Next Generation of the Bar Exam
The National Conference of Bar Examiners is in the process of implementing the Testing Task Force’s recommendations for the next generation of the bar exam, which were approved by NCBE’s Board of Trustees at the end of January 2021.
Set to debut in July 2026, the NextGen bar exam will test a broad range of foundational lawyering skills, utilizing a focused set of clearly identified fundamental legal concepts and principles needed in today’s practice of law. Designed to balance the skills and knowledge needed in litigation and transactional legal practice, the exam will reflect many of the key changes that law schools are making today, building on the successes of clinical legal education programs, alternative dispute resolution programs, and legal writing and analysis programs.