The Montana Supreme Court has approved the adoption of the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination

The Montana Supreme Court has approved the adoption of the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen UBE), following a joint recommendation from the Montana Board of Bar Examiners and the State Bar of Montana. Montana will begin administering the NextGen UBE with the February 2028 bar exam.

The NextGen UBE is designed to better reflect how lawyers actually practice. In addition to testing core legal knowledge, it emphasizes practical skills such as legal analysis, research, writing, and client counseling.

With the current Uniform Bar Exam being phased out in 2028 and most states adopting NextGen, this transition keeps Montana aligned nationally while preserving score portability for future attorneys and helping ensure newly licensed lawyers are prepared to serve the people of Montana.

For a link to the full Order, please click here.