Openings for bar examination graders arise from time to time, and the Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) looks for experienced and qualified attorneys to be included on a list of available graders when openings occur. To maximize experience and expertise in grading, attorneys who are selected as graders by the BBE may remain on the list of available graders for subsequent bar examinations. Graders contract with the Commonwealth on an annual basis to provide this service as contract employees.
Grading the Bar Exam
The BBE administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), which is written and coordinated by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). It is composed of the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). The exam is uniformly administered, graded, and scored by user jurisdictions and results in a portable score that can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions. The UBE is administered on the last consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday of each February and July.
Bar examination graders work in teams assigned to grade one MEE item MPT item.
Graders are contract employees of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Graders are not regular state employees.
Grader appointments will be made solely on the basis of merit. No person may be selected as a grader if they are an immediate family member* of a BBE employee or Board Member. Bar examination graders may not be affiliated professionally with any bar review course. Further, bar examination graders may not be employed by a law school approved by the American Bar Association or Massachusetts statute to grant the degree of juris doctor who teach any substantive topics tested on the bar exam or work in a capacity to assist or support students in preparation for bar admission or the bar exam.
*Immediate family members include the employee or Board Member and their spouse, parents, children, brothers, and sisters.
Qualifications
Applicants for the position of bar exam grader:
1. Must have graduated with a juris doctor degree at a law school approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) or Massachusetts statute to grant the degree of juris doctor.
2. Must be a licensed attorney, in good standing, in a United States jurisdiction.
3. Must have at least five and preferably a minimum of at least ten years of experience in the active practice or teaching of law.
4. Must be comfortable working in a collaborative team environment.
5. Working knowledge Microsoft Office Excel preferred.
6. Working knowledge of grading on a relative scale preferred.
The BBE is committed to providing fair and equal opportunities for all qualified attorneys interested in serving as graders.
Responsibilities
Graders are required to:
- Register with NCBE in order to gain access to NCBE Grading Workshop and grading materials. (If selected to become a grader your contact information will be provided to NCBE by the BBE prior to the administration of each bar exam.)
- Adhere to strict deadlines and guidelines set by both NCBE and the BBE during the three to four month grading period immediately following each bar examination. Grading is conducted from late July through mid-October for the July examination and from late February through mid-April for the February examination.
- Attend an NCBE Grading Workshop (for the MEE and MPT) via conference call or by viewing On Demand videos to gain a thorough understanding of the question being graded prior to beginning the process of grading the exams for each UBE administration.
- Follow NCBE's grading materials, including the instructions as to the weighting assigned to each issue.
- Calibrate throughout the grading process and across multiple graders using an appropriate sample of answers per question or performance tasks.
- Be available for discussion with other members of the grading team throughout the initial grading cycle, as needed, and with the NCBE following the exam day.
- Rank order exams, which include grading the exam on a scale of 1 to 7. Grading is done on a relative scale.
- Maintain strict confidentiality in all aspects of the grading process. Graders will be required to review and sign a confidentiality agreement with the BBE prior to providing grading services.
- Ensure that exams are held in a secure and confidential location throughout the grading cycle.
- Maintain records as directed by the BBE throughout the grading cycle.
Selection Process
When the Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) has openings for graders of the Massachusetts essay bar examination, the BBE will seek experienced and qualified Massachusetts-licensed attorneys to serve. The BBE’s process for the selection of bar examination graders follows.
- Interested attorneys should submit letters of interest and resumes to the BBE offices at the address below. The materials will be reviewed by the Executive Director, who will determine whether each attorney meets the qualifications required of bar examination graders.
- Graders must be licensed and in good standing with the Board of Bar Overseers, have at least five and preferably ten years of experience in the active practice or teaching of law, and be comfortable working in a collaborative team environment. A working knowledge of grading on a relative scale and experience with Microsoft Office Excel is preferred.
- Graders will be selected solely on the basis of merit. No person may be selected as a grader if he or she is an immediate family member of a BBE employee or Board Member. Bar examination graders may not be affiliated professionally with any bar review course.
- Materials submitted by qualified attorneys will be forwarded by the Executive Director to BBE Board Members for further review and evaluation. Board Members will interview qualified attorneys as grader opportunities become available. To maximize experience and expertise in grading, attorneys who are selected as graders by a Board Member may remain on the list of available graders for successive bar examinations.
Resumes and letters of interest should be submitted to:
Executive Director
Board of Bar Examiners
Attn. Grader Opportunity
John Adams Courthouse, Suite 5-140
One Pemberton Square
Boston, MA 02108