New York Bar Exam Subjects

  1. Business Associations
  2. Civil Procedure
  3. Conflict of Laws
  4. Constitutional Law
  5. Contracts and Sales
  6. Criminal Law and Procedure
  7. Decedent’s Estates
  8. Evidence
  9. Family Law
  10. Property
  11. Secured Transactions
  12. Torts

There are twelve New York bar exam subjects. They include most first and second year law school subjects. For example, torts, contracts, and civil procedure are heavily tested on both the written and multiple choice portions of the exam. 

The current New York Bar Exam format splits the exam into three parts. New York has adopted the Uniform Bar Exam. The exam includes the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE). The MEE and MBE test over 10 subjects, but each tests a different combination of subjects. On the other hand. the MPT provides all applicable law in the question materials. As a result, the MPT requires no prior study of legal subject-matter.  

New York Bar Exam Subjects

MBE Subjects

  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts and Sales
  • Criminal Law and Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Property
  • Torts

Each multiple choice question tests one subject. However, every MBE subject is tested on every MBE exam.

MEE/Essay Subjects

  • All MBE Subjects
  • Business Associations (agency, partnership, llcs, and corporations)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Decedent’s Estates (wills and trusts)
  • Family Law
  • Secured Transactions

Not every MEE subject is tested on every essay exam. Additionally, the New York bar exam essay component may test more than one subject per essay question.