the key to passing the bar exam the first time bar exam consists of –mpre (ethics) offered...

THE KEY TO PASSING THE BAR EXAM THE FIRST TIME

• Bar Exam consists of

– MPRE (ethics) offered 3x/year/Friday – Nov., March or Aug.

– Two day exam – Feb. and July• Day one:

– State essays -- Ill- 2 ILL Civ pro and one ILL equity

– Missouri – 4 essays – Ad Law, Remedies, Mo civ Pro, Trusts, Family, Estates & MEE topics – Mo questions


– MPT -- Multistate performance exam – lawyering tasks

» Writing jury instructions, wills, memos, client letters, opening statements, etc.

-- MEE -- National essays –Day Two:

– 200 multiple choice questions


• You must –– Apply for the bar in your jurisdiction

• Update 1L

– Register for the bar exam for the time you want to take it

– Register for the MPRE• ACT – on line

– Pay the applicable fees by the deadlines• See the rules of your jurisdiction

– Don’t rely on BarBri for the dates and fees


• MEE- essays -- answer six of seven– Topics:

• Civil pro (tested 14)* Wills and estates (14)• Family (14) Corporations (11)• Sales (9) Commercial paper (14)• Secured transaction (12) Conflicts (9)**• Agency and partnership (12)• Trust (12) and future interests (5)

– Each state decides which six questions to use.*Between 1995-2001** often joined with another question

– Questions are not labeled as to topic area


• HOW HAS SIU DONE RECENTLY?– Between 1976 and 1994, SIU exceeded the

state’s pass rate for first time takers in all but 4 years

– Most rates were 90%s -- 11 years – Or 80%s -- 8 years

– Illinois’ pass rate was in the 80-90% range


• Some recent comparisons– In July, 1997

• SIU -- 79% IL – 87%– In July, 1998

• SIU -- 79 IL -- 82– In July, 1999

• SIU -- 74 IL -- 83– In July, 2000

• SIU -- 75 IL -- 84– In July, 2001

• SIU -- 83 IL -- 85– In July 2002

• SIU -- 83 IL -- 82– In July 2003

• SIU -- 79 IL -- 86– In July 2004

• SIU -- 83 IL -- 86


– In February, 1997 • SIU -- 89% IL – 84%

– In February, 1998• SIU -- 57 IL -- 80





– In February, 2003• SIU -- 88 IL – 77

– IN February, 2004• SIU -- IL --


• Faculty have helped students who failed review their exams on five occasions. Some conclusions reached by the faculty were:– 1. The exam is hard.– 2. Our students (those who failed) did not know the

material in sufficient depth.– 3. Organization of answers was important – IRAC– 4. Other

• Applying law to facts is critical• On MPT, follow directions• Those in the fourth quarter are at risk.• Students must take preparation for the bar seriously.


• The most common mistakes we find –– Students do not state the issue. It may be obvious

but state it.– Students do not state the law or if they do, they do it

imprecisely.– Students fail to do factual analysis. This is the most

common problem we see on the bar exams of students who failed.

– Students do not state a conclusion or their conclusion is inconsistent with their analysis.

– Answers are poorly organized.


• The most common problem we hear –– I did not do enough practice questions– I panicked/froze/could not sleep/had a panic

attack– I worked/got sick/had to deal with family– I did not take a review course


• What has worked?– Menus – more bar classes

• (But taking every bar course will not help if you cannot reason like a lawyer (use IRAC) and write in an organized fashion)

– Students taking bar exam more seriously– Bar exam workshops– Students improving the organization and analysis

portion of their essay exams

• Students invested the time and money– This is not the time to save money.


• What can I do to ensure my success the first time?– Know the law very well

• Devote 8-10 hours a day to bar prep

– Learn to use IRAC effectively• Do factual analysis.

– Write in an organized fashion, using IRAC– Live healthy lifestyle.

• Get some exercise and eat decently while studying.

• Model life style of exam 8-5


• By Now –– Select a bar review course.

• Consider MPBR – 6 day – along with BarBri

– Know where you will live this winter.– Have a plan to finance the summer.

• DO NOT WORK. Do Not Work. Do not work.

– Free up Jan. and Feb. from personal, social, financial, and family responsibilities.


• By now - – Have a hotel reserved for the bar exam.

• DO NOT WAIT FOR YOUR TICKET.• SEE MAP IN 114.

– Have a transportation plan worked out.• You will want to avoid driving in Chicago.

