On April 25, 2014, the Supreme Judicial Court approved the amendment to Board of Bar Examiners Rule III, effective July 1, 2016.
Rule III. Subjects under rule 3:01, §3:
"Applicants will be expected to be familiar with the law in the following fields:
Access to Justice* Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Agency Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure
Business Organizations Professional Responsibility
Constitutional Law Real Property (including Mortgages)
Contracts Torts
Criminal Law Trusts
Descent & Distribution of Estates Unfair or Deceptive Practices (G.L. c. 93A)
Domestic Relations Uniform Commercial Code (articles 1-9)
Evidence (including Federal Rules) Wills
Federal Jurisdiction
The examination will be conducted in part by written questions to be answered in writing and in part by printed questions to be answered by selections from answers submitted.
*The law to be tested in the field of Access to Justice may include the following topics: Landlord-Tenant, including evictions, affirmative defenses and counterclaims, and fee-shifting statutes; Foreclosures; Divorce, including child custody, support, visitation; Termination of Parental Rights; Domestic Abuse; Guardianship and Conservatorship; Consumer Matters, including debt collection, predatory lending and unfair or deceptive practices; Health Care Proxies, Power of Attorney, Advance Directives; Due Process doctrines related to fair hearings, civil commitment and civil right to counsel; Representation of nonprofit organizations; and Ethical rules including Massachusetts Rules of Professional Responsibility 1.2, 1.5, 1.14, 1.15, 4.3, 6.1, 6.5 and Limited Assistance Representation."
For further information on this amendment, see Notice of Approval.
