Instructions for the Bar…Isn’t this a little restrictive:(

Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar

Two Day Examination Instructions for Handwriting Applicants

July 27-28, 2010

Please be advised that you are registered for BOTH DAYS of the Illinois bar examination. Be in your assigned seat by 8:00 AM Tuesday, July 27. Roll call, identity verification, and instructions begin at 8:00. The examination begins at 8:30 sharp.

Applicants are prohibited from bringing into a test room or possessing at any test site cell phones, iPods, and other electronic and mechanical devices throughout the administration of the exam. Applicants may not use or have in their possession or at or near their testing seats any watches, sunglasses, pens, pencils, and other writing instruments including without limitation, highlighters and markers, OTHER THAN applicants’ own pens on Tuesday, and pencils provided by the Board at the time of the MBE examination.

On Tuesday, applicants are required to bring non-erasable pens in blue or black ink; pens will NOT be provided by the Board. Any pens in your possession must be placed on the table in front of you. Pens may not be stored in a pocket or otherwise on your person during the administration of the examination. All watches, sunglasses, pencils, markers, and highlighters must be placed away from the applicants in the space designated by proctors at the front of the test room, along with purses, bags, backpacks, study materials, and other personal possessions that applicants may not have on their persons or at or near their test seats during the administration of the exam.

On Wednesday, applicants will receive 2 sharpened pencils for answering the MBE. All watches, sunglasses, pens, privately-owned pencils, markers, and highlighters must be placed away from the applicants in the space designated by proctors at the front of the test room, along with purses, bags, backpacks, study materials, and other personal possessions that applicants may not have on their persons or at or near their test seats during the administration of the exam. Manual sharpeners will be available at the proctor tables. Pencils may be exchanged only in pairs; if both pencils become unusable or have depleted erasers, the 2 failed pencils may be exchanged at proctor tables for 2 replacement pencils.

The current rules regulating cell phones, iPods, and other electronic and mechanical devices, as well as rules regulating personal items and study materials, are set forth below. Any applicant who violates any one of these rules shall be immediately dismissed from the examination and deemed to have failed. Please read and follow carefully; the rules will be strictly enforced and no exceptions are made.

RULES

1. Beginning when a proctor first begins to address a group of applicants at the beginning of each session of the examination, continuing throughout the administration of the examination, including restroom breaks and any planned or unplanned interruption of the examination, such as a fire alarm requiring evacuation of the building, and ending only after the applicant has been dismissed by a proctor and exited the test room after one of the 4 sessions of the exam, the following rule applies: Applicants are STRICTLY PROHIBITED from bringing into a test room or possessing at any examination site CELL PHONES, iPODS, and all other electronic devices, including without limitation pagers, digital watches and other timepieces with computer communication and/or memory capability, audible alarms, handheld computers, wireless email devices, PDA's, any other similar or dissimilar computer devices and aids, calculators, cameras or other picture-taking devices, sound recorders, and sound receptors, including headphones and headsets, and any aids of any kind; and

2. Beginning immediately after a proctor directs applicants to deposit personal items in the designated common area at the front of the test room, continuing throughout the administration of the examination, including restroom breaks and any planned or unplanned interruption of the examination, such as a fire alarm requiring evacuation of the building, and ending only after the applicant has been dismissed by a proctor and exited the test room after one of the 4 sessions of the exam, the following rule applies: Applicants are also STRICTLY PROHIBITED from having on their persons or at or near their testing seats any watches, sunglasses, jackets, coats, gloves, purses, bags, packs, briefcases, books, study materials, papers, and writing instruments including without limitation markers and highlighters, OTHER THAN applicants’ photo IDs, earplugs, seat vouchers, and papers furnished by proctors at the time of the examination for use during the session in progress. Except for items of religious apparel, applicants are STRICTLY PROHIBITED from covering their ears or heads with hoods, hats, headphones, or any other garment or object during the administration of the examination; ears and heads must be fully exposed at all times. Subject to the foregoing, sweaters or sweatshirts may be worn, but are subject to search. ON TUESDAY, during the essay portions of the exam, applicants may also have pens, but no pencils or other writing instruments including without limitation markers and highlighters, at their test seat. Any pens in your possession must be placed on the table in front of you. Pens may not be stored in a pocket or otherwise on your person during the administration of the examination. ON WEDNESDAY, during the MBE portions of the examination, applicants may not have pens, pencils, or other writing instruments at their seats OTHER THAN pencils distributed by the proctors at the time of the examination for use during the session in progress.

In other words, applicants may NOT bring cell phones, iPods, and other electronic devices referenced in preceding paragraph 1 into the test room or possess any such items at the test site during the administration of the examination. Applicants MAY bring into the test room the personal items and study materials referenced in preceding paragraph 2, but all such items must be placed away from the applicants in a designated area at the front of the room near the proctor table; applicants may not have such items on their persons or at or near their testing seats.

Simple analog watches are allowed in test rooms but must be left with other personal property in the area designated by the proctors, however, applicants are STRICTLY PROHIBITED from bringing into a test room or possessing at any examination site digital watches and other timepieces with computer communication and/or memory. Any applicant who does so will be dismissed from the examination and deemed to have failed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Any applicant requiring access to a medicine or other medically necessary item during the course of the examination must so advise the Board in writing in advance of the exam. 1. Approved medicine and medical items must then be placed in a clear plastic bag labeled with the applicant's name and delivered to a proctor prior to the commencement of the exam for inspection, safekeeping, and dispensing during the exam in accordance with instructions. 2. Any watches, eyeglasses, sunglasses, outerwear, gloves, head wear (except items of religious apparel), earplugs, purses, bags, packs, briefcases, books, study materials and papers brought into any examination room will be subject to thorough inspection by proctors and other agents of the Board. 3. Any watches, sunglasses, outerwear (applies to jackets or coats; sweaters or sweatshirts are permitted, but subject to search, and hoods of any kind of are not allowed to be worn over ears or heads), gloves, head wear (except items of religious apparel), purses, bags, packs, briefcases, books, study materials and papers brought into any examination room must be placed at a single common area designated at the front of the room by the proctors. 4. There will be no storage facilities at examination sites. The Board will not permit its proctors or staff to accept or hold for safekeeping any personal property of any applicant. Items left unattended outside test rooms will likely be confiscated by security. The Board assumes no responsibility for any loss or damage of personal property. Please leave prohibited items at home, in your hotel room, or in your car.

While the examination is in progress, you may not leave the building, return to your hotel room, or obtain access to a locker, suitcase, or any other container, cache or source of personal property or information. During portions of the examination, you are permitted to leave the room briefly only to use the closest available restroom.

CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATION OF RULE(S)

1. Beginning when a proctor first begins to address a group of applicants at the beginning of each session of the examination, continuing throughout the administration of the examination, including restroom breaks and any planned or unplanned interruption of the examination, and ending only after the applicant has been dismissed by a proctor and exited the test room after one of the 4 sessions of the exam, any applicant bringing or having brought into a test room or possessing or having possessed at any examination site any cell phone, iPod, or other electronic device; and/or

2. Beginning immediately after a proctor directs applicants to deposit personal items in the designated common area at the front of the test room, continuing throughout the administration of the examination, including restroom breaks and any planned or unplanned interruption of the examination, and ending only after the applicant has been dismissed by a proctor and exited the test room after one of the 4 sessions of the exam, any applicant having on his/her person or at or near his/her testing seat any prohibited personal item or study material SHALL be immediately dismissed from the examination and deemed to have failed. These rules will be strictly enforced, and no exceptions will be made.

The examination schedule is as follows:

TUESDAY

8:00-8:30 Identity verification, roll call, and instructions. Please place your photo ID, seat voucher, earplugs (for use once exam begins) and pens next to the blue seat card on the table or desk top in front of you. Pens must be placed on the table in front of you; they may not be stored in a pocket or otherwise on your person during the administration of the examination.

Applicants arriving late but not more than 40 minutes after the start of the examination at 8:30 may be admitted; however NO extra time for writing the exam will be allowed. Applicants arriving more than 40 minutes after the start of the examination will be disqualified and deemed absent from the examination.

8:30-10:00 Examination begins with three Illinois Essay (IEE) questions.

10:00-10:15 Proctors collect and account for all IEE materials and distribute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) materials.

