Ultimate Guide to Tennessee State Bar Exam
Your complete guide to Tennessee bar exam prep.
Pass Rates · Bar Review Courses · Format · Essay Topics · Schedule · Dates · Location · Application Fees & Deadlines · What to Bring · Scores & Grading · Results · Reciprocity · Law Schools · Groups · Other Resources
*Updated February 2024
Tennessee State Bar Exam | Basic Information
The Tennessee Bar Association was formed in 1881. It is a voluntary association open to all licensed attorneys and current law students.
Tennessee is one of 40+ jurisdictions that have adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). Tennessee first administered the UBE in February 2019.
July 2023 (713 takers)
February 2023 (292 takers)
February 2022 (273 takers)
July 2021 (720 takers)
| Crushendo | Barbri | Themis | Kaplan | AmeriBar | BarMax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Cost | $970 | $1,999-4,199 | $2,695 | $2,199-3,999 | $1,299-2,599 | $1,895 |
| Facebook Rating | 5.0 | Disabled | 4.8 | Disabled | Disabled | 4.3 |
| Google Rating | 5.0 | N/A | 2.8 | 3.2 | N/A | N/A |
| MBE |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| MEE |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| MPT |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| NCBE Questions | 1,750+ | 100+ | 1,350+ | 1,200+ | 1,400+ | 1,700+ |
| Audio Flashcards |  | |||||
| 250+ Mnemonics |  | |||||
| Access Period | Lifetime | 8-10 weeks | 4 months | 4 months | Up to 3 years | Lifetime |
| Financing |  |  | 3 payments | $250 registration |  |  |
| Founded | 2017 | 1974 | 2008 | 1938 | 1999 | 2010 |
| Phone | (385) 482-1776 | (888) 322-7274 | (888) 843-6476 | (626) 390-7170 | (877) 942-2763 | (800) 529-2651 |
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Last updated: 1/7/23
*Cost ignores promotions and live tutoring.
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Crushendo’s written and audio outlines utilize 250+ proprietary mnemonics to help you memorize everything you need to know to pass the bar exam on your first try.
Crushendo’s complete bar prep course, the UBE Suite, costs $970 and includes 1,750+ official practice questions from the NCBE.
Crushendo offers lifetime access for all of its bar exam prep products.
Adam Balinski founded Crushendo Bar Review in 2017 (read the founding story here).
The Harcourt publishing company founded Barbri in 1974 when it acquired two bar review programs. Since its founding, Barbri has been owned by large firms including Thomson Reuters and Leeds Equity Partners.
Barbri products have been used by more than a million law school students. In the last 20 years Barbri has settled multiple antitrust lawsuits.
Barbri’s traditional bar prep programs cost $1,999-4,199 and some include 100+ official NCBE questions from past bar exams.
Barbri offers access to its traditional, full-time bar prep course for 8-10 weeks, but early access can be purchased.
Themis Bar Review is based in Chicago and was founded in 2008.
Themis’s bar prep program costs $2,695 and includes 1,350+ NCBE questions.
Themis offers access to its online products for four months.
Stanley Kaplan founded Kaplan, Inc. in 1938.
Kaplan jumped into the bar review space in 2006 when it acquired PMBR, a company that provides test prep for the MBE. In 2008 Kaplan expanded its bar review offerings.
Kaplan’s bar prep programs cost $2,199-3,999 and include 1,200+ NCBE questions.
Kaplan offers access to its online products for four months.
Alexander Nakis founded AmeriBar in 1999. It’s headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida.
AmeriBar’s bar exam prep programs cost $1,299-2,599 and include 1,400+ NCBE questions.
AmeriBar offers access to its online products for up to three years.
Michael Ghaffary and Mehran Ebadolahi founded BarMax in 2010.
BarMax’s bar prep course costs $1,895 and includes 1,700+ NCBE questions.
BarMax offers lifetime access to its online products.
What’s the format of the UBE?
The Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is administered twice each year in Tennessee (in February, and July). The examination is administered over two days, in four, three-hour sessions. The UBE has three parts: the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT).
MBE
The MBE is a six hour test and consists of 200 multiple choice questions that test your understanding across seven subjects. Your MBE score comprises 50% of your overall UBE score.
Crushendo offers affordable, comprehensive written and audio outlines for MBE subjects (in addition to MEE and MPRE subjects).
