How to Become a Lawyer in Minnesota: 5 Steps
To become a lawyer in Minnesota, most people earn a bachelor’s degree and a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school, then pass the bar exam, score at least 85 on the MPRE and clear a character and fitness review. February 2027 is Minnesota’s last Uniform Bar Exam, and the NextGen bar exam starts in July 2027.
The exam change is the biggest thing to plan around. If you’ll sit for the bar after February 2027, you’ll take a different test on your own laptop, with new fees and earlier filing deadlines. The rules below come from the Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners, as of November 2026.
Minnesota’s path follows the same five steps as most states, so this guide covers what’s specific to Minnesota at each one. To compare it with what each state requires of new lawyers, start with the national overview.
- Earn a Bachelor’s Degree Before Law School
- Take the LSAT or Another Accepted Admissions Test
- Go to Law School in Minnesota
- Pass the Minnesota Bar Exam
- After You’re Admitted to the Minnesota Bar
Earn a Bachelor’s Degree Before Law School
Most ABA-approved law schools admit you only after you’ve earned a bachelor’s degree. ABA admission standards allow limited exceptions, such as combined programs that let some students start law school before they finish college, so check with the schools you’re considering. The Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners doesn’t set its own pre-law requirements, and the ABA doesn’t require any particular major.
Choose an Accredited College
Earn your degree from a college accredited by an agency the U.S. Department of Education recognizes. Law schools check this, and Minnesota’s bar admission rules refer to it for applicants who didn’t attend an ABA-approved law school.
Pick a Major You’ll Do Well In
Law schools admit students from history, philosophy, political science, economics, English, engineering, and many other fields. What admissions offices weigh most is your GPA and your LSAT score, so a major you’ll earn strong grades in does more for you than a “pre-law” label. Courses that build close reading, writing, and argument help most in law school. Your college’s pre-law adviser can suggest specific classes.
Take the LSAT or Another Accepted Admissions Test
An admissions test is a law school requirement, not a Minnesota bar licensing requirement. The most common one is the LSAT (Law School Admission Test), which the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) runs and which scores from 120 to 180. Some law schools also accept another admissions test, such as the GRE, so check each school’s admissions page before you choose which test to take.
What’s on the Test
The LSAT has four 35-minute multiple-choice sections: two scored Logical Reasoning sections, one scored Reading Comprehension section, and one unscored section. Logic Games (Analytical Reasoning) were dropped in August 2024, so older prep books that cover them are out of date. You also complete LSAT Argumentative Writing, an unscored essay taken separately. Schools see it, and LSAC won’t release your score until it’s on file.
The format changes again in August 2027, to three sections: one Reading Comprehension section and two Logical Reasoning sections. Scores stay on the same 120 to 180 scale.
Register and Pay
The LSAT costs $253 for the August 2026 to June 2027 testing year, according to LSAC’s fee schedule. LSAC offers eight U.S. test administrations in that year. Since August 2026, most test takers sit in person at a Prometric test center. Remote testing is limited to approved exceptions, such as living far from a center with open seats.
Prepare and Get Your Score
LSAC’s free prep materials include official practice tests, and they’re the best place to start. Scores come out about three weeks after you test, in your LSAC account. Check the exact test dates and score release dates before you pick a test, so your score arrives in time for your application deadlines.
Go to Law School in Minnesota
To take the Minnesota bar exam, you must have a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school unless you qualify under an alternative pathway in Rule 4 of the Minnesota Rules for Admission to the Bar (Step 4 explains those pathways for lawyers licensed elsewhere). The school doesn’t have to be in Minnesota: any ABA-approved school in the U.S. qualifies.
Apply Through LSAC
Most ABA-approved law schools require you to apply through LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Application procedures vary by school, so confirm each one’s process. CAS collects your transcripts, letters of recommendation, and LSAT results and sends a report to each school. CAS costs $219 for the 2026-2027 cycle, plus $45 for each law school report.
ABA-Approved Law Schools in Minnesota
Minnesota has three ABA-approved law schools. William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law merged in 2015 to form Mitchell Hamline, so older guides that list them separately are out of date. Median LSAT scores below are for the class that entered in fall 2025, from each school’s ABA disclosure.
| Law School | City | J.D. Formats | Median LSAT (Fall 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Hamline School of Law | St. Paul | Full time, part time, blended (online and on campus) | 154 |
| University of Minnesota Law School | Minneapolis | Full time | 171 |
| University of St. Thomas School of Law | Minneapolis | Full time | 159 |
Compare schools on the ABA’s required disclosures, which also report tuition, scholarships, bar passage, and graduate employment.
Part-Time and Online Options
Mitchell Hamline was the first ABA-approved school to offer a J.D. that’s part online and part on campus, starting in 2015. Its blended-learning program usually takes three to four years part-time. Several schools in other states now offer ABA-approved distance J.D. programs, and any of them meets Minnesota’s education requirement.
Clinics and Externships
Most law schools let you earn credit in a clinic, an externship with a court or government office, or pro bono work, and some require it. It’s the closest thing to legal practice before you’re licensed, and the people who supervise you are often the ones who write your first job references.
