Latest News and Updates
Friday June 27, 2008 12:18:40 PM

*To return to this menu, please use your BACK button on your browser

MBE Score Transfers

Any New Jersey applicant NOT taking the MBE portion of the bar examination in New Jersey must arrange for their MBE score to be transferred. Click here for the link for information regarding the transfer. If the National Conference of Bar Examiners does not provide the MBE Score transfer for the State in which you are sitting, you must complete the MBE transfer request that they provide. 

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

IN-HOUSE COUNSEL NEWS (2/14/07) 

In response to recommendations from the New Jersey State Bar Association, the Supreme Court has amended portions of its "Supplemental Administrative Determinations" regarding in-house counsel licensure. The new language clarifies the distinction the Court has drawn between "temporary" attorney-employees (who cannot be licensed as In-House Counsel) and "part-time attorney-employees (who qualify for IHC licensure). Eliminated language has been interlineated. New language is in bold and is underscored.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Modifications to the New Jersey Bar Examination (3/21/05)

The Supreme Court has made a number of important modifications to the New Jersey bar examination that will take effect with the July 2005 administration of the examination. Included among the changes are the following:

1. Adjusting the Weight Given To the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) and Essay Questions. Since the Supreme Court revised the grading of the bar examination in 1992 to have the essay scores scaled to the MBE scaled score, the MBE has constituted 35% of the final grade and essays 65%. (During the years the Board used the Multistate Performance Test, that counted for 10% of the final grade and the six essay questions the remaining 55%.)

In evaluating the bar examination, the MBE component has a higher reliability rating than essay questions. Experts at the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) have reported that a bar examination's reliability (that is, the presence of consistency across multiple administrations) can be improved by giving greater weight to the MBE up to approximately 65%. In considering the goals of the bar examination, the Court determined that an increase in the weight of the MBE to 50% of the final grade provides the right level of balance between test reliability and the need to have applicants demonstrate the qualities of analysis, organization, and writing required by the essay portion of the examination. Accordingly, starting with the July 2005 bar examination, the MBE will account for 50% of the final grade as will the seven essay questions, which are collectively scaled to the MBE.

2. Using MBE Scaled Scores to One Decimal Place. Starting in 2004, the NCBE and American College Testing (ACT) began reporting scaled MBE scores to one decimal place for jurisdictions that wanted that feature. The Board of Bar Examiners recommended adopting that approach in concert with the next modification. The Supreme Court approved the change from a "whole number" MBE scaled score to a one-decimal place number.

3. Rounding of Examination Scores. There has been a fair amount of discussion in the bar admissions community on whether the final grade on the examination should be arrived at by rounding or truncating. After reviewing a number of options, the Board of Bar Examiners recommended that the Court approve a final grading step that includes rounding both the MBE and the scaled essay scores to one decimal place, combining the two scores (on a 50% - 50% basis), and rounding the result to a whole number. In the existing system, candidates have received final scores to three decimal places, e.g., "131.224." Under the proposed system, the final score would be, e.g., "131." A score of "131.521" would be rounded to "132." After due consideration, the Court approved the recommendation of the Board as presented.

Neither the Board nor the Court believes that the changes will have a significant impact on the bar examination's pass rates. The enhancements to the grading process will add, however, to the examination's reliability. This will help to ensure that the Board correctly identifies those applicants who have earned a passing grade.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The NJ Board of Bar Examiners is approved for reimbursement under the GI Bill. The reimbursement is for the $475 filing fee only; late fees are not applicable.  For more information, please go to http://www.gibill.va.gov

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

In-House Counsel Licensure - Supplemental Administrative Determinations - 2/14/2007

Subsequent to the adoption of the Rule mandating the limited licensure of in-house counsel, the Bar Admissions Unit of the Supreme Court has received a number of inquiries that relate to the scope of the program and its implementation. click here for more information

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *