This site was set up by an attorney to provide support and information for those who have not yet passed the bar examination.
Switching now from the third to the first person, please allow me to introduce myself.
I’m Jonathan Kramer, Esq., your site host. As most of you know, passing the bar (especially on the first try) is a very difficult proposition. It’s even harder if you’re in one of the toughest states such as California, New York, Florida, or Hawaii, or 46 other states.
From time-to-time I’ll post interesting items about the bar exams around the U.S. and U.S. territories. And since I’m in the process of of sitting for the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT) to become a Solicitor in England and Wales, I’ll post items on that topic, too.
Questions about taking the bar? Ask. I’ve done it a few times in California 
so I have some insights for mere mortals (unlike those who pass the firs time!).
Welcome!
Jonathan
7 responses so far ↓
1 Oroma Mpi, J.D., Press Officer, New York City Bar Association // Nov 30, 2007 at 10:35 am
The New York City Bar Association
Hosts
CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU’VE PASSED THE BAR
When: Thursday, December 6, 2007, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: House of the Association, 42 West 44th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues)
What: Cocktail reception co-hosted by the New York City Bar Association and the New York Law Journal.
Join us in toasting the achievement of law school graduates who have just passed the bar exam. Mingle with the newest crop of lawyers and celebrate the commencement of their careers.
This is also a great opportunity to learn more about the New York City Bar Association and the programs it offers to students, attorneys, and the public.
The cocktail reception is free and open to recent law school graduates, their guests, and the media. To register, please email membership@nycbar.org.
About the Association
The New York City Bar Association (www.nycbar.org) was founded in 1870, and since then has been dedicated to maintaining the high ethical standards of the profession, promoting reform of the law, and providing service to the profession and the public. The Association continues to work for political, legal and social reform, while implementing innovative means to help the disadvantaged. Protecting the public’s welfare remains one of the Association’s highest priorities.
2 Leanne // Mar 31, 2008 at 9:06 am
I came across your blog as I was searching around the Net for CA Bar resources. I am attorney applicant from FL who will be taking the CA Bar in July. I have purchased the Barbri books and Adachi’s Bar Breaker book to study. I will be studying full-time for this exam. Do you recommend any other resources to study for this exam for someone who can not attend live classes? Thanks in advance.
3 admin // Mar 31, 2008 at 9:37 am
Leanne:
The shortened California exam for out-of-state attorneys usually has a lower pass rate than the general exam, mainly because California doesn’t permit most foreign attorneys to take the MBE. That means you only take the essay/PE tests on Tuesday and Thursday. The key point is that it is exact this portion of the exam that tests the California-specific topics (CA community property; CA evidence; CA professional responsibility, etc.).
When you say that you’ve purchased the Barbri books, do you mean the current books with the new California subjects that were first tested last year? Any older books and you’re not going to be prepared the way you’ll want to be prepared.
Barbri does offer videos of its classes for out of area students. You would certainly qualify as out-of-area.
Since you’re going to be ‘writing your brains out’ on the test, I offer three specific recommendations:
First, if you’re a portable computer user, by all means sign up for the laptop exam.
Second, you might find it useful to sign up with a California writing specialist such as Scott Pearce to have him review your practice essays and PEs (passthebar.com).
Third, REMEMBER, REMEMBER, REMEMBER that the fast-track way to fail the California Attorney’s exam is to write like an attorney. We’re paid by our clients to write answers, not explore issues. But on the California exam, writing a focused answer will gain you few points. It’s ALL in the written analysis, per contras, and using EVERY SINGLE FACT in your answer that gets you to and above 70 points per answer (which, as a reminder, is why you likely WISH you could take the MBE multistate test to round up your overall score!).
Best of luck to you!
Jonathan
4 atty. aphrodite // May 29, 2008 at 12:04 am
I passed the September 2007 Philippine Bar Exams. I intend to take the California Bar Exams maybe in 2009 or 2010. Do you know what the requirements are for the foreign educated applicants like me?I believe citizenship is not a requirement.
5 Patrick // Sep 13, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Jonathan,
Do you know of any resources geared towards repeaters, who have failed this thing multiple times? And not just in California; judging from the articles on the web you would think California is the only jurisdiction where repeaters exist.
Thanks!
6 Tom MacMurray // Dec 26, 2008 at 11:16 am
Three years of law school; $50,000, $60,000 and more in tuition; $15,000 for books and study aids and another $4,000 or more for a review course… and where can you find the information you need on “how to prepare?” Not the massive amount of knowledge that is in a good review program, but how to gather, process, store, retrieve and use that masive amount of information… Learn how to learn. there is a propaedeutic seminar available to teach students how to use the information in a good review program. Go to http://www.passthefreaknexam.com for information on the best ever propaedeutic seminar
7 Dave // Jul 8, 2009 at 9:49 am
I am a second year law school student and am trying to figure out which review course I will end up using. I am going to Seattle U and have heard great things about Rigos bar review courses, I guess they are located in Seattle. Any thoughts on how Rigos conpares to some of the other larger review courses?
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