Illinois will begin administering the new NextGen Uniform Bar Exam starting February 2028, replacing the current UBE used since 2019.
The Supreme Court and Board of Admissions to the Bar say the updated test will better reflect lawyering skills like legal writing, issue analysis, and client counseling.
Law students starting in Fall 2025 will have three full years to prepare.
The nine-hour exam will include realistic legal scenarios and integrated materials like statutes or police reports. Forty jurisdictions, including Illinois, have committed to the new format.