Applicants are not permitted to leave their test rooms to visit a restroom or for any other purpose between the IEE and MPT portions of the test. At the conclusion of the IEE, applicants must remain in their assigned seats while IEE test materials are collected and MPT test materials are distributed. Applicants will be allowed to keep their Illinois Essay Examination question book but will NOT be allowed to remove from a testing room any of the three IEE answer booklets even if one or more of the answer booklets is blank. At this time, additional information and instructions for the MPT will be provided by a proctor.

10:15-11:45 MPT session.

11:45-12:00 Proctors collect and account for all MPT materials. Applicants may be dismissed for lunch ONLY after proctors account for all IEE and MPT test materials.

1:00-1:30 Applicants must return to their assigned seats by 1:00. Roll is called for afternoon session, and IDs are checked. Place your photo ID, seat voucher, earplugs (for use once exam begins) and pens next to the blue seat card on the table or desk top in front of you. Pens must be placed on the table in front of you; they may not be stored in a pocket or otherwise on your person during the administration of the examination.

1:30-4:30 Examination resumes with six Multistate Essay (MEE) questions.

4:30-4:45 Proctors collect and account for all MEE materials. Applicants may be dismissed ONLY after proctors account for all test materials. Applicants will NOT be allowed to keep their MEE question books and will NOT be allowed to remove from a testing room any of the six MEE answer booklets even if one or more of the answer booklets is blank.

Applicants will return Wednesday morning at 8:15 for the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE).

Each IEE and MEE answer booklet is numbered to correspond with a particular question; e.g., answer booklet number 1 is to be used to answer question number 1. You must use the proper answer booklet for each of your answers and all answer booklets must be turned in at the end of each session.

Each of the IEE and MEE answer booklets contains two pages bearing lines on both sides. The MPT answer booklet contains four pages bearing lines on both sides. In answering the IEE, MPT and MEE portions of the examination, you may write on both sides of all of the lined pages in the answer booklets. However, you must confine your writing to the printed lines and you must not exceed one handwritten line per printed line. Portions of answers which exceed these limitations will be disregarded by the Board. You may use the inside covers of the answer books to make notes or outline your answers.

Read and analyze each question carefully. Write clearly and concisely and organize your answer. Confine your answer to a discussion of the particular issues raised by the question, but give a complete answer to those issues. If you present arguments for different possible views, be certain that you decide the issue.

The Illinois Essay Examination (IEE), Multistate Performance Test (MPT) and Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) are the written components of the Illinois bar examination. Quality of writing counts. Answers written in a form other than paragraphed essay form on the IEE and MEE will not receive full credit. Answers to the MPT must be in the form called for by the MPT question to receive full credit. Excessive use of abbreviations, such as symbols, acronyms and text-talk, may result in score reduction.

Your answer should demonstrate an understanding of the facts and a recognition of the issue(s) involved; it should also include a statement of the principles of law applicable and the reasoning employed to reach the conclusions. Questions are intended to be inquiries on fundamental points of law. Do not search for hidden meanings or remote exceptions, since none are intended. Let your answer represent your best judgment in each instance on the plain meaning of the question.

Please note that if you are absent from or do not fully complete the essay examination on Tuesday, you will not be allowed to write the Multistate Bar Examination on Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY

8:15-8:45 Identity verification, roll call and instructions. Please place photo ID, pencils distributed by your proctors, earplugs (for use once exam begins) and seat voucher next to the blue seat card on the table or desk top in front of you.

8:45-11:45 Morning session of Multistate Bar Examination (MBE).

11:45-12:00 Proctors collect and account for all morning MBE materials. Applicants will NOT be allowed to keep their MBE question books. Applicants must leave their Board pencils at their test seats. Applicants may be dismissed for lunch ONLY after proctors account for all test materials, and all applicants have left their Board pencils at their test seats.

1:00-1:30 Identity verification, roll call and instructions. Please place photo ID, pencils distributed by your proctors, earplugs (for use once exam begins) and seat voucher next to the blue seat card on the table or desk top in front of you.

1:30-4:30 Afternoon session of MBE.

4:30-4:45 Proctors collect and account for all afternoon MBE materials and Board pencils. Applicants will NOT be allowed to keep their MBE question books or Board pencils.

Applicants will not be allowed to leave the test room once the 30 minute warning is called, and applicants may be dismissed from the examination ONLY after proctors account for all test materials and pencils.

