TALLAHASSEE – Florida is set to join approximately 20 other jurisdictions that are adopting a new bar exam test format from the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) known as the NextGen Bar Exam. The first administration of the NextGen Bar Exam in Florida will be in July 2028.
The Florida Supreme Court approved the recommendation from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners (FBBE) to replace the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) with the NextGen Bar Exam and to retain a Florida-specific component on the exam.
The current Florida General Bar Examination consists of two parts, the MBE, which is produced by the NCBE, and a Florida-specific portion of the exam. The NCBE is discontinuing the MBE and will no longer offer it after February 2028.
Although the FBBE is still determining the precise format of the Florida-specific portion, the FBBE and Florida Supreme Court have announced the decision to adopt NextGen early in an effort to provide as much notice as possible to current law students.
“The board felt it was important for incoming law students to know which exam to expect,” FBBE Chair Mindy McNichols said. “Law schools may also benefit from the early notice as they make choices about their curriculum for the Class of 2028.”
The decision to recommend adopting the NextGen Bar Exam came after years spent studying the Florida Bar Examination, which included reviewing information from the NCBE about the NextGen Bar Exam and considering how the NextGen Bar Exam compared to the MBE.
One important consideration was addressing the subjects Florida attorneys have identified as necessary for entry-level attorneys to know. The FBBE conducted a practice analysis study from 2019 to 2022. More than 21,000 Florida attorneys responded to a survey and identified the skills and knowledge newly admitted Florida lawyers need.
The FBBE found that the NextGen Bar Exam will test a significant number of those identified skills and subjects, and that a Florida-specific portion of the exam could test the remaining topics the Practice Analysis Study identified as important.
The FBBE also consulted with deans and representatives from every Florida law school before making its recommendation to the Florida Supreme Court.
“We received a very positive response from the law schools,” Michele Gavagni, Executive Director of the FBBE, said. “With the discontinuation of the MBE, the overwhelming majority of Florida law schools support the decision to adopt the NextGen exam as a component of the Florida Bar Examination.”
The FBBE will continue to consider the results of its Practice Analysis Study as it develops the Florida component and will provide further announcements as the July 2028 examination nears.
“As we have done in the past, we expect to provide information to the public about any changes to the bar exam as soon as the FBBE and Florida Supreme Court make those decisions,” Timothy S. Danninger, vice chair of the FBBE, said. “Our goal is to provide as much notice as possible.”
Source: Florida Office of State Courts Administrator
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