The Official Striking Bar Exam Predictions for February 2025

(“Where Wizards Swing for the Fences”)

Welcome to the Striking Bar Exam Predictions for the February 2025 UBE! This is where baseball meets bar prep wizardry, and we take our best swing at guessing what the MEE will throw your way. But before we round the bases, a friendly reminder: These predictions are for entertainment and strategy—they are NOT guarantees. Think of this as a parlay of educated guesses rather than a crystal ball.

After February, come back and see if we nailed it or ended up benched. Either way, we hope this helps focus your studies while keeping things lighthearted. Now, let’s play ball with the six topics most likely expected to appear on the February 2025 exam!

Civil Procedure

This topic is most likely expected to show up, and we predict that motions and subject matter jurisdiction will be the breadwinners.
Civil Procedure is the MVP of the bar exam lineup, showing up in 24 of the last 26 exams. It’s the examiner’s go-to curveball, with a reliable rotation of subtopics.

  • What to Practice:
    • Subject Matter Jurisdiction (SMJ): Look for diversity jurisdiction questions with domicile issues or sneaky “amount in controversy” thresholds.
    • Motions: Expect questions on summary judgment or motions to dismiss—they’re crowd favorites for a reason.
    • Personal Jurisdiction (PJ): Did the defendant have minimum contacts, or is this a foul ball under the Due Process Clause?
    • Discovery Disputes: Privilege logs, discovery sanctions, or late disclosures could pop up.
    • Preclusion Doctrines: Claim preclusion (res judicata) or issue preclusion (collateral estoppel) could appear to test your ability to close the deal.

Secured Transactions

This topic is most likely expected to show up, and we predict that priority disputes will steal the spotlight.
Secured Transactions is the examiners’ favorite wild card. Tested in 16 of the last 26 exams, it often combines with Real Property for added flair.

  • What to Practice:
    • Priority Battles: Perfected vs. unperfected security interests—who gets paid first?
    • PMSIs (Purchase Money Security Interests): Always a tricky but popular subtopic when determining super-priority.
    • Default Remedies: Repossession and sale of collateral without breaching the peace.
    • Buyers in the Ordinary Course of Business (BIOC): When innocent buyers get tangled in a creditor’s web.
    • Fixtures: Expect questions on whether collateral is real property or personal property.

Business Associations (Corporations and Partnerships)

This topic is most likely expected to show up, and we predict that fiduciary duties and the business judgment rule will dominate.
Business Associations (in the form of Corporations, LLCs, or Partnerships) is a bar exam classic, appearing in 25 of the last 26 exams. February often highlights issues like fiduciary breaches or partnership dissolution.

  • What to Practice:
    • Fiduciary Duties: Watch for breaches of loyalty and care—directors or partners striking out with self-dealing or bad decisions.
    • Business Judgment Rule: Was the director’s bad call shielded by this trusty defense?
    • Partnership Dissolution & Buyouts: Focus on withdrawing partners and their rights to buyouts or distribution.
    • Agency Authority: Actual, apparent, or ratified authority—what pitch did the agent take?
    • Corporate Veil Piercing: Rare but dramatic, it’s a favorite for trickier corporate law questions.

Wills & Trusts

This topic is most likely expected to show up, and we predict that trustee duties and advancements will shine.
Wills & Trusts show up frequently, often testing fiduciary responsibilities or quirky distribution rules. This topic has appeared 15 out of 26 exams in some form.

  • What to Practice:
    • Advancements: When lifetime gifts impact a beneficiary’s inheritance, do they count as part of their ultimate share?
    • Trustee Duties: Mismanagement of trust assets will have you playing umpire, calling strikes on bad investments.
    • Ademption: What happens when a specific bequest (like Grandma’s favorite painting) no longer exists?
    • Intestacy: Who gets what when there’s no valid will?
    • Class Gifts and Remainders: Think vested versus contingent interests, and be prepared to spot hidden heirs.

Criminal Law & Procedure

This topic is most likely expected to show up, and we predict that Miranda warnings and felony murder will likely step up to the plate.
Criminal Procedure frequently appears, with issues on 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments leading the way. Substantive criminal law, like murder or larceny, often tags along as the cleanup hitter.

  • What to Practice:
    • Search & Seizure (4th Amendment): Focus on warrantless searches and exceptions, like plain view or exigent circumstances.
    • Miranda Warnings (5th Amendment): Expect issues of voluntary versus coerced confessions.
    • Felony Murder: Did an accomplice cause an unexpected death during a robbery? That’s a home run scenario for examiners.
    • Larceny or Burglary: Always a classic—did the defendant intend to permanently deprive someone of their property?

Contracts

This topic is most likely expected to show up, and we predict that breach of contract and remedies will dominate.
Contracts remains a bar exam staple, appearing frequently in both February and July exams. Look for scenarios requiring UCC and common law comparisons.

  • What to Practice:
    • Breach of Contract: Material vs. minor breaches—did the breaching party strike out completely, or just foul tip?
    • Remedies: Expect calculation of expectation damages, reliance damages, or restitution.
    • Formation Issues: Offers, counteroffers, and acceptances—get ready for UCC quirks if goods are involved.
    • Statute of Frauds: Watch for agreements that require a writing but don’t have one.
    • Anticipatory Repudiation: When one party says they’re not going to perform, what happens next?

Why These Predictions Are Reasonable (The Numbers Game)

  • Civil Procedure (24/26): The most consistently tested topic—exam writers can’t resist throwing in motions, jurisdiction, or discovery battles.
  • Secured Transactions (16/26): Always a favorite because of its technicality and the likelihood it trips up examinees.
  • Business Associations (25/26): Fiduciary duties and authority issues fit examiners’ love of nuanced rule applications.
  • Wills & Trusts (15/26): Trusts are the examiners’ way of seeing who can handle overlapping fiduciary and distribution rules.
  • Criminal Law & Procedure (13/26): Miranda rights and procedural issues always make for a strong question.
  • Contracts (15/26): Contracts are bar exam bread and butter—testing material breaches and remedies is a safe bet.

Final Pep Talk from the Dugout

Study for everything! These predictions are meant to focus your efforts, but the bar examiners love to keep us guessing. Trust our reasonable data, but don’t forget to prep for surprises like Real Property or Torts. ;)))))))))

With our baseball wizardry, we hope these predictions help you knock this exam out of the park. Now go warm up your bats and gloves—February 2025 is your game to win! ⚾ Let’s strike it big, slugger!