The Major Essay Examination (MEE) is a crucial part of passing the bar exam and obtaining law licensure in many U.S. states. Due to its essay-based format, developing an effective MEE writing strategy is essential for law school graduates to maximize their scores. This article will provide an in-depth discussion of proven MEE essay writing strategies based on bar exam expert advice and experience.
The most important thing to understand about MEE essays is that they are testing your legal analysis and issue spotting ability, not factual recall. While knowledge of the law is necessary, the exam is designed to see if you can analyze a hypothetical legal scenario, identify the relevant legal issues, and apply the correct rules and authorities to resolve those issues. With this in mind, the core elements of any successful MEE strategy involve: identifying major issues early, outlining a clear structure, and fully answering the call of the question.
Issue Spotting and Outlining
Issue spotting is the initial hurdle of any MEE essay. You only have 30 minutes per question, so you need to efficiently recognize what legal topics and analyses are required to answer the prompt. Most questions will test multiple areas of law, so your first reads should be focused on identifying as many potential issues as possible rather than diving into any one analysis. It is also essential that you outline your essay before writing – either with a formal outline or just mentally mapping the structure. This ensures you address all core issues and don’t miss any easy points that could boost your score. A typical MEE outline would include:
An intro paragraph framing the key legal question and briefly noting the major issues
Separate paragraphs for each identified legal issue, rule, analysis
A conclusion paragraph briefly summarizing your analyses and conclusion
Following the Call of the Question
The most common mistake made by exam takers is failing to fully answer the specific question being asked. You must carefully read and understand what the question is actually testing to receive full credit. For example, if it asks to discuss whether a statute applies, do not analyze potential common law claims – focus solely on applying the statute as directed. Similarly, be cautious of introducing unrelated details or tangents that do not directly respond to the prompt. Fully answering the precise question is more important than showing all your legal knowledge.
Analysis and Application of Law
Once you have outlined the major issues, you must then demonstrate your legal analysis abilities. For each identified area of law, first state the applicable rule. This should be a concise yet comprehensive summary drawing from any relevant statutes, regulations, or cases. Do not simply list or recite authorities – synthesize them into a cohesive rule statement. Next, apply the facts of the scenario to that rule through legal reasoning and argument. Explain how specifics from the fact pattern either do or do not satisfy each element or condition of the presented rule. Finally, draw a logical legal conclusion for that issue based on the preceding analysis. Repeat thisanalyze-and-conclude framework for all spotted issues to receive full credit for demonstration of analytical skills.
Persuasiveness and Structure
While analysis is king, certain writing techniques can also boost your MEE scores. Strong organizational structure is essential to maintain logical flow and guard against missing any issues. Conclude each section coherently before transitioning to new topics. Additionally, write in a clear and persuasive manner by using IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion), connecting sentences, and avoiding unclear pronouns. Edited and flowing writing conveys mastery over the subject better than choppy paragraphs. Simple techniques like this optimize both comprehension and impression of your legal abilities.
Time Management
With only 30 minutes per MEE question, pacing and efficiency are paramount. Most experts recommend spending 5-7 minutes on the intro/outline and issue spotting. Then divide the remaining time equally amongst major legal analyses. Try to wrap up conclusions a few minutes early to review for missed issues or analysis. Consider writing barebones conclusions initially to save time, returning later for elaboration if possible. Overall, focus on identifying a few clear and thoughtful analyses over superficially covering many areas. Quality over quantity leads to higher marks from graders. Similarly, if short on time, focus on fully analyzing the question prompt rather than including extra details.
Practice is Key
Preparation is half the battle for conquering the MEE. Familiarize yourself with common legal topics by identifying and practicing past exam essays covering those areas. Integrate feedback on practice responses into improving your approach. Additionally, take full timed practice exams under testing conditions to replicate the pace and pressure. Review write-ups to strengthen weak spots before test day. This repeated practice builds confidence and identifies individualized strategies for maximizing results. While no singular approach fits all, following guidelines rooted in experience and feedback significantly boosts MEE performance and bar passage odds. Developing a personalized preparation plan tailored to this writing-intensive section pays major dividends come exam day.
The critical components to optimizing MEE essay scores include: issue spotting early, outlining responses clearly, following the specific call of the question, demonstrating legal analysis through IRAC, employing persuasive and organized writing, managing 30-minute time limits efficiently, and extensive practice under testing conditions. By internalizing and executing a comprehensive strategy that meets these objectives, aspiring attorneys can feel confident and equipped to succeed on the MEE portion of the bar exam. With focused preparation incorporating feedback and repetition of previous strategies and skills, mastery over this essay-based assessment is within reach.
Andrew Stroud