Strategies and Tactics for the MBE

Book arrived. A bit of cover wear, but very good shape otherwise.

A table shows the difficulty of each MBE subject on the July 2001 MBE. These are the % of questions answered correctly:
Con Law: 69.4%
Crim Law: 65.5%
Evidence: 64.8%
Torts: 64.4%
Contracts: 64.1%
Real Prop: 58.2%

[Edit:] Also here is the E&E on CA Community Property!

PMBR CDs - Arrived

They came in the mail today: a book of 29 CDs in a shiney red packet. Sadly I do not have a CD player so I will need to find one.

Also, I have bought the Jeff Adachi Bar Breaker books from someone on the internet for $80. Perhaps if I work on those, I will not need to actually do PMBR. I am still a bit torn about whether I should do PMBR.

On the finals front, I'm almost done with my paper, which is a good thing, because it's due tomorrow. Then I can begin to study for finals.

Barbri Payment

I called the firm to inquire about their reimbursement policy for bar costs. Here is what I found out.

• Yes they will pay for Barbri and all application fees, but you need to show receipts.
• They also pay for PMBR.
• They also pay for MPRE fees.

I actually hadn't planned on taking PMBR. But since it's free, I'm rethinking it. At any rate I may not have time to do it since it is right before Barbri and I will be in the process of moving at that point.

After the call, I paid for Barbri online using my credit card. The bill was over $3000. I'm not sure how much it would have saved the firm if I'd signed up my 1L year. I requested the AM session, at St. Mary's Cathedral in SF. If I get that location, I will look for a place right near it for the summer months. Upon payment, I received the following email:

Thank you for your payment of $3,226.50. The confirmation number for
this payment is [redacted]. Please do not call the BAR/BRI office to verify
that the payment was received. Please retain this email for verification
of your payment.

PMBR CDs - Enroute

I am hating my paper right now. I have about 20+ pages but still need to tie it all together. I've been experiencing writer's block. School begins tomorrow. I have one more week of classes and still haven't studying for any classes. Next week I'll study a bit of evidence. It'll be like I'm prepping for the bar already.

With regard to the PMBR CDs. USPS.com says:

Label/Receipt Number: [redacted]
Status: Enroute

Your item was processed and left our WARRENDALE, PA 15095 facility on November 23, 2006. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.

PA? What the hell are they doing there?

bt's Advice Post

I liked this post because it referred to several additional resources that I don't have time to look at now. I think I will do something similar when (if) I pass the bar. Here are some of her thoughts that I thought was interesting:

Bar Breaker Volume 1 and 2:
The last 2 weeks before the bar exam, I read the intro to
each subject and outlined or wrote sample answers to every question in this
book. . . . I completely bailed on the last half of the BarBri
assigned essays. I found that many of them were assigned in these books, so
overall, I probably did the majority of the BarBri assigned essays.

Bar Exam Survival Kit.
I think if I had to prepare for the bar exam again and I was
only allowed one resource, this would be the one I would choose. . .
. I was appalled to read the question and find that they presented the
issues to be addressed in the exact order of my mnemonic, which was straight
from Jeff Adachi's Bar Exam Survival Kit.

Hmm. Maybe I should look into the Adachi books.

Mastering the MBE - Arrived

The Talamo book arrived today.

The book is small. It is about 140 pages, with large font and wide margins. The copy is in okay shape. Some pages have been marked with a green highlighter.

Too bad I'm so busy with the paper and finals. I will read it bit by bit when I get done with the paper. It'll be a good change-of-pace from reviewing for classes.

Eric’s Tips to Surviving the California Bar Exam

Just taking a break from my 30-page paper. This was a top Google result for "California bar exam." I thought for a bit about the following:

3) The First Week of Bar/Bri is Optional. . . . [Y]ou should
rest up and take it easy during this week. This will be your last chance to do
so.

5) . . . One of my best experiences was when I got a high score
on a practice test where I did not know the substantive law very well—I knew
that my fudging skills were working!

7) . . . Stay in the Hotel. . . . You get no bonus time
allotment for accidents on the 880. . . . Lower Floors Are Better.
The elevators are a mess during the exam. First, they become completely
overloaded immediately prior to and after exam sessions, making for long delays.
Second, they are crammed full of freaking-out exam takers. It’s not pretty. The
stairs are the only way to go.

8) Plan for Lunch. If someone is with you during the exams, put them in
charge of having lunch ready for you at the beginning of the break. This saves
precious time during the lunch break and minimizes administrative stress. If you
do not have a support person, to avoid fighting the crowds, you may want to make
or get lunch the evening before and store it in a cooler.

Happy Thanksgiving

Nothing new on the bar front. Trying to finish do a 30-page paper and then start studying for finals. *smack*

The PMBR CDs should have been mailed, although it is not yet reflected on the US Postal website:

Label/Receipt Number: [redacted]
Status: Electronic Shipping Info Received

The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper on
November 22, 2006 to expect your package for mailing. This does not indicate
receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date. Delivery status information will
be provided if / when available. Information, if available, is updated every
evening. Please check again later.

Barbri ID

Barbri has finally processed my registration. I received a Barbri ID in the email today and now am able to log into the Barbri website with it. The website doesn't have very much, except there is a PDF of their 2006 summer class schedule. Classes began May 22 last summer at the San Francisco location. This means I will have just one week after finals next semester to move to CA.

Pass Rate, and New Subjects

Okay, last post today. The July 2006 results are posted. For out-of-state ABA-approved law school students who are first-time takers, the pass rate was 68%, or a little better than 2/3. Over all, the pass rate was 67%.