Watch Crushendo’s free MBE tips video.
MEE
The MEE consists of six 30-minute legal essays. The MEE makes up 30% of your score.
Essay topics may include the following: Business Associations, Civil Procedure, Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Property, Secured Transactions, Torts, Trusts, Unincorporated Business Entities, Wills and Estates, etc.
Crushendo offers the most recent MEE questions and includes the point sheets that the graders used. Watch Crushendo’s free MEE tips video.
MPT
The MPT consists of two 90-minute tasks where you analyze and apply laws to specific scenarios. The MPT makes up 20% of your score. Crushendo offers the most recent MPT questions and includes the point sheets that the graders used. Watch Crushendo’s free MPT tips video.
What’s the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination?
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) tests your understanding of established standards of conduct for lawyers. The MPRE is administered three times each year (in March, August, and November). The test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and is two hours long. Check out this MPRE Tips video!
Upcoming Bar Exam Schedule, Dates, Location
Are you interested in taking the Tennessee State bar exam? Here’s some basic information on applying to take the Tennessee bar exam.
The Tennessee Bar application fee for most takers is $575. There is a separate fee for the NCBE.
*Visit the Tennessee State Bar Admission Office’s website for more information.
If you desire to take the bar exam in February, the application opens on October 1 and the filing deadline is December 1. There is a late filing deadline on December 20. If you want to take the July bar exam, the application opens on March 1 and the filing deadline is May 1. There is a late filing deadline on May 20.
In addition to passing the Tennessee bar exam with a score of at least 270, there are several requirements that must be met in order to be admitted as an attorney in Tennessee, including:
- Score 82 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) within the accepted time frame.
- Certificate of Good Standing
Tennessee State Bar Admissions Office
Physical address:
Tennessee Board of Law Examiners
511 Union St Suite 525
Nashville, TN 37219
Phone number: (615) 741-3234
What to bring
- Your current driver’s license.
- Your Bar Examination Identification & Certification Card that has your photo, NCBE number, and examinee number.
Important notes
- You need to have these items with you for each of the four testing sessions.
- Laptop testers should not bring their laptop in a case or bag.
Prohibited items
- Any item that can connect to the internet
- Any item that can record audio or video
- Backpacks
- Books
- Briefcases
- Calculators
- Cameras
- Notes
- Phones
- Food or drink
- Purses
- Radios
- Rulers
- Scratch papers
- Study materials
View lists of those who passed the Tennessee State Bar Exam, posted on the Tennessee State Bar Association’s website:
Frequently Asked Questions
When are my Tennessee bar exam results released?
Tennessee bar exam results are usually posted 6-9 weeks after the exam date. February bar exam results are normally posted in April. July bar exam results are normally posted in October.
Can I see my Tennessee bar exam score?
If you passed the Tennessee bar exam, you won’t be able to see your score. If you failed the exam, you will receive MPT items, MEE questions, and a copy of the scored written essays in the mail.
Can I appeal to have my Tennessee bar exam re-graded?
No.
How many times can I take the bar exam in Tennessee?
You can retake the UBE without any limit in Tennessee.
Applicants seeking admission to the Tennessee State Bar without taking the bar exam, must comply with Reciprocity Requirements.
If you are part of a bar in any of the states, territories, or jurisdictions in the United States, you are able to have reciprocity with the State of Tennessee if approved by the Board. In order to be eligible for admittance to the Tennessee State Bar, without taking the bar examination, you must:
- Certificate of Good Standing form last state.
- Proof of active legal standing in at least 5 of the last 7 years
Here’s a list of law schools in Tennessee.