Applicants will not be dismissed before the end of either of the two MBE sessions on Wednesday. Those who finish early must remain in their seats until each three hour session has expired and all MBE test books, answer sheets, and pencils have been collected and accounted for. You should not expect the afternoon session to end before 4:45.

Administrative matters (e.g. instructions, ID verification, test and pencil collection and counting) may result in slight delays or other deviations from the above schedules.

Proctors in rooms without wall clocks will be provided either with a large clock and a stand that will be displayed on the proctor table at the front of the room or with one or more digital clocks that project the time in large numbers onto a wall applicants are facing. Each proctor will synchronize his or her watch with the wall clock or alternate clock displayed in the test room, and the examination will be timed precisely by the wall or display clock. Please rest assured that your proctor will accurately time the examination.

Do not continue to write or mark answers to questions after the proctor has made the announcement to stop writing and put down your pen or pencil. Under no circumstances will applicants be permitted extra time to complete essay answers or to mark MBE answer sheets after the announcement to stop has been made.

General Instructions and Information

PHOTO ID IS REQUIRED. You must bring with you to the examination a valid state driver's license or state identification card bearing your photograph, a valid local, state, or federal government employee identification card bearing your photograph, or a valid US passport. APPLICANTS WHO FAIL TO PRODUCE SUCH PHOTOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO WRITE THE EXAMINATION.

SEAT VOUCHER. You must print and bring your seat voucher to the examination. Your applicant number is printed under your name and to the left of your seat number on your seat voucher. You will need to print your applicant number on each answer booklet, and applicant number vouchers will not be distributed at the exam. Be certain that your 5-digit Applicant Number (not your seat number) is placed in the Applicant Number box on each of your answer booklets as well as on the front cover of the answer booklet envelopes. Do not place your name or any other mark of identification on your answer books or envelopes.

PENS AND PENCILS. On Tuesday, it is your responsibility to bring with you several pens with non-erasable blue or black ink. Any pens in your possession must be placed on the table in front of you. Pens may not be stored in a pocket or otherwise on your person during the administration of the examination. You may not have pencils, markers, or highlighters at or near your test seat. Write legibly and do not attempt to erase your pen markings; merely draw a line through words you wish the Board to ignore. On Wednesday, your proctors will distribute pencils. Use or possession at or near your test seat of any other pencil, pen, or other writing instrument, including a marker or highlighter, will result in your dismissal and failure of the exam. Manual pencil sharpeners will be available at proctor tables. Failed pencils may be replaced only in pairs.

DRESS. Dress is casual. Temperatures will vary among test sites. It may be warmer or cooler than you would like. Please layer your clothing and/or bring a sweater or sweatshirt for your comfort. During the examination, applicants are strictly prohibited from having on their persons or at or near their testing seats any watches, sunglasses, jackets, coats, and gloves. Except for items of religious apparel, applicants are STRICTLY PROHIBITED from covering their ears or heads with hoods, hats, headphones, or any other garment or object during the administration of the examination. While simple earplugs are allowed to be used, ears and heads must be fully exposed at all times. Subject to the foregoing, sweaters or sweatshirts may be worn, but are subject to search. Please do not wear flip-flops or other shoes that make loud or distracting noise when you walk. You must NOT wear or bring into the test room a digital watch or other timepiece with computer communication and/or memory capability or with an audible alarm; doing so will result in your dismissal and deemed failure of the exam. Simple analog watches brought into the test room must be placed with other personal belongings in the area designated by the proctors.

FOOD AND DRINK. No food or drink is permitted inside any test room. This includes candies, mints, and chewing gum; you may not chew or suck gum, mints or candy during the examination. Many restaurants are available in the vicinity of the test sites; however, because of time constraints and the large number of applicants taking the exam, you may prefer to bring a lunch. The Board does not provide a designated eating area at test sites, and some sites do not permit consumption of carried-in food on premises.

SMOKING. Smoking is not permitted at any test site or during the administration of the exam. Applicants may not leave the building to smoke or for any other purpose while the exam is in progress. Applicants may smoke outside of the building ONLY during lunch break and before and after the exam.

PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS. During the administration of the examination, including restroom breaks and any other planned or unplanned interruption of any session of the examination, applicants are prohibited from talking, using a telephone or other personal communication device or otherwise communicating with other applicants and with third parties other than proctors or other agents of the Board at the test site, in the restrooms, in the lobby, or at any other place.