Pass the Minnesota Bar Exam
Minnesota is switching bar exams. The February 2027 exam is the last Legacy Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), and the July 2027 exam is the first NextGen UBE, according to the Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners. Minnesota won’t offer both exams side by side, so if you fail in February 2027, your next try is the NextGen exam.
Minnesota Bar Exam Requirements
To sit for the exam, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Hold a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school, or qualify through one of the licensed-lawyer routes explained next
- Pass a character and fitness review, in which the Board looks at your past conduct (such as honesty, finances, and any criminal record) to decide whether you can be trusted with clients’ affairs
- Earn a scaled score of at least 85 on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), which you can take before or after the bar exam
Minnesota no longer requires you to live in the state, keep an office there or name an agent for service. Older guides still list that rule.
If You Didn’t Attend an ABA-Approved School
You can still sit for the Minnesota exam if you’re already a lawyer elsewhere in the U.S. Under Rule 4A(3), you qualify if you hold a bachelor’s degree (or a foreign equivalent), a J.D. or equivalent law degree, and you’ve been licensed in a U.S. jurisdiction and practiced law as your main job for 60 of the past 84 months. You also qualify after 10 years licensed in any U.S. jurisdiction. That route is open to lawyers who trained abroad, as long as they’ve been licensed in a U.S. jurisdiction. If you qualify only through the 60-of-84-months route, you must pass the Minnesota exam: you can’t transfer a score or use admission on motion.
Legacy UBE vs. NextGen UBE
| Detail | February 2027 (Last Legacy UBE) | July 2027 and Later (NextGen UBE) |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | February 23-24, 2027 | July 27-28, 2027 (first administration) |
| Format | 2 Multistate Performance Test tasks, 6 Multistate Essay Exam questions, 200 Multistate Bar Exam questions over 2 days | About 9 hours over 1.5 days: multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets and performance tasks, all on your own laptop |
| Fee (first-time applicant) | $600, plus $100 to use a laptop and $200 if you file late | $800 on time, $1,100 late, plus NCBE’s $149 technology fee |
| Filing deadlines | October 15, 2026 on time, December 1, 2026 late | March 1, 2027 on time, April 1, 2027 late (later February exams: October 1 and November 1) |
| Passing score | 260 | Not set yet: the Minnesota Supreme Court is reviewing the Board’s recommendation. The 620 Minnesota accepts for transferred NextGen scores is an interim transfer threshold, not the passing score for Minnesota’s own exam |
If you’re already licensed in another state for more than six months, the fee is higher: $1,050 for February 2027, and $1,150 on time or $1,450 late from July 2027. Check the fee schedule in Rule 12 before you file.
NextGen Subjects
The NextGen exam tests business associations, civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, evidence, real property and torts, with family law added in 2028. It also tests lawyering skills directly, including legal research and writing, client counseling, and negotiation. The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) publishes the full content outline and free study aids. For the February 2027 exam, the Minnesota Board posts representative good answers from past essay and performance questions.
How to Apply
You apply entirely online through the Board’s Online Bar Application and pay electronically. Applications are due by 1:00 p.m. on the deadline day. The character and fitness questionnaire is part of the application, so start early if you need records from courts, employers, or schools. Results are posted to your applicant portal, usually in mid-April for February exams and early October for July exams.
Minnesota Bar Exam Pass Rates
July exams pass at much higher rates than February exams, largely because more February takers are retaking the test. These are the Board’s published bar results:
| Exam | First-Time Pass Rate | Overall Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 84.17% | 77.38% |
| February 2026 | 67.50% | 44.30% |
| July 2025 | 89.89% | 84.01% |
| February 2025 | 68.42% | 52.94% |
| July 2024 | 87.90% | 83.69% |
| February 2024 | 62.82% | 48.84% |
Getting Licensed Without the Minnesota Exam
If you’re already a lawyer in another state, you may not need to sit for Minnesota’s exam at all. These are the main routes under the Minnesota rules, as of November 2026:
| Route | Who It’s For | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| UBE score transfer | Anyone who took the UBE in another jurisdiction | A Legacy UBE score of 260 or higher, with your application filed within 36 months of the exam. Until the Court sets a final NextGen score, transferred NextGen scores of 620 or higher are accepted on an interim basis |
| Admission on motion | Practicing lawyers licensed elsewhere | Active practice for at least 36 of the past 60 months (1,000+ hours a year), good standing everywhere you’re licensed, plus Rule 4 eligibility: an ABA-approved J.D. or 10 years licensed, an MPRE score of 85, and character and fitness approval. $1,250 fee |
| House counsel license | Lawyers working in-house for a Minnesota employer | Practice limited to that employer, ends when the job ends |
| Temporary license (Rule 8) | Lawyers hired by a Minnesota legal services program or government employer | Practice limited to that program’s clients or that employer, for up to 30 months |
Admission on motion means being admitted based on your years of practice elsewhere instead of an exam score. A transferred UBE score is different: it counts an exam you already passed. Minnesota also accepts a Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) score of 145 or higher under Rule 7B, but only if you earned it on the same bar exam as the written portion in another jurisdiction, passed that exam, and were then admitted there. You must apply within 36 months of that exam. Every route still requires the MPRE and the character and fitness review, and lawyers who qualify for the exam only through the 60-of-84-months route can’t use any of them. The Board’s admission on motion page lists what counts as practice. If you’re licensed in a neighboring state, compare the rules in Iowa, North Dakota, or South Dakota with Minnesota’s before you decide where to sit first.
