Passing the Bar
Professor Vernellia Randall

Barbara Barber

excerpted from:  Barbara Barber, Chase College of Law, '97, How I successfully Prepared for the Bar Exam (April 21, 1999)    

1. FINALIZE TRIP ITINERARY

1. Hotel Reservations

1. 3-day stay
2. Reasonable proximity to exam site
3. Request a microwave oven (live on TV diners to avoid having to hunt for meals in a strange town during the bar exam)
4. Request a refrigerator (bottled water, soft drinks, etc.)

2. Obtain road maps, directions, etc.
3. Rental car, etc.

2. SELECT BAR REVIEW COURSE(S) EARLY

1. Draw on what worked for the Professional Responsibility Exam.
2. Decide which to use: lecture tapes, in-class lectures, or both.
3. Expenses

1. BAR EXAM LOAN !!!
2. Scholarships ???
3. Stipends, advances (law firms)

4. Inventory

When bar review materials arrive (prior to law school finals), simply review the materials for INVENTORY purposes – restrain yourself from reading any of this stuff prior to completing law school finals.

3. QUANTIFY ALL THE THINGS THAT MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED BETWEEN NOW AND THE BAR EXAM

1. Wrap up ALL law school obligations: get through finals and graduation.
2. (Professor Randall: Complete the Essential Bar Information Form)
3. Identify all (likely & unlikely) bar exam subjects.

1. Do call Supreme Court (or bar exam administrators) with any questions.
2. Do obtain the State sponsored bar exam instructions and old exams.
3. Do talk to Law School Professors.
4. Do review and re-review the list of bar exam subjects furnished in semester class

3. Identify EARLY any bar exam subjects which were not taken in law school.

1. Law School Professors
2. Nutshells, Hornbooks, etc.
3. Law Library
4. DON'T DEPEND SOLELY UPON BAR REVIEW COURSES TO LEARN NEW STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Identify any weak (law school) areas likely to be encountered on the bar exam.

1. IRAC
2. Time management
3. Stress management
4. Grades
5. Objective question format (I found the CALI exercises in the Law Library very helpful)
6. Issue spotting
7. Analysis
8. Outlining answers
9. PENMENSHIP!!!
10. Grammar
11. Sentence structure
12. SPELLING!!! (I found it helpful to make a list of important words I commonly misspelled, for example, res ipsa loquitur, foreseeability, perpetuities, etc.)
13. Following directions
14. Concentration, focus, pressure

5. Employment (For approximately 25-30 days prior to the bar, I took leave from work) (Prof Randall: If at all possible, take the entire bar exam prep period off from work, similarly do not plan a wedding or be host to out of town guest).

1. Vacation time
2. Comp time
3. Leave time
4. Park & Rides (study on bus traveling to & from work if possible)
5. Lunch time (study) (Prof Randall:  Take your lunch time off - allow your brain and your self time to rest)
6. Evening study
7. Early morning (before work) study
8. Study during time off for holidays (Memorial Day & Independence Day)
9. Study during weekends
10. Unpaid leave time

6. Household/Personal Affairs

1. Church, religion, etc.
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Community projects/commitments
5. Finances

1. Mortgage/rent payment (BAR EXAM LOANS !!!!!)
2. IRA (early withdraw)
3. Savings; Credit Union loans
4. Cash in bonds
5. Home equity loans

6. Health issues

1. Caregiving arrangements
2. Child care arrangements
3. Elder care arrangements
4. llness (yours, family, etc.)
5. Special needs during bar exam (back rest, wheel chair, etc.) * * * Notify bar exam administrators early!!
6. Sleep, eating & recreation habits

7. General maintenance stuff

1. Lawn & gardening
2. Auto
3. Groceries, meals
4. Laundry
5. Housekeeping
6. Repairs, etc

7. Job Hunting, Resumes, etc.

Up
Four Months Before the Bar
At Least 3 Month Before the Bar
During Bar Review
5 to 10 Days Before Bar Exam
1 to 2 Days Before Bar Exam
During the Bar Exam and Afterwards