VerdictUp

Resource Finder

Essay & study resources

We link to official sources. Where a license is required or use isn't permitted, we don't copy or republish the material — we tell you where to get it lawfully.

Action plan by exam section

MBE (multiple choice)

Civil Procedure, Contracts & Sales, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Torts, Property

  • Watch or read a subject overview first, then read the outline slowly and actively.
  • Turn the table of contents into a skeleton outline and fill it in as you learn.
  • Only after outlining a subject, do practice sets of 17 to 34 questions (30 to 60 minutes).
  • Review every miss: find why you erred and write the correct rule into your skeleton outline.

MEE (essays)

Business associations, Conflict of Laws, Trusts & Estates, Secured Transactions, plus all MBE subjects

  • Learn the essay-presentation strategy first, then the substantive law. Never rely on lectures alone.
  • Read and outline each subject, then answer past essay questions in writing.
  • Compare your answer with the model analysis and note missed issues.
  • When time is short, outline answers only. When shorter still, read past questions and analyses to see how topics are tested.

MPT (performance test)

Closed-universe drafting task: memo, brief, letter, or similar

  • Learn the format and set a personal time guideline (about 45 minutes reading and outlining, 45 minutes writing).
  • Complete at least four practice tasks: two persuasive and two objective.
  • Re-study the approach if you cannot tell persuasive from objective assignments.

How to write a strong essay answer

Essay graders reward clear analysis, clean organization, and accurate law, in that order. Apply this structure to almost every question.

Answer structure

  1. 1Conclusion. State your answer to the call of the question in the first sentence.
  2. 2Rule. State the governing rule in a sentence or two. Name only the element in dispute, not every element of the claim.
  3. 3Application. Tie specific facts from the problem to the rule, and address the best counterargument.
  4. 4Conclusion again. Close with a short sentence confirming the result. This can merge with the application.

Draw an "issue T" for each issue: issue name on top, requirements on the left, facts on the right. Facts that match no element often reveal an element you forgot, and an element with no facts usually signals a weak argument.

Match the question type

Enumeration questions
Introduce the list with one sentence, then number each item on its own line. Never bury a list inside a paragraph, and if unsure, make an educated guess grounded in your studies.
Distinction questions
Compare along labeled points (for example: purpose, source, parties, effect), giving both sides under each point.
Fact-pattern essays
Answer the subject the question is actually in. Avoid vague "fairness" statements, and give a legal basis for every conclusion.
General rule versus exception
When the facts fit an exception, state the general rule first, then the exception, then apply it. If you are unsure of the general rule, skip straight to the exception.

Common pitfalls

  • Answers that are too long lose the reader; answers that are too short look careless.
  • Do not argue in the margins or address the grader directly.
  • Write an answer even when unsure. A reasoned, wrong answer in the right subject earns more than silence.
  • Do not cite exact statute numbers or case names unless you are certain of them.

Performance test (MPT) workflow

1

Skim the table of contents

See which documents exist: task memo, file, and library.

2

Read the task memo closely

It names your client, your assigner, the document to produce, the format, and every question you must answer.

3

Study the library

Pull out rules, elements, and how courts treated similar facts. Use only the law provided.

4

Sift the file

Mark facts for each element and facts that cut the other way. Some facts are distractors by design.

5

Outline your answer

Use the headings the task memo requires and place rule, application, and counterargument under each.

6

Write and proofread

Follow tone and length instructions (objective versus persuasive) and confirm every question was answered.

Exam-day time management

  • Scan the whole exam first and divide the total minutes by the number of questions to set a per-question budget.
  • Answer the questions you know first, leaving blank pages for any you skip so you can return to them.
  • Sleep matters more than a last cram. Protect at least six hours before each exam day.