New York Bar Exam

Essay Subjects
The following is a list of the subjects which have appeared on the essay section of the last six
New York Bar Examinations.
Summer 2010 Winter 2011
A.M. Session A.M. Session
1. Criminal Law / Criminal Procedure / Prof. Responsibility
2. Contracts / Commercial Paper
3. Corporations
1. Real Property / Contracts
2. Criminal Law / Criminal Procedure / Prof. Responsibility
3. Domestic Relations / Corporations / Secured Transactions
P.M. Session P.M. Session
4. Domestic Relations / Conflict of Laws
5. Wills / Partnership
6. MPT: Persuasive Memo re: Attorney / Client Privilege
4. Torts / Agency / NY Practice / Prof. Responsibility
5. Wills
6. MPT: Memo and Closing Argument re: Matrimonial Action
Summer 2011 Winter 2012
A.M. Session A.M. Session
1. Real Property
2. Criminal Procedure / Commercial Paper
3. Domestic Relations / Corporations / Secured Transactions
1. Contracts
2. Criminal Procedure / Criminal Law
3. Corporations / Domestic Relations
P.M. Session P.M. Session
4. Torts/No-Fault Insurance/NY Practice/Criminal Law
5. Wills/Trusts/Prof. Responsibility
6. MPT: Memo as to whether a proposed action by an attorney
would violate a state bars Rules of Prof. Responsibility
4. NY Practice / Torts
5. Real Property / Wills / Trusts
6. MPT: Leave Behind Document re: Argument for and against the
preemption of a copyright bill.
Summer 2012 Winter 2013 (as reported by students)
A.M. Session A.M. Session
1. Contracts / Real Property / NY Practice
2. Criminal Procedure / Evidence / NY Practice
3. Domestic Relations / NY Practice
1. Real Property / Contracts / Professional Responsibility
2. Criminal Law / Evidence / Professional Responsibility
3. Wills / Trusts
P.M. Session P.M. Session
4. Torts / Real Property / Evidence / Conflicts
5. Wills / Prof. Responsibility
6. MPT: Argumentative brief for preliminary injunction in a
nuisance suit.
4. Torts / NY Practice
5. Corporations / Domestic Relations
6. MPT: Persuasive brief regarding transfer of a guardianship case
from a state court to Indian tribal court
Frequency Chart
The following chart demonstrates how often each particular subject has appeared on the essay section of the bar
exam since 1981.



Topic
# Bar Exams
(possible 61)
# Questions
(possible 340)
12. Partnership 17 17
13. Conflict of Laws 14 16
14. Federal J urisdiction 14 15
15. Agency 13 13
16. Commercial Paper 12 12
17. Secured Transactions 8 8
18. No Fault Insurance 7 7
19. Future Interests 5 5
20. Workers Compensation 5 5
21. Constitutional Law 4 4

Topic
# Bar Exams
(possible 61)
# Questions
(possible 340)
1. New York Practice 60 111
2. Contracts / Sales 60 60
3. Wills 59 62
4. Criminal Law / Procedure 58 59
5. Torts 53 56
6. Domestic Relations 52 52
7. Corporations 47 49
8. Real Property / Mortgages 37 41
9. Trusts 30 30
10. Evidence 29 33
11. Professional Responsibility* 19 23
* Professional Responsibility has been tested on 19 out of 26 exams since J uly 2000