Belmont University College of Law
- Founded: 2012
- Located: Nashville, TN
- Enrollment: about 250
- Tuition Cost: $45,000 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 94.5%
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: belmont.edu/law
Duncan School of Law (Lincoln Memorial University)
- Founded: 2009
- Located: Knoxville, TN
- Enrollment: about 270
- Tuition Cost: $37,500 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 47%
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: lmunet.edu/academics/schools/duncan-school-of-law/
Nashville School of Law
- Founded: 1911
- Located: Nashville, TN
- Enrollment: about 250
- Tuition Cost: $7,420 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 68.5%
- ABA Accredited: No
- Website: nsl.law
University of Memphis School of Law
- Founded: 1962
- Located: Memphis, TN
- Enrollment: about 300
- Tuition Cost: $26,402 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 69%
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: memphis.edu/law
University of Tennessee College of Law
- Founded: 1890
- Located: Knoxville, TN
- Enrollment: about 360
- Tuition Cost: $38,842 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 85%
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: law.utk.edu
Vanderbilt University Law School
- Founded: 1874
- Located: Nashville, TN
- Enrollment: about 600
- Tuition Cost: $59,550 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 94%
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: law.vanderbilt.edu
Here are some Facebook groups you may find helpful before, and after passing the bar exam:
- Adoption Lawyers of Tennessee (210 members)
- Tennessee Legal Questions (379 members)
- Member Page for East Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women (84 members)
Belmont University College of Law
- WLSO – Belmont College of Law (69 members)
- Belmont Law – Student Bar Association (387 members)
- Belmont College of Law – Family Law Society (21 members)
- Belmont Law American Constitution Society (17 members)
- Belmont Health Law Society (44 members)
- Belmont Health Law Journal (11 members)
- Belmont College of Law – Criminal Law Society (18 members)
- Belmont Law Christian Legal Society (46 members)
- Belmont Law Non-traditional Students (38 members)
- Belmont Law Solo Attorneys (7 members)
- Belmont Law Textbook Exchange (120 members)
- Belmont Law – Class of 2022 (129 members)
- Belmont Law – Class of 2021 (88 members)
- Belmont Law – Class of 2020 (106 members)
- Belmont Law – Class of 2018 (82 members)
- Belmont Law – Class of 2016 (83 members)
Duncan School of Law (Lincoln Memorial University)
- Lincoln Law Society Members 2018-19 (20 members)
- University of Lincoln: Law Alumni (168 members)
- Lincoln Law School – 2017 Applicants (33 members)
- Lincoln Law Society 2018-2019 (34 members)
- University of Lincoln Law Society: Freshers 2018/19 (100 members)
- Lincoln Law Soc (33 members)
- Lincoln Law School – Applications 2019 (158 members)
Nashville School of Law
- Nashville School of Law (924 members)
- Nashville School of Law Class of 2022 (95 members)
- Nashville School of Law Class of 2021 (72 members)
- Nashville School of Law Class of 2020 (91 members)
University of Memphis School of Law
- Memphis Law +1: Surviving Law School with Loved Ones (91 members)
- University of Memphis Jewish Law Student Association (6 members)
- ACS at Memphis Law (American Constitution Society) (47 members)
- Association for Women Attorneys: Memphis Law Chapter (115 members)
- OutLaw | University of Memphis Law School (59 members)
- TACDL, Memphis Law Student Chapter (87 members)
- Memphis Law Federalist Society (88 members)
- University of Memphis School of Law Health Law Society (56 members)
- University of Memphis School of Law Class of 2022 (133 members)
- University of Memphis School of Law Class of 2021 (147 members)
- University of Memphis School of Law Class of 2020 (137 members)
- University of Memphis School of Law Class of 2019 (120 members)
- University of Memphis School of Law Class of 2018 (112 members)
University of Tennessee College of Law
- Sanford Chapter, Phi Alpha Delta (University of Tennessee – College of Law) (222 members)
- The University of Tennessee College of Law Class of 2022 (123 members)
- The University of Tennessee College of Law Class of 2020 (204 members)
Vanderbilt University Law School
- Vanderbilt Law School Transfer Students (18 members)
- Vanderbilt Black Law Students Association (105 members)
- Vanderbilt Law School Poverty Law (29 members)
- Vanderbilt Law BLSA Alumni (47 members)
- Vanderbilt Law School Law and Business Society (122 members)
- Phi Delta Phi – Vanderbilt Law School (113 members)
- Vanderbilt Law Review (103 members)
- Vanderbilt Animal Law Society (36 members)
- Vanderbilt Law Class of 2022 (431 members)
- Vanderbilt Law Class of 2021 (479 members)
- Vanderbilt Law Class of 2020 (488 members)
- Vanderbilt Law Class of 2019 (507 members)
- Vanderbilt Law Class of 2018 (435 members)
- Vanderbilt Law Class of 2017 (419 members)
More helpful resources and study materials to help you pass the Tennessee State Bar Exam: