This free MPRE study guide teaches to the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination — the legal-ethics exam nearly every U.S. jurisdiction requires for bar admission.[1] It covers all 12 NCBE subject areas, grouped into eight study modules, and it teaches the actual ABA Model Rules the exam tests — not a summary. The MPRE is doctrinal and rule-specific, so this guide is built rule by rule, with the high-yield distinctions examiners love to test.
And it’s interactive, not a wall of text: every module has a built-in checkpoint quiz, hover-able glossary terms, and concept questions, so you learn the rules by applying them.
Read it module by module, test yourself at each checkpoint, then round out your free MPRE preparation with our practice questions and flashcards. The MPRE is separate from the bar exam and tests legal ethics only — prepare for it on its own track.
MPRE Exam Snapshot
| Detail | Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination |
|---|---|
| Questions | 60 multiple-choice (50 scored + 10 unscored pretest) |
| Time | 2 hours |
| Score scale | Scaled score from 50 to 150 |
| Passing score | Set by each jurisdiction — most commonly 75 to 86 |
| Based on | ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct + ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct |
| Administered by | National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) |
| Subjects | 12 NCBE subject areas |
The MPRE tests the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and, for the judicial-conduct questions, the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct — plus a small amount of controlling constitutional case law (for example, on advertising and the right to counsel). Answer every question under the Model Rules unless a question tells you otherwise.
On the exam, “the Rules” means the ABA Model Rules — not your state’s version.
One rule controls everything: answer under the ABA Model Rules (and, for judges, the Model Code of Judicial Conduct) unless a question tells you otherwise.[2] The exam weights some subjects far more heavily than others — spend your time accordingly:
NCBE publishes the subject weights as ranges, so the exact mix shifts each administration.[2] This guide groups the 12 subjects into 8 study modules — the heavily tested subjects stand alone, and a few low-weight related subjects are taught together — but all 12 NCBE subject areas are covered.
1 · Regulation of the Legal Profession
6–12% of the exam. How lawyers enter the profession, how they are disciplined, and the limits on practicing law. This module is mostly Rules 5.5 and 8.1–8.5.
Admission & Character/Fitness
Admission requires a showing of good character and fitness. Under Rule 8.1, a bar applicant (and a lawyer assisting one) must not knowingly make a false statement of material fact, and must not fail to disclose information needed to correct a misapprehension — though the applicant is not required to disclose information protected by . A past mistake is rarely disqualifying by itself; the lie or the cover-up usually is.
The Disciplinary Process & Sanctions
Lawyers are subject to the disciplinary authority of every jurisdiction in which they are admitted and of any jurisdiction in which they provide legal services (Rule 8.5). Sanctions run from a private reprimand through public censure, .
| Sanction | Effect |
|---|---|
| Reprimand / admonition | A formal rebuke; the lawyer keeps practicing |
| Censure | A public finding of misconduct, often published |
| Suspension | Practice halted for a set period; reinstatement may be sought after |
| Disbarment | The right to practice is revoked, often permanently |
Reporting Misconduct (Rule 8.3)
Under Rule 8.3, a lawyer who knows that another lawyer has violated the Rules in a way that raises a substantial question as to that lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness must report it to the appropriate authority. The duty is triggered only by serious violations, and it never overrides or information learned in an approved lawyers’ assistance program.
Unauthorized & Multijurisdictional Practice
Rule 5.5 bars practicing law where you are not admitted and assisting non-lawyers in the unauthorized practice of law — a rule designed to protect the public from unqualified providers. It permits limited multijurisdictional practice: temporary services associated with a local lawyer, in connection with a pending or potential proceeding (such as a pro hac vice appearance), or reasonably related to the lawyer’s home-state practice.
Checkpoint · Module 1 · Regulation
Question 1 of 10
Under the ABA Model Rules, what is the primary purpose of prohibiting the unauthorized practice of law by non-lawyers?
2 · The Client-Lawyer Relationship
10–16% of the exam — one of the heaviest subjects. Forming and scoping the relationship, who controls what, fees, and how to end a representation. Mostly Rules 1.2, 1.5, and 1.16.
Forming & Scoping the Relationship
A client-lawyer relationship can form even without a signed agreement — when a person reasonably relies on a lawyer for legal services and the lawyer does not decline. Under Rule 1.2(c), a lawyer may limit the scope of the representation if the limit is reasonable and the client gives . A duty of confidentiality can attach even to a prospective client (Rule 1.18).
Authority: Client vs. Lawyer (Rule 1.2)
Rule 1.2(a) splits authority: the client decides the objectives (the ends) and the lawyer decides the means (the tactics), after consulting the client. In a criminal case, certain decisions are always the client’s:
The client decides (ends)
- Whether to accept a settlement offer
- The objectives of the representation
- In a criminal case: what plea to enter
- In a criminal case: whether to waive a jury trial
- In a criminal case: whether to testify
The lawyer decides (means)
- The technical and legal tactics (means)
- Which witnesses to call and how to examine
- Which legal arguments to raise
- Procedural and strategic decisions
- Day-to-day handling of the matter
The client controls the objectives; the lawyer controls the means — but must consult and keep the client informed.
Under Rule 1.2(d), a lawyer may not counsel or assist a client in conduct the lawyer knows is criminal or fraudulent — but the lawyer may discuss the legal consequences of a proposed course of conduct and help the client make a good-faith effort to determine the law.
Fees & Fee Agreements (Rule 1.5)
Rule 1.5(a) prohibits an unreasonable fee, judged by factors like time and labor, the difficulty of the questions, the customary local fee, the amount involved and results, and the lawyer’s experience. A contingent fee must be in a writing signed by the client (1.5(c)) and is prohibited in most domestic-relations matters and in criminal defense (1.5(d)).
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Reasonableness (1.5(a)) | All fees must be reasonable, weighed by the listed factors |
| Contingent fee (1.5(c)) | Must be in a signed writing stating the method of calculation |
| Prohibited contingent fees (1.5(d)) | Most domestic-relations matters and all criminal defense |
| Fee splitting with another firm (1.5(e)) | Proportional to services OR joint responsibility, client agrees in writing, total fee reasonable |
Declining & Terminating (Rule 1.16)
Rule 1.16(a) requires mandatory withdrawalwhen continuing would violate the Rules or law, the lawyer’s condition materially impairs the representation, or the lawyer is discharged. Rule 1.16(b) lists permissive withdrawal grounds (no material harm to the client, the client persists in crime/fraud, and others). On termination, the lawyer must protect the client’s interests — return papers and unearned fees (1.16(d)).
Checkpoint · Module 2 · Client-Lawyer Relationship
Question 1 of 10
Under Model Rule 1.5(c), what formality is required for a contingent fee agreement between a lawyer and client?
3 · Client Confidentiality
6–12% of the exam, and the single most-tested rule on it. Almost every MPRE form turns on Rule 1.6 somewhere. Master the duty, its exceptions, and how it differs from the evidentiary privilege.
The Duty of Confidentiality (Rule 1.6)
Under Rule 1.6(a), a lawyer must not reveal unless the client gives , the disclosure is impliedly authorized, or a 1.6(b) exception applies.[4] The duty is sweeping: it protects all information relating to the representation, whatever its source, and it continues after the representation ends — even after the client’s death.
Confidentiality vs. Privilege vs. Work Product
Students lose points by conflating three different protections. Keep them straight:
| Protection | What it is | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Confidentiality (Rule 1.6) | An ethical duty enforced by discipline | Broadest — all information relating to the representation, in any setting |
| Attorney-client privilege | A rule of evidence | Narrow — only confidential lawyer-client communications, only against compelled testimony |
| Work product doctrine | A litigation protection | Material prepared in anticipation of litigation; opinion work product is near-absolute |
The removes the privilege when a client used the lawyer’s services to commit or further a crime or fraud.
When Disclosure Is Permitted (1.6(b))
The 1.6(b) exceptions are permissive— “may,” not “must.” The classic trap: the death-or-bodily-harm exception is not limited to crimes, while the financial-harm exceptions require the client to have used the lawyer’s services.[4]
The general rule (1.6(a)) is silence: a lawyer may not reveal information relating to the representation. These are the permissiveexceptions — “may,” not “must.” A bare future-financial-crime is not on the death/bodily-harm exception.
Confidentiality (1.6, the ethical duty, covers everything) is broader than the attorney-client privilege (an evidentiary rule).
Checkpoint · Module 3 · Confidentiality
Question 1 of 10
Under Model Rule 1.6(a), to what information does a lawyer's ethical duty of confidentiality apply?
4 · Conflicts of Interest
12–18% of the exam — the heaviest subject. Conflicts are the most heavily tested area on the MPRE, spanning current clients (1.7), former clients (1.9), imputation (1.10), and the specific conflicts in 1.8. Learn the analysis, not just the rule numbers.
Current-Client Conflicts (Rule 1.7)
A exists under Rule 1.7(a) if one client is directly adverse to another current client, or there is a significant risk that the representation will be materially limitedby the lawyer’s duties to another client, a former client, a third person, or the lawyer’s own interests.[5] A conflict can sometimes be waived — but only if it is consentable:
- 1. Is there a concurrent conflict? (1.7(a))Yes if one client is directly adverse to another, OR there is a significant risk the lawyer's duties to one client, a former/third party, or the lawyer's own interests will materially limit the representation.
- 2. Is the conflict consentable? (1.7(b))It is NOT consentable if the law forbids it, or it involves asserting one client's claim against another in the same litigation, or the lawyer cannot reasonably believe she can competently and diligently represent each affected client.
- 3. Reasonable-lawyer beliefThe lawyer must reasonably believe she can provide competent and diligent representation to each affected client despite the conflict.
- 4. Informed consent, confirmed in writingEach affected client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing. Only then may the lawyer proceed.
All four must hold. If the conflict is nonconsentable, no amount of client consent cures it.
Some conflicts are nonconsentable: where the law forbids it, where one client asserts a claim against another in the same litigation, or where the lawyer cannot reasonably believe she can competently represent each affected client. No amount of consent cures a nonconsentable conflict.
Former-Client Conflicts (Rule 1.9)
Under Rule 1.9(a), a lawyer may not represent a new client whose interests are materially adverse to a former client in the same or a matter, absent the former client’s informed consent confirmed in writing. Two matters are substantially related if they involve the same transaction or dispute, or if confidential information from the first would materially advance the new client’s position.
Imputation & Screening (Rule 1.10)
under Rule 1.10generally attributes one lawyer’s conflict to the entire firm. But imputation can be avoided when the conflict is based on a personal interest that does not present a significant risk to the representation, or by timely a migrating lawyer (no participation in the matter, no share of the fee, and prompt written notice).
Specific Conflicts (Rule 1.8) & Former Government Lawyers
Rule 1.8 sets bright-line rules for specific situations: business transactions with a client must be fair, in writing, with advice to seek independent counsel and written consent (1.8(a)); a lawyer generally may not solicit a substantial gift (1.8(c)); and a lawyer may not have a sexual relationship with a client unless it predated the representation (1.8(j)). Under Rule 1.11, a former government lawyer may not work on a matter in which she participated personally and substantially while in government, though the firm may proceed if she is screened.
Checkpoint · Module 4 · Conflicts of Interest
Question 1 of 10
Under Model Rule 1.7(a), a concurrent conflict of interest exists in which of the following situations?
5 · Competence, Malpractice & Civil Liability
6–12% of the exam. The baseline duties a lawyer owes every client — competence and diligence — and what happens when those duties are breached: discipline, and a separate civil malpractice claim.
Competence & Diligence (Rules 1.1 & 1.3)
(Rule 1.1) is the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation — and now expressly includes keeping current with the benefits and risks of relevant technology. A lawyer may take an unfamiliar matter if she can become competent through reasonable study or by associating with a competent lawyer. (Rule 1.3) requires reasonable promptness; neglect and missed deadlines are among the most common grounds for discipline.
Legal Malpractice & Limiting Liability
A claim (usually negligence) requires duty, breach, causation, and damages — and often expert testimony on the standard of care. Discipline and malpractice are distinct: a violation of the Rules does not automatically create civil liability, and vice versa. Under Rule 1.8(h), a lawyer generally may not prospectively limit malpractice liability unless the client is independently represented, and may not settle a malpractice claim with an unrepresented client or former client without advising them in writing to seek independent counsel.
Checkpoint · Module 5 · Competence & Malpractice
Question 1 of 10
Under Model Rule 1.1, what does a lawyer's duty of competent representation require a lawyer to bring to a matter?
6 · Litigation & Other Advocacy
10–16% of the exam — a top-three subject. The duties a lawyer owes when acting as an advocate, mostly the Rule 3 series. Candor to the tribunal (3.3) is the marquee rule here.
Meritorious Claims & Expediting (3.1, 3.2)
Rule 3.1 forbids bringing or defending a proceeding without a in law and fact — though a good-faith argument to extend, modify, or reverse existing law is allowed, and a criminal defendant may always require the prosecution to prove its case. Rule 3.2 requires reasonable efforts to expedite litigationconsistent with the client’s interests — no delay for delay’s sake.
Candor & Fairness (Rules 3.3, 3.4)
(Rule 3.3) is the heart of advocacy ethics: a lawyer must not knowingly make a false statement of fact or law to a court, must correct a prior false statement, must disclose directly adverse controlling authority the opponent failed to cite, and must take reasonable remedial measures — including disclosure — if material evidence offered turns out to be false.[6] These duties override confidentiality. Rule 3.4 (fairness to opposing party) bars obstructing access to evidence, falsifying evidence, and paying a fact witness a contingent fee.
In an (the opponent absent), the duty is even higher: the lawyer must inform the tribunal of all material facts, including adverse ones, so it can rule fairly.
Decorum, Trial Publicity & the Lawyer-Witness Rule
Rule 3.5protects the tribunal’s impartiality — no improper ex parte contact with judges or jurors, and no conduct intended to disrupt. Rule 3.6 limits trial publicity: no extrajudicial statement a lawyer reasonably should know has a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing the proceeding. Under Rule 3.7, a lawyer who is likely to be a necessary witness generally may not also act as advocate at the trial.
Special Duties of a Prosecutor (Rule 3.8)
A prosecutor is a “minister of justice,” not merely an advocate. Rule 3.8 requires probable cause to prosecute, timely disclosure of evidence that tends to negate guilt or mitigate the offense (the ethics analog of Brady), and protection of an unrepresented accused’s rights. On learning of new, credible, material evidence of likely innocence after a conviction, the prosecutor must disclose it and act to remedy a wrongful conviction in her jurisdiction.
Checkpoint · Module 6 · Litigation & Advocacy
Question 1 of 10
Under Model Rule 3.1, when may a lawyer properly bring or defend a proceeding or assert an issue in it?
7 · Advertising & Dealings With Non-Clients
Communications about services is 4–10% and dealings with non-clients is 2–8%. They are taught together because both govern how a lawyer deals with the world outside an existing client relationship — marketing (Rules 7.x) and truthfulness toward others (Rules 4.x).
Communications, Advertising & Solicitation (7.1–7.3)
Rule 7.1 is the master rule: a lawyer may not make a false or misleadingcommunication about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services. Truthful, non-misleading advertising is constitutionally protected commercial speech, so a flat ban is unconstitutional (Bates v. State Bar of Arizona).
Rule 7.3 restricts when a significant motive is the lawyer’s pecuniary gain — with exceptions for other lawyers, family, close friends, and prior professional relationships.
| Conduct | General rule |
|---|---|
| Truthful advertising to the public (7.1, 7.2) | Permitted — protected commercial speech |
| False or misleading communication (7.1) | Always prohibited |
| Live person-to-person solicitation for pecuniary gain (7.3) | Restricted — risk of overreaching |
| Solicitation of lawyers, family, friends, prior clients | Permitted exceptions |
| Claiming to be a 'specialist' / certified | Only if certified by an approved organization and the body is named |
Truthfulness & the No-Contact Rule (4.1–4.4)
Rule 4.1 forbids a lawyer from knowingly making a false statement of material fact or law to a third person. Rule 4.2 (the no-contact rule) bars communicating about the subject of the representation with a person the lawyer knows is representedby counsel, absent that lawyer’s consent.
Rule 4.3 requires that when dealing with an unrepresented person, a lawyer not imply she is disinterested and correct any misunderstanding of her role. Rule 4.4(b) requires prompt notice to the sender on receiving a document the lawyer knows was inadvertently sent.
Checkpoint · Module 7 · Advertising & Non-Clients
Question 1 of 10
Under Model Rule 7.1, what is the fundamental restriction on a lawyer's communications about the lawyer's services?
8 · Roles, Safekeeping, Public Duties & Judicial Conduct
This module gathers four lower-weight but frequently tested subjects: the different non-advocate roles a lawyer plays (4–10%), safekeeping client property (2–8%), duties to the public and legal system (2–4%), and judicial conduct (2–8%).
Advisor, Evaluator, Neutral & Organization (1.13, 2.1–2.4)
A lawyer is not always an advocate. As an advisor (Rule 2.1), a lawyer must give candid advice and may refer not only to law but to moral, economic, social, and political factors. As an evaluator (Rule 2.3) she may prepare an evaluation for a third party if compatible with the client relationship.
As a third-party neutral (Rule 2.4) — mediator or arbitrator — she must explain she does not represent the parties. When the client is an (Rule 1.13), the lawyer represents the entity, not its constituents, and must generally report serious misconduct up the chain.
Safekeeping Funds & Property (Rule 1.15)
Rule 1.15 requires a lawyer to hold client and third-party property separate from her own — funds in a , with complete records and accountings.[7] (mixing funds) violates the rule even with no loss; (using client funds) is among the gravest violations and frequently leads to disbarment.
Client and third-party funds — unearned fees, settlement proceeds, advances for costs. Kept completely separate. The lawyer keeps records and renders accountings.
The lawyer’s own money and earned fees. The lawyer may keep only a small amount of own funds in the trust account to cover bank service charges.
When ownership of a portion of the funds is disputed, the disputed part stays in trust until the dispute is resolved.
Duties to the Public & the Legal System (6.1)
service (Rule 6.1) is a professional responsibility — aspirationally about 50 hours a year — but it is aspirational, not enforced by discipline. A court-appointed lawyer may seek to decline an appointment only for good cause (Rule 6.2), such as a conflict or unreasonable financial burden.
Judicial Conduct (Model Code)
The judicial-conduct questions come from the .[8] Its canons require a judge to uphold integrity and independence, avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety, perform duties impartially, and limit outside activities. The most-tested rule is (Rule 2.11): a judge must step aside whenever the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned — including a personal bias, personal knowledge of disputed facts, an economic interest, or a close family tie to a party or lawyer.
Checkpoint · Module 8 · Roles, Safekeeping & Judicial Conduct
Question 1 of 10
Under Model Rule 2.1, when acting as an advisor, what may a lawyer refer to in rendering candid advice to a client?
How to Use This Study Guide
The MPRE rewards a focused, rule-by-rule approach over broad reading. Most candidates prepare in roughly 20 to 30 hours. Work the heaviest subjects first — conflicts, confidentiality, litigation, and the client-lawyer relationship — and always answer under the ABA Model Rules.
Conflicts of interest, advocacy, and the client-lawyer relationship are roughly a third of the exam.
- 1
Read a module here
Work one module at a time, heaviest first: conflicts, confidentiality, litigation, and the client-lawyer relationship.
- 2
Take the checkpoint
The quick check at the end of each module exposes which rules didn't stick.
- 3
Drill the gaps
Send your weak subject straight into the free practice questions and flashcards.
- 4
Review distinctions
Re-read the high-yield distinctions (confidentiality vs. privilege, may vs. must, ends vs. means) before exam day.
MPRE Concept Questions
Common professional-responsibility rules the MPRE tests — at least one per high-yield subject. Tap any card for a short, exam-ready answer backed by an official source (the ABA Model Rules or the Model Code of Judicial Conduct), then test yourself on them as flashcards.
MPRE Glossary
Quick definitions for the terms you’ll see most across the MPRE:
- Attorney-client privilege
- An evidentiary rule that protects confidential communications between a lawyer and client from being compelled in a legal proceeding. Narrower than the ethical duty of confidentiality.
- Candor toward the tribunal (Rule 3.3)
- A lawyer's duty not to make false statements to a court, to correct false statements of material fact or law, and to take remedial measures (even disclosure) when material evidence is discovered to be false.
- Commingling
- Mixing client or third-party funds with the lawyer's own funds. A violation of Rule 1.15 even if no money is lost.
- Competence (Rule 1.1)
- The legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for a representation — including keeping abreast of the benefits and risks of relevant technology.
- Concurrent conflict of interest
- Under Rule 1.7, a conflict arising when a current client's interests are directly adverse to another current client, or there is a significant risk the representation will be materially limited by other duties or the lawyer's own interests.
- Confidentiality (Rule 1.6)
- A lawyer's broad ethical duty not to reveal any information relating to the representation of a client, in any setting, unless the client consents or an exception applies. Broader than the attorney-client privilege.
- Crime-fraud exception
- An exception that removes attorney-client privilege protection when the client sought the lawyer's services to commit or further a crime or fraud.
- Diligence (Rule 1.3)
- A lawyer's duty to act with reasonable promptness and commitment in pursuing a client's matter. Neglect and procrastination are among the most common grounds for discipline.
- Disbarment vs. suspension
- Disbarment ends the right to practice (often permanently); suspension halts it for a defined period after which the lawyer may seek reinstatement. Both are forms of professional discipline.
- Disqualification (judicial)
- Under Rule 2.11 of the Model Code, a judge must step aside in any proceeding in which the judge's impartiality might reasonably be questioned, such as personal bias or an economic interest.
- Entity theory (Rule 1.13)
- The rule that a lawyer for an organization represents the entity acting through its constituents, not the individual officers or employees.
- Ethical screen (Chinese wall)
- Procedures that isolate a personally disqualified lawyer from a matter — no participation, no shared fee, and notice — to prevent the conflict from being imputed to the rest of the firm.
- Ex parte proceeding
- A proceeding in which an opposing party is not present. The lawyer must disclose all material facts, even adverse ones, so the tribunal can rule fairly.
- Imputation
- Under Rule 1.10, the rule that a conflict affecting one lawyer in a firm is generally attributed to every lawyer in the firm, unless a permitted screen or other exception applies.
- Imputed vs. personal conflict
- A personal conflict belongs to one lawyer; an imputed conflict is one attributed to the whole firm under Rule 1.10. Screening can sometimes cure imputation.
- Informed consent
- A client's agreement to a course of conduct after the lawyer has adequately explained the material risks and reasonably available alternatives. Many conflict waivers must be confirmed in writing.
- Legal malpractice
- A civil claim, usually based on negligence, requiring duty, breach (failing to meet the standard of care), causation, and damages. Distinct from professional discipline.
- Meritorious claim (Rule 3.1)
- A claim or defense with a basis in law and fact that is not frivolous, including a good-faith argument to extend, modify, or reverse existing law.
- Misappropriation
- Using client or third-party funds for the lawyer's own purposes. Among the most serious ethics violations, frequently resulting in disbarment.
- Model Code of Judicial Conduct
- The ABA's model ethics rules governing judges. It supplies the judicial-conduct questions on the MPRE, organized around canons of integrity, impartiality, diligence, and avoiding impropriety.
- Model Rules of Professional Conduct
- The American Bar Association's model ethics rules for lawyers, adopted in some form by nearly every U.S. jurisdiction. The MPRE tests the ABA Model Rules — not any one state's variation.
- Pro bono publico (Rule 6.1)
- A lawyer's professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay, aspirationally about 50 hours per year. It is aspirational, not mandatory discipline.
- Solicitation (Rule 7.3)
- A lawyer's targeted communication initiated to a specific person to obtain professional employment. Live, in-person, telephone, or real-time electronic solicitation for pecuniary gain is restricted.
