The NCBE states that the Multistate Performance Test assesses six fundamental skills that are required for the performance of many tasks in the law profession. One skill that the NCBE lists is legal analysis and reasoning, which requires the applicant to demonstrate the ability to analyze and apply legal rules and principles. Legal analysis and reasoning includes the ability to do the following:
a. Identify and formulate legal issues.
b. Identify relevant legal rules within a given set of legal materials.
c. Formulate relevant legal theories
d. Elaborate legal theories.
e. Evaluate legal theories.
f. Criticize and synthesize legal argumentation. (ABA, 1992; NCBE,
2001)