NYLE and NYLC: Don't Sleep on the New York Law Exam
The New York Law Exam is open-book and taken online. That does not mean it is easy. The questions are specific, the materials are the only resource you may use, and time is tighter than it appears. Here is what you need to know.
My Sequencing: MPRE, then NYLC + NYLE, then UBE
My approach to the New York admissions process was deliberate sequencing: MPRE first to get it off my list, then the New York Law Course and NYLE, then the UBE. Completing the NYLE before main bar prep meant one fewer thing to think about during the most intensive study period. It also meant I had already worked through New York-specific legal content before sitting the exam.
What Is the NYLC?
The New York Law Course is an online, on-demand course covering New York-specific laws and procedures. It is a prerequisite to the NYLE. The NYLC is available through the BOLE portal as part of your bar application at no additional cost.
The course is structured as a series of video modules. Each video includes questions at the end, and if you do not answer correctly, you may need to re-watch the video before proceeding. Treat this seriously rather than rushing through it.
NYLC Topics
The NYLC covers New York-specific legal content that differs from general principles tested on the UBE. Topics include:
NYLC subject areas include:
- New York Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL)
- New York Family Law: domestic relations, child support, matrimonial proceedings
- New York Criminal Law and Procedure, including specific New York Penal Law provisions
- New York Business Entities: New York Business Corporation Law and LLC Law
- New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR)
- New York Real Property Law
- New York Professional Responsibility: New York Rules of Professional Conduct
- New York constitutional matters and court structure
Watch the lectures and engage with the material. The content is genuinely New York-specific and much of it will not have been covered in your law school curriculum or standard bar prep course.
What Is the NYLE?
The New York Law Exam is a 50-question, open-book, online multiple-choice exam administered four times per year. You must score at least 30 out of 50 to pass. The exam is taken through the BOLE portal from your own computer. You may only use the NYLC course materials provided through the portal during the exam. You cannot use outside notes, the internet, or any other resources.
Why the NYLE Is Harder Than It Looks
The combination of "open book" and "only 50 questions" creates a false sense of security. The NYLE can catch you off guard if you approach it casually. Here is why:
- The questions are specific. The NYLE tests precise details of New York law: specific statutes, specific procedural rules under the CPLR or EPTL. Open book does not help if you do not know where to look.
- The material is voluminous. The NYLC materials are substantial. Time pressure is real with 50 questions in 2 hours if you are searching for every answer.
- New York law is different. The NYLE tests rules that may differ significantly from the general common law you have been studying for the UBE. Do not assume your UBE prep covers it.
How to Prepare for the NYLE
Watch the NYLC Lectures Actively
Watch with the goal of understanding the substance. Take notes. Pay attention to the questions at the end of each video: if you cannot answer them, the material has not sunk in yet.
Know the Material Well Enough to Find Answers Quickly
The goal is not to memorize every rule. It is to know the material well enough that when you encounter a question, you have a general sense of where in the materials to look. You want to be confirming answers, not discovering them from scratch under the clock.
Give Yourself Time
Do not sit for the NYLE the day after finishing the NYLC. Give yourself a few days to consolidate the material before sitting. The exam is offered four times per year, so plan your timing without rushing.
Registration and Administration
- Register through the BOLE Applicant Services Portal at nybarexam.org
- Available four times per year; check BOLE for current dates
- Taken online through your BOLE account
- Results posted within approximately two weeks of the exam date
- Score of 30/50 required to pass for New York admission