Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we are walking through a California bar exam question on corporations. This is one of our series of podcasts on how to approach California bar exam questions. In this episode, we discuss: Why memorizing concise, effective rule statements and attack plans is key to writing passing essays What should (and should not) be included in rule statements in a California bar essay How to use overarching rules to frame your answer, and how to incorporate ...
Mar 04, 2019•20 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about how to support your significant other or loved ones during the bar exam. If your partner is studying for the bar exam, tune in (or feel free to pass this one along to loved ones, if you're the bar studier). In this episode, we discuss: How to prepare your loved ones for the reality of bar exam studying What you can do to manage expectations and maintain your relationships Why you need to carve out time off for your loved on...
Feb 25, 2019•31 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we're walking through a Civil Procedure MEE question. This is one of our series of podcasts on how to approach each section of the UBE. In this episode, we discuss: Why crafting effective rule statements is one of the keys to a successful bar exam essay How to identify the relevant rules using the facts in the question How to handle complex essays in a short time frame Strategies for organizing your essay efficiently What to do if you can’t rem...
Feb 18, 2019•26 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we are walking through a California bar exam question on wills and community property. This is one of our series of podcasts on how to approach California bar exam questions. In this episode, we discuss: Why it is so important that California bar studiers develop excellent issue spotting skills Why you need to become an expert at reading the facts and figuring out what the bar examiners are telling you How to use the call of the question to hel...
Feb 11, 2019•22 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about how to pass the bar exam in 10 days (and why this plan is probably a bad idea). In this episode, we discuss: Why this is definitely a bad plan, but that it’s not impossible to pass with limited study time How to give yourself the best shot at passing What resources to use to take advantage of the time you do have Why you can’t afford to skip practicing all areas of the exam Why now is the time to memorize attack plans, not ...
Feb 04, 2019•36 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we're talking about goal-setting and changing bad bar exam study habits. In this episode, we discuss: What ‘shrinking change’ is and why you should consider it Why small, attainable goals are the key to lasting change Why relying on willpower alone to get through your bar studying is a mistake (and what to do instead) Why being realistic and paring down your goals is sometimes what you need to do to succeed The Circle method – how something as ...
Jan 28, 2019•29 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about how the bar exam poses unique challenges to foreign-trained attorneys. In this episode, we discuss: When and how you should start learning substantive law Why it’s important to only take the bar exam when you are ready Why traditional bar exam preparation courses may not be enough for foreign-trained attorneys What resources you can use to supplement traditional bar exam preparation and simplify your approach The extra chal...
Jan 14, 2019•35 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, we're discussing how to balance the law and your analysis on a bar exam essay, and why the ratio of law to analysis may be very different than you think! In this episode, we discuss: Why memorizing the law is important, but not enough to pass the bar exam How much law you really need to know for the bar exam How to balance law and analysis, and what the ideal ratio is for a good essay What you do need to memorize, and how to use it effectively...
Jan 07, 2019•34 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, we are discussing a Wills and Trusts MEE question. This is part of our series of podcasts on how to approach each section of the UBE. In this episode, we discuss: Why practice is the best way to improve your issue-spotting How to issue spot a bar exam essay question Why issue spotting is key to organizing your essay How spotting legal ambiguities will help you prioritize your time and organize your answer Resources: Wills and Trusts Question (...
Dec 17, 2018•22 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we're sharing our top 10 tips to handle working and studying for the bar exam. In this episode, we discuss: How to fit studying into your life when you’re also working Why you should try to study full-time for at least a few weeks Why being realistic is the key to being successful Studying smart: what it is and how to do it Why you need to practice, practice, practice Why building a support network at work and at home is crucial Resources: Priv...
Dec 10, 2018•36 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, we're discussing what you can learn from your score report if you failed the bar exam. Don't just put it in a drawer! In this episode, we discuss: Why you can’t afford to bury your head in the sand about your bar exam scores Where to look to figure out what went wrong, and how to get access to your essays (even if you’d prefer not to!) How to make sense of the numbers in your scores and tailor your next round of studying to what actually happe...
Dec 03, 2018•35 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we're walking through a California bar exam question on professional responsibility and evidence. This is one of our series of podcasts on how to approach bar exam essay questions. In this episode, we discuss: Why it is so important that California bar studiers practice planning essay answers Why you need to make sure your bar study materials are up to date on the law The importance of knowing professional responsibility backwards and forwards ...
Nov 26, 2018•26 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, Lee discusses a corporations MEE question and walks you through how to plan an answer. This is one of our series of podcasts on how to approach each section of the UBE. In this episode, we discuss: Why it is so important that bar studiers practice planning their essay answers How identifying major and minor issues is critical to maximize your score How planning will help you ensure a clean, professional essay Practical ways to incorporate plan...
Nov 19, 2018•23 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today is the second episode in our two-part series analyzing real MBE questions. Lee and guest Sean Silverman, an MBE expert, walk through several MBE questions and give their take on how best to approach them. In this episode, we discuss: Why you really do need to memorize the law in addition to using strategy to succeed on the MBE How to use your common sense and understanding of policy to find answers when you don’t remember the law How reading th...
Nov 12, 2018•40 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today, Lee walks through some past MBE questions with guest Sean Silverman, an MBE expert. In this episode, we discuss: Different approaches for reading MBE questions, and how to figure out what works for you Tricks for discerning the incorrect answers that often trip up test-takers on the MBE How to read the clues that MBE questions often contain to help you spot the issues and the correct answer How we would approach three real MBE questions Resour...
Nov 05, 2018•41 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today, we’re here with Mihal Ansik, one of our expert California bar exam tutors, walking step-by-step through a real California bar question and discussing how to effectively read the facts. This one is extra long, but worth it! In this episode, we: Discuss how to effectively and efficiently read a bar question with an eye for the facts. Provide paths to avoid common mistakes in reading fact patterns, including some unconventional tricks for overeag...
