes and SmartCards are particularly designed to help you learn, recall, and retain the law needed to pass the bar exam.