After You’re Admitted to the Minnesota Bar
Once you pass and clear character and fitness, the Board tells you how to complete your admission. You’re licensed by the Minnesota Supreme Court. About 26,065 lawyers were active in Minnesota in 2025, according to the ABA’s National Lawyer Population Survey.
What Minnesota Lawyers Earn
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers in Minnesota earned a median annual salary of $155,140 as of May 2025, across about 12,380 jobs. Pay is highest in the Twin Cities, where the median was $159,620. Long-term projections from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), published nationally through Projections Central, estimate a 4.8% change in employment for lawyers in Minnesota between 2024 and 2034, with an average of 570 openings per year.
| Area | Employment | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 12,380 | $155,140 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 260 | $129,120 |
| Mankato, MN | 140 | $130,020 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 10,160 | $159,620 |
| Rochester, MN | 210 | $129,270 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 300 | $118,860 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 410 | $111,090 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | 90 | $104,210 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 570 | $112,260 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 130 | $104,910 |
Continuing Legal Education
If your license is in active status, you must complete 45 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) every three years, according to the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education. At least 3 hours must cover ethics, 2 must cover elimination of bias, and 1 must cover mental health and substance use. Your reporting category sets when your three-year period ends. Courses must be finished by June 30 of that year, and you report by August 31.
Certification as a Specialist
Certification as a specialist is optional and separate from your law license. If you want it, you apply through an agency the Minnesota State Board of Legal Certification accredits. The Minnesota State Bar Association certifies civil trial law, real property, criminal law, and labor and employment law. National agencies certify other areas, such as bankruptcy and family law trial advocacy. Each agency sets its own experience, exam, and other requirements, so check the program for your area.
Bar Associations
Membership in the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) is voluntary, but it’s where most new lawyers find practice resources, mentoring, and discounted CLE. Specialty groups include Minnesota Women Lawyers, the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, the Minnesota Association for Justice, and the Minnesota Native American Bar Association.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a lawyer in Minnesota?
It usually takes about seven years after high school: four years for a bachelor’s degree and three years for a full-time J.D. Part-time and blended J.D. programs, such as Mitchell Hamline’s, usually take three to four years. Add a few months after graduation for the bar exam and results.
Can you take the Minnesota bar exam without going to an ABA-approved law school?
Only if you’re already a lawyer in another U.S. jurisdiction. You qualify after being licensed and practicing as your main job for 60 of the past 84 months, or after 10 years licensed anywhere in the U.S.
Is Minnesota switching to the NextGen bar exam?
Yes. February 2027 is Minnesota’s last Legacy UBE, and the NextGen UBE starts with the July 27-28, 2027 exam. The two won’t run side by side. The Minnesota Supreme Court hasn’t set the passing score for Minnesota’s own NextGen exam yet, so check the Board’s NextGen page before you register.
Can I transfer my UBE score to Minnesota?
Yes, if you scored 260 or higher on the Legacy UBE in another jurisdiction and file your Minnesota application within 36 months of that exam. Until the Court sets a final NextGen score, Minnesota accepts transferred NextGen scores of 620 or higher on an interim basis. That’s a transfer threshold, not the passing score for Minnesota’s own NextGen exam. You still need an MPRE score of 85 and a character and fitness review.
How much does the Minnesota bar exam cost?
For February 2027, first-time applicants pay $600, plus $100 for a laptop and $200 if they file late. From July 2027, the fee is $800 on time or $1,100 late, plus NCBE’s $149 technology fee. Lawyers licensed elsewhere for more than six months pay more.
- Exam change: February 2027 is Minnesota’s last Legacy UBE, and the NextGen UBE starts in July 2027 with new fees and earlier deadlines.
- Education: Most applicants earn a bachelor’s degree, then a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school in any state. Lawyers licensed elsewhere have other routes under Rule 4.
- Other requirements: You must be 18, score at least 85 on the MPRE, and pass the Board’s character and fitness review. Minnesota has no residency requirement.
- Already licensed: A Legacy UBE score of 260 or more transfers within 36 months, and admission on motion requires 36 of the past 60 months in practice plus Minnesota’s education, MPRE, and character and fitness requirements.
- After admission: Active-status lawyers complete 45 CLE hours every three years, including ethics, bias, and mental health credits.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Lawyers. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2026.
Since Minnesota accepts a J.D. from any ABA-approved school, your real choice is format. If you need to keep working, compare part-time, evening, and online J.D. programs by how long they take and what they cost, alongside the three Minnesota schools.
