State-by-State Bar Exam Information: Michigan
Bar Information
Key Dates
The last Tue and Wed of February and July
March 1st (Late applications accepted until may 15th with extra fee)
Exam Details
Written: 15 state essay questions prepared by the state's Board of Law Examiners
Multiple-choice: The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)
Day One: 8:30 - 11:30 am, nine essays; 1:30 - 3:30, six essays
Day Two: 8:30 - 11:30 and 1:30 - 4:30, MBE
The essays test on Real and Personal Property; Wills and Trusts; Contracts; Constitutional Law; Criminal Law and Procedure; Corporations, Partnerships, and Agency; Evidence; Creditor's Rights, including mortgages, garnishments and attachments; Practice and Procedure (both trial and appellate and both state and federal); Equity; Torts (including no-fault); UCC articles on sales, negotiable instruments, and secured transactions; Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct; Domestic Relations; Conflict of Laws; and Worker's Compensation.
The MBE tests Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
Yes. $10 per exam; request must be made in writing.
The essays and the MBE are weighted equally.
Statistics
2011: 81%
2011: 76%
Reciprocity
Yes, but only from states with which Michigan has reciprocity and from MBEs within three years where the applicant passed the entire bar exam.
Yes, but only if the applicant has practiced law for three of the previous five years. Please consult the jurisdiction directly for more detailed information on admission by motion.
The information for Michigan is drawn from the Michigan Board of Law Examiners' response to our survey and its website, as well as the State Bar of Michigan's website (www.michbar.org) and the National Conference of Bar Examiners' Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements and annual statistical report.