THE KEY TO PASSING THE BAR EXAM THE FIRST TIME• What happens if I fail

– Take it the next time– We will still love you. Your family will still love you.– The sun will rise.– But there are consequences

• Lose a job• Don’t get a job• Keep a job but at lower salary• Incur costs of re-examination and need for study and no

wages, again for the period of study


– Where will it be given– Chicago – 5 sites – Water Tower

– Check your state

– When– Last Tuesday & Wednesday of Feb.

Illinois Missouri

Tues. 8:15 – 12:15 7:30-12:15

1:30 – 5:15 1:30 – 4:45

Wed. 8:30 – 12:15 7:30 – 11:15

1:30 – 5:15 12:15-3:30 *


• Bring – – #1 or 2 lead pencils & blue or black non-

erasable ink pens, erasers, sharpener– Photo ID and blue seat voucher/letter– Sweater, jacket– Watch– Ear plugs– Medicine – pre-approved, properly packaged

& labeled meds


• Do NOT bring – – Food, water, gum, candy

• Missouri – water is in room

– Scrap paper, notes, books– Purse, bag, briefcase, back pack

put in common area– Watches with alarms, pagers, computers, cell

phones, PDAs, head phones, etc.– Hats (Missouri)


– You may leave to use restroom• Sign in and out

– You may leave to eat or drink when signed out to restroom

• how to get to food/drink??

– You may not smoke except outside before or after or at lunch

– You may not access purses, etc., except at lunch or afterwards


If you need medicine –

get pre-approval now

If need accommodation –

get pre-approval now


• No scrap paper

• Write on exam booklet

• Write only on 4 pages lined paper

• No typing

• Missouri – Computer Experiment


• Help? I am worried. I get at or just below the median and I cannot figure out what more I can do??????– Let’s figure out how to maximize the points on

the essays and MPT – let’s use what you know and make it count for the most points

– Help on essay writing and on MPT.


• Now I am really worried. I am in the bottom quarter. (well, 25% of us have to be!)– You are at risk.– Follow this advice and improve your chances

significantly.• Be sure to take a bar review course. Do not work.• Study the long outlines, not the short outlines.• Listen to the tapes; take notes; be an active learner.• Do practice exams. Do practice exams. Do practice

exams.• Take advantage of the workshops offered.• Take PMBR.

– 6 DAY SEMINAR FOCUSED ON MULTIPLE CHOICE ONLY.


• Wow! I am relieved. I always do well on exams. Don’t be too relieved!– Anyone can have a crisis during the

summer that affects ability to prepare.– Anyone can have a bad day.– People in the upper half do fail.– Heed this advice. Do not get cocky.– This exam will be the worst two days of

your life excluding personal family crisis, war, or the CPA exam.


• All this organization takes a lot of time. I got through law school without getting organized.

• NOW HEAR THIS:• The bar examiners have about 2.5 minutes to read

each answer.• An answer that is easy to read and looks like

others’ answers will get a quick passing score.• The easier it is for the examiner to find your

thinking, the more points you will receive.• R.J. says organization is important on the bar.


• So, get on with it.– What are the secrets to maximizing points on the

essay exams?• Using IRAC, using IRAC, using IRAC!!!!!• Writing in an organized fashion• Doing factual analysis.• Of course, knowing the law well helps.• Being healthy.

– Workshops• Come , do, learn.


• But this will take a long time! You bet and you only have 30 minutes per question.– See the need for practice.– If you are a slow reader, you must do a lot of

practice this summer.– If you are slow thinker, you must do a lot of

practice this summer.– If you are a not-so-good thinker or writer, you

must do a lot of practice this summer.


• Essay exams are worth up to five points.• You will miss one or two questions. You can pass if

you have some 4s and 5s to offset the 1s and 2s on one or two questions. But you will fail if you have 3s on questions you know and then miss one or two questions.

• An organized answer will go far toward getting those 4-5 points on areas where you do know the law.

• Many students who failed scored 3 points on questions they knew when they could have gotten 4-5 if they had done factual analysis and had organized to produce a clear and concise answer.


• If you are taking the bar exam here, we will offer some additional workshops.

• We will also offer a one day, 6-hour essay exam which will be a mock of the first day of the bar exam.– Can you hand write for six hours?– Can you pace yourself and stay focused for

six hours?

• If you are not here, what can we do to help?


• In conclusion, – The bar exam is hard. You must prepare and prepare

well.– The School helps ensure that you learn most of the

topics examined by required classes and menus.– The skills classes will be helpful on the MPT.– We offer workshops on writing exams.– We offer advice.– Now it is up to you.

the key to passing the bar exam the first time bar exam consists of –mpre (ethics) offered...

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