State-by-State Bar Exam Information: West Virginia
Bar Information
Key Dates
The last Tue and Wed of February and July
The application is always available on the West Virginia Supreme Court's website
April 1st: $375 Student filing fee
$500 Admitted Attorney filing fee
April 2- May 1: Late filing fee of additional $150
Exam Details
Written: Six essays drawn from the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), which are to be answered according to West Virginia law; and two performance tests drawn from the Multistate Performance Test (MPT)
Multiple-choice: The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)
Day One: 8:30 — 11:30, two MPT tests given in a 3 hour time period; lunch; 1:30 — 4:30, six MEE questions. Day Two: 8:30 — 11:30 MBE-AM; lunch; 1:30 — 4:30 MBE-PM.
The MBE tests Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
The state essay questions can cover Business Associations, Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Real Property, Torts, Trusts & Estates, and UCC, Articles 3 and 9.
Applicants may use their own Windows or Mac laptops to complete their essay responses duringt the first day of the examination. Special software is required.
Because West Virginia uses only multistate tests, past questions are available only from the National Conference of Bar Examiners at www.ncbex.org.
The written portion (MEE, 30%, and MPT, 20%) and the multiple-choice portion (MBE) are weighted equally at 50% of the overall score.
Statistics
2011: 82%
2010: 79%
2011: 75%
2010: 65%
Reciprocity
Yes, if taken within 13 months and part of a successful exam
Yes, but only if the applicant has practiced law for five of the last seven years in a jurisdiction with which West Virginia has reciprocity. Please consult the jurisdiction directly for more detailed information on admission by motion.
The information for West Virginia comes from its Board of Law Examiners' website and response to our survey, as well as the National Conference of Bar Examiners' Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements and annual statistical report.