Also, this isn't news but, I thought I stick it here:

Beginning with the July 2007 administration of the California Bar Examination[,] the scope will be changed as follows:

1) The subject currently titled "Corporations" will be renamed "Business Associations" and the scope of the topics tested in Business Associations will include ... partnerships in all forms, limited liability entities, related agency principles and uniform acts;
2) The scope of the subject titled "Civil Procedure" will include the California Code of Civil Procedure; and,
3) The scope of the subject titled "Evidence" will include the California Code of Evidence.

More Book Orders

Instead of studying for my finals, I ordered two more books on Amazon. #1 is because I wanted to get some exposure to CA Community Property. #2 is recommended by AGWIABE. Should be here in a couple of weeks.

Ebay Etc

I'm not a regular Ebayer so I'm not sure what the proper etiquette is. Is the seller suppose to acknowledge when a buyer "wins" an item? After I bought the PMBR CD's, she never acknowledged. I sent two emails to her over the weekend. I'm not sure if that's considered rude or if she was being rude. Out of worry, I checked out the procedure for disputing a transaction. As it turns out, Paypal will protect you for up to $1000 if you never receive the goods that you bought on Ebay.

Anyhow, she responded today. She says she will email me the outlines, and postal mail the CD's. I shall leave her a positive feedback.

On the other hand, I still haven't heard back from Barbri after paying the deposit. What the heck?

PMBR CDs

Just ordered this from Ebay:

These (plus the PMBR outlines in Word format) cost $160. The plan is to start listening to the CD's next semester. I am actually not too nervous about the MBE's. What I'm mainly worried about are the essays, since I have zero exposure to several subjects...

Ontario Convention Center

These are some video clips of the Ontario Convention Center (a CA bar test site near LA), taken by a bar exam taker this past summer. In the first clip, she stands outside the center.



In clip 2, she wonders which entrance to take.

In clip 3, she recommends bringing sun block.

In clip 4 and clip 5, she looks around the lobby.

In clip 6, she peeks into Exhibit Hall A, and clip 7, Exhibit Hall B and the restrooms.

In clip 8, she chats with the receptionist.

In clip 9, she looks at some more restrooms, elevators, and the opposite entrance (Holt Street Entrance).

In clip 10, she comes out the Holt Street entrance and looks at Holt Street.

In clip 11, she notes that the place is "fucking hot."

In clip 12, she walks through the parking lot gates and a train speeds by.

In clip 13, she points out that the Mariott is very close to the train tracks.

In clip 14 and clip 15, she looks at the nearby hotels while the train continues to go by.

In clip 16 and clip 17, she checks out one hotel.

In clip 18, she reminds us that the Convention Center has air conditioning.

In clip 19, she stands at the corner of that block (Holt and Vineyard) and looks at a restaurant.

In clip 20, she notes the big "Cocktail" sign.

Moral Character App - Delivery Receipt Received

The green card came in the mail today, stamped "S B C Dial Courier" (whatever that means) on 11/13/06.

Now begins the long wait for them to run their checks. The only strange thing I had in my background was the one time when I was found guilty on a traffic violation. I tried to contest it but ended up missing the court date. I should have just pled "no contest."

The other difficulty I had was finding references. One of the references had to be a licensed lawyer. I didn't want to bother the lawyers I'd worked with my two previous summers. In the end, I asked a law professor from my first year who, luckily, was licensed to practice. So. We shall see.

Application Checklist

To be admitted to practice law in California, an applicant must:

• Complete the necessary general education; (check)
• Register with the Committee of Bar Examiners as a law student or attorney applicant; (check)
• Complete the requisite legal education; (underway)
• File an application to take the First-Year Law Students' Examination and pass, or establish exemption from the examination; (figure out how to get exemption)
• File an application to take the bar examination and after eligibility has been confirmed, take and pass the examination; (will file application next year?)
• File an application for a moral character determination and receive a positive moral character determination from the Committee of Bar Examiners; (application sent)
• File an application, take and pass the MPRE with a scaled score of 79.00 or greater, which examination is administered and graded by the National Conference of Bar Examiners; (will register for MPRE in December)
• Be in compliance with California court ordered child or family support obligations. (check)

Mastering the MBE

At the recommendation of AGWIABE, I ordered this book. I shall read it over winter break.

Moral Character App - Delivered

usps.com says:

Your item was delivered at 10:05 AM on November 13, 2006 in LOS ANGELES, CA
90015.

Barbri Registration

I just signed up for Barbri. It cost $3500 and the rep over the phone assured me that I can go in later a print out a form so send to my firm for reimbursement. But I have to front the $175 book deposit.

There was one screen that asked for my school, then an "ABA number." I thought this was my school's ABA number, so I went and asked Student Affairs. They didn't know and said they would get back with me. After three days of silence, I realized that it was actually asking for *my* ABA number. I am not an ABA member. So I just left it blank and went to the next screen. Duh.

Also Blogger just added new features. I still haven't figured out everything yet. Looks like I can peg posts with a "label" now.

Introduction

I plan to remain basically anonymous, but. I am a 3L at a non-Cali law school. After graduation, I will be heading to the Bay Area. I did okay in law school but not great. Currently I have done nothing towards the bar, except to register on the California State Bar web site. That and, I just sent in my application for moral character. I'm worried about the fall finals.

I've been reading A Girl Walks Into a Bar Exam, which is a blog about a 2005 taker's experience. It seems pretty thorough. I think I will follow its timeline.

A Beginning

This blog chronicles my journey to pass the California bar exam next July (2007). I will try to keep it to mostly bar-related stuff, but judging from my previous experience blogging, I'll probably blabber about lots of other things as well. So. Here goes nothing...