REUTERS — A five-year overhaul of the bar exam is gaining momentum, with officials close to detailing the legal knowledge and skills that the new attorney licensing test will assess. That information is due to be released within the first quarter of 2022, officials with the National Conference of Bar Examiners said Thursday during the Association of American Law Schools’ annual meeting. The organization plans to develop prototype questions this year and begin pilot testing what it has dubbed the “Next Gen Bar Exam” in 2026. The National Conference formally launched the development of the new test early last year and said it will place more emphasis on legal skills and rely less on the memorization of doctrinal law. Officials said they would do away with the current exam’s three separate components—the Multistate Bar Exam, the Multistate Essay Exam, and the Multistate Performance Test—in favor of an exam that better integrates knowledge and skills. The revamped test won’t include questions on family law; estates and trusts, the Uniform Commercial Code; and conflict of laws. It will test aspiring attorneys in seven skills areas, including client counseling and advising; client relationships and management; legal research; legal writing; and negotiations.