Transfer Attorneys
Taking the Virginia Essay Exam to transfer your law license to Virginia

What to Know About the Virginia Essay Exam

The exam tests over 20 different subject areas, and focuses almost entirely on unique distinctions of Virginia law.

National, MBE, or UBE study materials will not help you, and might actually give you answers that are wrong on this exam.

Just writing a “good analysis” is not enough. This exam primarily tests your knowledge of Virginia substantive legal rules, not just your ability to argue.

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Resources for full outlines of Virginia law

Most transfer lawyers still enroll in a major bar prep course (like BarBri, Themis, or Kaplan) to get outline of Virginia state law. Some students can make it work using other self-study methods.  Self-study is cheaper, but requires a lot of motivation. Most students purchase a commercial outline of Virginia Law published by Themis, Kaplan, or Barbri. See our Comprehensive Guide to the Virginia Essay Exam.

The single most important topic on the Virginia Essay Exam

In the LexBar program, you’ll learn about the most heavily weighted Virginia Essay Exam subject areas, along with practice essays to hone your ability to write as Virginia graders expect your answer. Much of the essay writing advice in other programs applies to the Multi-State Essay Exam or UBE, but the Virginia Essay Exam is much different in several important ways.

How much relative study time to devote to each topic

Included in LexBar is a subject-hierarchy chart and explanation to help guide your study time for the essay exam. Trying to study all 20 subjects equally is a recipe for failure.

Understand how Virginia exam graders expect you to write your answer

If you try to locate and discuss all the legal issues from a fact pattern presented on the Virginia Essay Exam, you will fail. We don’t have an “issue spotter” exam here like the UBE. LexBar teaches how to write answers narrowly within the scope of the question. LexBar includes three graded essays so you’ll know you’re getting it right.

Why the concluding sentence can make-or-break your whole answer

Learn why a perfect conclusion can save your whole essay answer, and exactly how to write a perfect conclusion. Your graded essays will help you hone this skill and pass the exam.

Answer your questions about the exam

Enrolled LexBar students can always reach out by email to ask questions about the exam and substantive Virginia law.

What you need to pass the Virginia Essay Exam as a transferring attorney.

Registration is open for the July 2024 Exam