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 July 2022

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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.

Tennessee State Bar Exam Pass Rates

February 2022 (273 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 41%
First-Time Pass Rate: 54%
Repeat Pass Rate: 32%

February 2021 (306 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 45%
First-Time Pass Rate: 61%
Repeat Pass Rate: 28%

July 2021 (720 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 63%
First-Time Pass Rate: 71%
Repeat Pass Rate: 20%

July 2020 (677 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 75%
First-Time Pass Rate: 82%
Repeat Pass Rate: 36%

Tennessee Bar Review Courses

Compare top Tennessee bar exam prep courses from Crushendo, Barbri, Themis, Kaplan, AmeriBar, and BarMax.

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

Last updated: 1/7/23

*Cost ignores promotions and live tutoring.

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.

Tennessee Bar Exam Format

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.

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

Schedule

Morning Afternoon
Day 1 MPT (3 hours) MEE (3 hours)
Day 2 MBE (3 hours) MBE (3 hours)

Dates

  • July 26-27, 2022
  • February 21-22, 2023
  • July 25-26, 2023

Location

Tennessee Bar Exam Application

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:

  1. Score 82 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) within the accepted time frame.
  2. 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

Tennessee Bar Exam: What to Bring

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

Tennessee Bar Exam Scores and Grading

A passing score for the UBE in the Tennessee is 270/400. Scores of the three tests comprising the UBE are weighted as follows:

  • MBE = 50% of your total UBE score
  • MEE = 30%
  • MPT = 20%

*A passing score for the MPRE in Tennessee is 82/150.

Tennessee Bar Review Course

Crushendo’s comprehensive UBE Suite comes with everything you need to crush the Tennessee bar exam.

  • MBE, MEE, and MPT Prep
  • 250+ Proprietary Mnemonics
  • 1,750+ Licensed NCBE Questions
  • Audio Attack Outlines
  • Audio Flashcards
  • Lifetime Access

Tennessee Bar Exam Results

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.

Tennessee Bar Exam Reciprocity

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

Law Schools in Tennessee

Here’s a list of law schools in Tennessee.

Belmont University College of Law

Duncan School of Law (Lincoln Memorial University)

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

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

Helpful Groups

Here are some Facebook groups you may find helpful before, and after passing the bar exam:

Belmont University College of Law

Duncan School of Law (Lincoln Memorial University)

Nashville School of Law

University of Memphis School of Law

University of Tennessee College of Law

Vanderbilt University Law School