COMPLAINTS. Please bring any complaint regarding a testing condition immediately to the attention of your lead proctor. S/he will generally be able effectively to address your concern. Any remaining complaint should be brought to the attention of your test site supervisor. Your proctors and/or test site supervisor will make every reasonable effort to remedy or ameliorate an unsatisfactory test condition. Applicants must be aware, however, that some test site problems are beyond the control of both the proctors and the Board (road construction, coughing applicants, etc.). Accordingly, you are advised to bring simple earplugs to the examination. Headphone and headset types are prohibited. All earplugs must be inspected and approved by a proctor prior to use.

SANCTIONS. In addition to the grounds for disqualification previously listed, an applicant will be subject to disqualification and other sanctions if s/he gives or receives aid in answering exam questions, begins reading or working on an exam segment before time to begin is announced, continues working on an exam segment after time to stop has been called, removes test materials or Board pencils from the room, or otherwise violates any written or oral exam instruction.

WITHDRAWAL. Do not withdraw from the examination before you have finished without reporting to a member of the Board of Admissions at the Wyndham Hotel, 633 N. St. Clair Street, either in person or by telephone. If you withdraw for any reason after receiving the first set of questions, you will be deemed to have failed.

Post Examination Matters

On or before October 15, your bar exam results will be posted to your user homepage at www.ibaby.org. Please be advised that at all times, the Board requires your current email address, mailing address, and phone numbers. You must immediately advise the Board of any change in this information by entering and saving the new information on your Personal Info page at www.ibaby.org . This is the only acceptable method for revising your personal information; the Board does not accept changes of email address, land address, or phone number by mail or fax. Do not report a change of contact information to your proctor.

The results of the bar examination are final. Appeals are not permitted, and the Board will not entertain requests for review, regrading, or other relief.

Essay Examination Inspection Sessions

In the unfortunate event that you fail this bar examination, you will have an opportunity to inspect your answers to the essay examinations, along with a sample passing answer to each question, on Saturday, November 13, 2010, from 9 AM till noon at a specified location in Chicago or Collinsville, Illinois. Instructions, information and inspection registration forms will be sent to all applicants who fail the July 2010 exam. Please note that the November 13 sessions will be the SOLE opportunity that unsuccessful applicants will have to inspect their essay answers. Inspection materials will not be mailed or made available at any other time or place. Please make work, travel, and personal plans accordingly.

Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)

Before being admitted to practice in Illinois an applicant must take and pass the MPRE which is administered three times a year by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). The MPRE must be taken AFTER the applicant successfully has completed the lesser of 60 credit hours or two-thirds of the academic requirements for his/her JD degree. Scores submitted from an MPRE taken before an applicant has successfully completed the lesser of 60 credit hours or two-thirds of the academic requirements for the JD degree will not be accepted by the Board. Currently in Illinois a scaled score of 80 or more points is required to pass the MPRE.

If you wish to apply for the MPRE, obtain information online at www.ncbex.org or go directly to www.act.org/mpre/. Alternatively, you can register by submitting a written request to: MPRE Application Department, 301 ACT Drive, PO Box 4001, Iowa City IA 52243-4001 (phone 319.341.2500).

If you have previously taken the MPRE and wish to transfer your score to Illinois, send a check for $15 made payable to the National Conference of Bar Examiners with a written request for transfer to: MPRE Records Department, 301 ACT Drive, PO Box 451, Iowa City IA 52243-0451. Include the following info in your request: full name, address, SSN, date of birth, MPRE test date, signature, and the request that your score is sent to ILLINOIS; questions may be directed to 319.337.1304. Score reports with valid scores sent to Illinois stamped “unofficial” by the NCBE will be accepted.

Questions

If you have questions about the bar examination or these instructions, please first visit our website at www.ibaby.org, where answers to most questions are provided. If you cannot find the information you need, please EMAIL, rather than phone, your file processor. A file processor's email address consists of the first letter of his/her first name followed by complete last name @ibaby.org. For example, the email address of a processor named Jane Smith would be jsmith@ibaby.org. If you do not know the name of your file processor, please phone the Board offices at 217.522. 5917 weekdays between 8:30 AM and 2 PM and press 0 for our receptionist.