Oct 29, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today, we’re here with Ariel Salzar, one of our most experienced bar exam tutors, discussing the top 5 mistakes students consistently make when studying for the bar exam. In this episode, we discuss: The biggest mistake – failing to practice enough under exam conditions – and what "exam conditions" actually means Why “minimum competency” does NOT mean you don’t have to know the law that well The danger of not identifying and working on your problem a...
Oct 15, 2018•36 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today, we're discussing our top tips for mastering the MBE portion of the bar exam. If you’re taking the exam in nearly any jurisdiction you'll have to take the MBE so don’t miss this episode! In this episode, we discuss: What exactly is the MBE and why is it so difficult? Why typical multiple choice tricks aren’t effective on the MBE How to put the fact reading and legal analysis skills you’re learning in legal essay writing practice to use on MBE q...
Oct 01, 2018•39 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today we're talking about smart ways to study for the bar exam if you are a kinesthetic learner. While this may be the least likely learning style for law students and lawyers, this episode is chock full of great tips that anyone can use to mix things up! In this episode, we discuss: What is a kinesthetic learner and how do you know if you are one? Why the typical bar study routine will likely not work for you – or be of very limited help – and why y...
Sep 17, 2018•40 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today, we're talking about how best to study for the bar exam if you're a visual learner. We have lots of fun techniques to discuss (which all types of learners can use), so tune in! In this episode, we discuss: What is a visual learner and how do you know if you are one? Why it's so important to evaluate what your most effective study techniques were in law school and focus on those (instead of obsession over how everyone else thinks you should be s...
Sep 03, 2018•41 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today, we're talking about studying for the bar as an auditory learner, along with some techniques anyone can use, even if this is not your preferred learning style. In this episode, we discuss: What is an auditory learner and how do you know if you are one? Specific study techniques for auditory learners like recording yourself reading your outline – really, it helps! Why even auditory learners should combine techniques from other learning styles to...
Aug 20, 2018•35 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast! Today, we're talking about a very important topic -- planning ahead to get ready for the bar exam. If you’re a 1L or 2L, you may be thinking you can skip this episode, but that would be a mistake! There are lots of important things to think about and prepare for in advance, so listen and learn. In this episode, we discuss: The biggest mistake law students make when thinking about how to study for the bar exam Some major things to deal with as early a...
Aug 06, 2018•36 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today, our guest is Megan Canty, the Director of Academic Success and Bar Exam Preparation at Wayne State University Law School and a Bar Exam Toolbox tutor. We’re talking about something that is incredibly important for the bar exam: handling stress, so you can perform your best! Remember – don’t forget to BREATHE! In this episode, we discuss: How bar exam stress is creeping into law students’ lives earlier than ever before Why it is so important to...
Jul 23, 2018•51 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today we're getting ready for exam day with bar exam expert Brittany Raposa, Director of Bar Support at Roger Williams University School of Law and a bar exam and law school tutor with the Law School Toolbox and Bar Exam Toolbox. In this episode, we discuss: Making sure your computer is bar exam ready – including installing and testing the bar exam software The importance of really thinking about where you will stay while taking the bar exam and some...
Jul 09, 2018•43 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today we are talking with Ariel Salzer, a highly-experienced bar tutor on our team, about a very important topic: self-sabotaging behavior while studying for the bar exam. In this episode, we discuss: Why thinking you're a great writer can cause you to fail the bar exam How you're setting yourself up for failure if you don’t review sample answers and truly evaluate how your answer differs Procrastination in all its forms - from not seeking exam accom...
Jun 25, 2018•48 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today, we're discussing our top bar exam writing tips with special guest, Ariel Salzer. Ariel is one of our most experienced California bar exam tutors, so we're super excited to have her here today to talk about the essay portion of the bar exam, which, as many of you may know, can be a huge headache for those taking the bar. In this episode, we discuss: Why bar exam essays are so challenging The best strategy for preparing for bar exam essays The c...
Jun 11, 2018•37 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast. Today we're talking to Doretta McGinnis, a legal writing expert and one of our fabulous bar exam tutors here at the Bar Exam Toolbox, about the Multistate Performance Test, or the MPT. In this episode, we discuss: Why the performance test is so hard (HINT: 90 minutes goes by really quickly!) Common problems that non-traditional bar takers, e.g. practicing lawyers already barred in other jurisdictions, have when taking the MPT The most common “assignm...
Jun 04, 2018•52 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we are discussing a difficult reality for many law graduates. What happens if you fail the bar exam? If you've just gotten disappointing news, we have helpful tips in this podcast to help you regroup. If you are in law school right now, this podcast can offer you tips on how to make sure you are as prepared as possible for the bar exam. So, hopefully this will be the only attempt that you need! In this episode, we discuss: Why you need to go over yo...
May 28, 2018•39 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today Lee talks with guest Sean Silverman, an MBE expert, who tutors for the MBE, the Florida bar exam, and the UBE. In this episode, we discuss: MBE tips for first-time takers and repeat takers Why you don’t have to “ace” the MBE The importance of training for the MBE like an athletic event – building endurance and learning time management through PRACTICE How specifically looking for the wrong answers may help you do better on the exam What rule “e...
May 21, 2018•51 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we are talking with the CEO of AdaptiBar, Tarek Fadel, to learn more about the product, his path from lawyer to entrepreneur, and how you can use this tool to improve your MBE scores. In this episode, we discuss: The history behind how AdaptiBar came to be Why Tarek decided not to take the first bar exam he was studying for How AdaptiBar actually works and what sets it apart from other study tools How AdaptiBar can help you improve your MBE sco...
May 14, 2018•48 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast 
