Speaker 1: Now on to the Multi-State Performance Test, or the MPT, and I've got more than a dozen tips and tricks for you. Let's go. You normally take the MPT on the afternoon of the first day of the bar exam, but your state may move it to that morning instead, so double-check your state's schedule. It's worth 20% of your total score. The MPT has two 90-minute tasks. Unlike the multiple choice and essay portions of the bar exam, you don't need to memorize substantive law to rock the MPT. Each MPT task has you prepare some sort of legal document, like a letter, memo, or brief. You get the specifics of each assignment in a memo from your hypothetical supervising attorney. To tackle the task, you get a little file of client-related info and a little library of potentially relevant laws. The heart of the challenge is analyzing lots of data and creating a coherent work product in a short time. The heart of the solution is practice, which leads us to tip number one, practice, practice, practice. During your first one or two practice questions, don't worry about speed. Just get oriented to the MPT process and lingo in a low-key but thorough way. After that, practice under timed conditions to improve pacing. Once you can handle one MPT task in 90 minutes, try doing two back-to-back, just like exam day. As with MBE and MEE questions, practice using real MPT questions. Tip number two, 50-50, or if we're talking minutes, 45-45. There's no restriction on how you divvy up your time, but a rough target is half-and-half. Half the time scouring the file and library for answers and creating a basic outline. Half the time drafting the actual work product. Tip number three, remember, monkeys steal fancy rings. Monkeys steal fancy rings reminds you what to read when. Monkeys stands for memo. Steal S, statutes. Fancy F, facts. Rings are rest of library. Monkeys steal fancy rings. Memo, statutes, facts, rest of library. Read the MPT materials in that order. Tip number four, a little more about monkeys. Let's talk about the memo. Read each memo twice. The memos explain the required work product and give you the info you need to decide formatting and whether to have an objective or persuasive tone. Start each task by skimming its memo, then immediately go over it again with a fine-toothed comb while outlining your basic headings, creating a rough template. Tip number five, now more on steal the statutes. Like memos, read the statutes twice. Most of the time, the statutes will give you the basic laws you need to tackle your task. Add pertinent parts of the statutes to your template where they'll be helpful. What if there are no statutes? Then read anything else that's code-like, like constitutional provisions, regulations or codes of conduct. If there are only cases, then skim them to find their basic rules. You'll come back for nuances in a moment. Tip number six, let's talk about fancy, the file. Search the file for relevant facts. Keep the memo and statutes in mind as you review the rest of the file. Stick relevant facts in your outline by related statutory sections. Tip number seven, dives into rings. Rings are often made of gold, and you use the rest of the library like you're mining for gold. Much, if not most of the stuff you dig through will be dirt. Your shovel should strike quickly and toss it aside. But here and there, you'll hit a nugget of gold, a detail about what a relevant statutory element or factor actually means, or a way to analogize and distinguish your client's facts from prior cases. As you find helpful nuggets, put them in your outline by the related statutory provisions and client facts. Tip number eight, remember Franklin is fake. Don't assume any real law that you're familiar with applies in fictitious Franklin. The hypothetical jurisdiction for MPT questions rely entirely on the library for the law. Sometimes, statutes and cases might sound familiar, but read them carefully, assuming nothing. Tip number nine, remember UROC. To the extent logical, use the same UROC structuring that you use in your MEE essays on the MPT, rather than staying addicted to crack or stuck on IRAC. Quick refresher on UROC. UROC stands for Upgraded Issue, Rule, Operate on the Facts, and Conclusion. Again, Upgraded Issue, Rule, Operate on the Facts, and Conclusion. You can watch our writing tips video to learn more. Tip number 10, simple citations. Put supporting statutory or regulatory section numbers and shortened case names. Don't waste time on page numbers and formatting. Save as many keystrokes as possible. Keep it simple. Tip number 11, look both ways. Whether you're creating an objective or persuasive work, look at the issues from both sides. Addressing counter-arguments will highlight your competence. Tip number 12, mention relevant ethical issues. Competent attorneys are proactive in raising any issues that should affect a supervisor's decision making. Tip number 13, after drafting your work, re-read the memo from your hypothetical supervising attorney to make sure you did not miss anything substantive. Normally, you should not proofread or tweak technical issues unless you're finished with the substance of both MPT assignments and you still have time to spare. Again, you should only hit technical things once you're finished with the substance of both MPT assignments. Tip number 14, which is related, avoid paralyzing, priority perverting, perfectionism. How about that for alliteration? Your drafts will be just that, drafts. They won't be your best work product, and that's okay. And finally, tip number 15, type faster than 50 words a minute. Just like with the MEE, fast typing is a key to MPT success. If you're a slow typist, consider taking a free online typing course. All righty, before we go, quick quiz. What was the mnemonic for the order you read MPT stuff in? Monkeys steal fancy rings. What does monkeys steal fancy rings stand for? Memo statutes facts rest of library. Again, memo statutes facts rest of library. Got it? Thank you.