Most Tested MEE Subjects: What to Expect on the Bar Exam Essay Day

The Multistate Essay Examination tests a broader range of subjects than the MBE. While the MBE covers seven subjects, the MEE can test those seven plus additional topics that only appear on the written portion.

Knowing which subjects appear most frequently helps you allocate your limited prep time effectively.

MEE Subject Coverage

The MEE tests the following subjects:

Also tested on the MBE (7 subjects)

• Civil Procedure
• Constitutional Law
• Contracts (including UCC Article 2)
• Criminal Law and Procedure
• Evidence
• Real Property
• Torts

MEE-only subjects (additional topics)

• Agency and Partnership (including LLCs)
• Corporations and LLCs
• Conflict of Laws
• Family Law
• Secured Transactions (UCC Article 9)
• Trusts and Estates (Wills, Trusts, and Decedents' Estates)

Frequency Analysis

Based on historical exam data, certain subjects appear on the MEE more frequently than others:

High frequency (appear on most administrations):

• Contracts/UCC
• Constitutional Law
• Evidence
• Real Property
• Torts
• Trusts and Estates

Moderate frequency:

• Criminal Law and Procedure
• Civil Procedure
• Family Law
• Agency/Partnership/Corporations

Lower frequency (but still tested):

• Secured Transactions
• Conflict of Laws

Each MEE administration consists of 6 essay questions. The NCBE selects from the full pool of subjects, and they do not announce which subjects will be tested in advance. Any subject can appear on any administration.

How to Prioritize

Rule 1: Cover every subject

You cannot afford to skip any subject entirely. The MEE is unpredictable, and a subject you ignored could easily be 1 of your 6 essays. Even a basic understanding is better than nothing.

Rule 2: Go deep on MBE subjects first

The MBE subjects give you double return on your study time: the same rules you learn for the MBE apply to the MEE essays. Your MBE prep does double duty.

Rule 3: Budget real study time for MEE-only subjects

Many candidates neglect the MEE-only subjects because they are not on the MBE. This is a common and costly mistake. If Secured Transactions appears and you have never studied it, you will waste 30 minutes writing something that earns minimal points.

Recommended minimum prep for each MEE-only subject:

• Trusts and Estates: 8-10 hours (frequent, rule-dense)
• Family Law: 5-7 hours (frequent, conceptually straightforward)
• Agency/Partnership/Corporations: 6-8 hours (moderate frequency, conceptually interconnected)
• Secured Transactions: 5-7 hours (lower frequency but difficult without preparation)
• Conflict of Laws: 4-5 hours (lowest frequency, manageable rule set)

Rule 4: Practice essays in every subject

You can outline essays in 10-15 minutes each. Over the course of bar prep, outline at least 2-3 essays in every MEE subject. Write full timed essays in the subjects you find most difficult.

Cross-Subject Essays

The MEE frequently combines subjects in a single question. Common combinations:

• Contracts + UCC Article 2 (sale of goods with common law backup)
• Criminal Law + Criminal Procedure (crime committed and then challenged on constitutional grounds)
• Real Property + Contracts (land sale contracts, recording acts)
• Torts + Agency (employer vicarious liability)
• Evidence + any other subject (evidentiary issues embedded in a civil or criminal fact pattern)

When you see a cross-subject question, address each legal issue separately. Do not try to merge the analyses. Treat each issue as its own IRAC block.

Writing Strategy for Each Subject Type

For subjects you know well

Spend less time on the rule statement and more time on application. The grader knows you know the rule — they want to see you use it with the specific facts.

For subjects you barely know

Lead with whatever rule you can remember, even if it is incomplete. Apply it to the facts as best you can. A partially correct answer with some application earns more points than a blank page. Graders give partial credit.

For unfamiliar hybrids

If you encounter a question that combines a subject you know with one you do not, focus your answer on the subject you know. Write a thorough IRAC for those issues and do your best on the rest. You can earn significant partial credit this way.

The Bottom Line

The MEE rewards breadth. A candidate who knows a little about every subject will outscore a candidate who knows three subjects deeply and skipped the rest. Cover every subject, go deeper on the high-frequency topics, and never walk into the essay day with a subject you have literally never reviewed.