- Substantial relationship test
- Under Rule 1.9, two matters are substantially related if they involve the same transaction or legal dispute, or if confidential information from the first would materially advance the new client's position.
- Trust account / IOLTA
- A separate account in which a lawyer must hold client and third-party funds, kept apart from the lawyer's own money. IOLTA = Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts.
- Work product doctrine
- Protection for material a lawyer prepares in anticipation of litigation. A lawyer's mental impressions and legal theories (opinion work product) receive near-absolute protection.
Free MPRE Study Materials & Resources
Everything you need to prepare for the MPRE is free here — no paywall, no sign-up. This guide is the foundation; pair it with the rest of our free MPRE study materials for active recall, timed practice, and last-minute review:
- MPRE Practice Test — exam-style questions across all 12 subject areas, with explanations.
- MPRE Flashcards — active-recall decks for the high-yield Model Rules, distinctions, and definitions.
- Bar Exam Practice Test — the separate substantive-law exam most jurisdictions also require for admission.
MPRE Study Guide FAQ
The MPRE has 60 multiple-choice questions: 50 are scored and 10 are unscored pretest questions used to develop future exams. You have 2 hours to complete it, and there is no way to tell which questions are unscored, so treat every question as if it counts.
MPRE scores are reported on a scaled score from 50 to 150. There is no single national passing score — each jurisdiction sets its own required score, most commonly between 75 and 86. Check the requirement of the state where you intend to be admitted.
The MPRE tests the law governing the conduct of lawyers and judges. The questions are based on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, plus controlling constitutional decisions, across 12 subject areas — not your state's particular rules.
By NCBE weighting, conflicts of interest, litigation and advocacy, and the client-lawyer relationship are the heaviest — together roughly a third of the exam. Confidentiality, competence and malpractice, and regulation of the profession are the next tier. Master these and you cover most of the test.
Work through the eight modules in order, focusing on the high-yield rules — confidentiality, conflicts, candor to the tribunal, and trust accounting. After each module take the checkpoint quiz to find gaps, drill them with our free practice questions and flashcards, then revisit flagged sections before exam day.
Answer every MPRE question under the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct unless a question expressly says otherwise. Your state's adopted rules govern your actual practice, but the exam tests the Model Rules.
Yes — the full guide, the checkpoints, the glossary, the practice questions, and the flashcards are 100% free, with no account required.
The MPRE is a separate, professional-responsibility exam that nearly all jurisdictions require for admission in addition to passing the bar exam. It tests legal ethics only — not the substantive subjects on the bar exam. Prepare for it on its own track.
References
- 1.National Conference of Bar Examiners. “MPRE — Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination.” NCBE. ↑
- 2.National Conference of Bar Examiners. “MPRE Subject Matter Outline.” NCBE. ↑
- 3.American Bar Association. “Model Rules of Professional Conduct — Table of Contents.” ABA. ↑
- 4.American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.6: Confidentiality of Information.” ABA. ↑
- 5.American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.7: Conflict of Interest: Current Clients.” ABA. ↑
- 6.American Bar Association. “Model Rule 3.3: Candor Toward the Tribunal.” ABA. ↑
- 7.American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.15: Safekeeping Property.” ABA. ↑
- 8.American Bar Association. “Model Code of Judicial Conduct — Table of Contents.” ABA. ↑
- 9.American Bar Association. “Model Rule 8.3: Reporting Professional Misconduct.” ABA. ↑
- 10.American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.5: Fees.” ABA. ↑
Sources for the concept answers
Every answer in the MPRE concept questions above is drawn from an official primary source:
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.9: Duties to Former Clients.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.1: Competence.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.3: Diligence.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.2: Scope of Representation and Allocation of Authority.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 7.3: Solicitation of Clients.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Code of Judicial Conduct: Rule 2.11 Disqualification.” American Bar Association — Model Code of Judicial Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 3.8: Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 4.2: Communication With Person Represented by Counsel.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
- American Bar Association. “Model Rule 1.13: Organization as Client.” American Bar Association — Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
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