AK Bar cheat sheet

Constitutional law: State action required for due process/equal protection; exceptions include public functions and entanglement.

Contracts: UCC applies to goods; common law to services. Offer, acceptance, consideration, and defenses.

Torts: Negligence elements: duty, breach, causation (actual and proximate), damages. Comparative/contributory negligence rules.

Evidence: Relevance, hearsay (and exceptions), character evidence, impeachment, privilege, expert testimony.

Real property: Estates (fee simple, life estate), concurrent ownership, landlord-tenant, easements, covenants, mortgages.

Criminal law: Actus reus, mens rea, concurrence, causation, defenses (insanity, self-defense), inchoate offenses.

Civil procedure: Subject matter jurisdiction (federal question, diversity), personal jurisdiction, venue, pleadings, discovery, summary judgment.

MEE tests same subjects as MBE plus business associations, conflict of laws, family law, secured transactions, trusts and estates.

Answers should be structured: issue, rule, analysis, conclusion (IRAC).

Time management: 30 minutes per essay; allocate time proportional to number of call questions.

Cite relevant legal authority (statutes, restatements, cases) where applicable.

For business associations: distinguish agency, partnership, corporation, LLC; fiduciary duties.

Conflict of laws: choose law (domicile, place of wrong, party autonomy), recognize judgments, etc.

Family law: marriage, divorce, property division, child custody (best interests), support.

Secured transactions: attachment, perfection, priority, default and remedies.

MPT requires drafting a legal document (memo, brief, contract, letter) using provided file and library.

Follow instructions precisely; format as specified (e.g., memo with headings).

Extract relevant facts from file; apply relevant law from library.

Objective tone; avoid advocacy unless instructed (e.g., persuasive brief).

Time: 90 minutes per task; allocate time for reading, outlining, writing, reviewing.

Common tasks: legal memo, opinion letter, contract provision, closing argument, bench memo.

Cite authorities from library; do not rely on outside knowledge.

Organize clearly: use headings, short paragraphs, bullet points where appropriate.