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The Missouri Board of Law Examiners offer a useful F.A.Q. about their bar exam. Three of these questions and answers are particularly relevant because they speak to essay writing techniques. You'll notice that the Missouri recommendations are in line with the Master Essay Method.

What is expected in an answer to an essay question?

A good answer should demonstrate:

• Responsiveness to the specific inquiry or inquiries in the question.
  
• Legal and factual analytical ability.
  
• Knowledge of the principles of law involved and the application of those principles to the facts.
  
• Ability to effectively communicate your answer.

The examination does not seek a recitation of legal rules by rote, but rather a demonstration of knowledge of legal principles and the ability to think and reason by applying those principles to the facts so as to come to a logical and coherent conclusion. Answers that are not responsive to the question asked will receive little or no points.

Must my essay answers be voluminous?

No. A lengthy answer is not necessarily a good answer, and a good answer is not necessarily lengthy. The graders are fully aware that in the time available for answering an essay question you must first read and understand the facts, identify the legal issues, and analyze the issues before writing an answer. One of the most common errors is to start writing immediately without studying the question and taking time to analyze the issues.

What techniques should I employ in answering the essay questions?

The Board suggests that applicants follow these guidelines in answering the essay questions:

• Read the question carefully.
  
• Get the facts straight and understand what you are being asked before you begin to write.
  
• Briefly outline the issues and think through the answer before you begin to write.
  
• Restate the facts only insofar as necessary to explain your answer.
  
• Respond to the query or queries posed in the question.
  
• Most questions can be effectively answered by identifying the issues, stating the applicable rules of law, analyzing the facts in the light of the rules, and arriving at a conclusion or conclusions.
• Don't ignore issues merely because your conclusion on another issue would render them moot. Instead, address all issues fairly raised by the question in case your conclusion on the other issue is incorrect.
• If a question explicitly eliminates an issue, do not try to raise that issue.
• Avoid repetition.
• Do not cite cases.
• Write legibly. While points will not be deducted for poor spelling or illegible handwriting, when such deficiencies make an answer unintelligible, credit cannot be given.
• Avoid phonetic spellings and unorthodox abbreviations. Common abbreviations, such as "pl." for plaintiff and "def." for defendant will be recognized.
• Use paragraphs and subheadings to separate ideas and issues in your answer.

The Missouri bar exam, a two-day exam, consists of the six-hour Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), weighted 40%; one 90-minute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) problem; and four 30-minute Missouri essay questions.

Successful applicants must achieve a combined scaled score of 1300 out of 2000 possible points. Applicants also must pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) with a scaled score of 80 no later than one year after the bar exam.

The following subjects may be tested on the Missouri bar exam. All essay questions must be answered using Missouri law except where indicated: administrative law agency & partnership (business associations), civil procedure (Missouri and federal), commercial paper (negotiable instruments -- UCC Article 3), conflicts of law, constitutional law, contracts, including UCC Article 2 sales, corporations and LLCs (business associations), criminal law, criminal procedure, estates (wills), evidence, family law, real property, including real estate finance, remedies, sales (UCC Article 2), secured transactions (UCC Article 9), torts, trusts and future interests (wills)

Here are past essays and answers the Missouri Bar Examination.

Essay Questions Drafted by Missouri Board of Law Examiners

July 2008
February 2008
July 2007
February 2007
July 2006
February 2006
July 2005

Sample Answers to Essays and MPT

July 2008:  AM Essay, PM Essay, MPT
Feb 2008:  AM Essay, PM Essay, MPT
July 2007: AM Essay, PM Essay, MPT
Feb 2007:  AM Essay, PM Essay, MPT
July 2006: AM Essay, PM Essay, MPT
Feb 2006:  AM Essay, PM Essay, MPT
July 2005:  AM Essay, PM Essay, MPT

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