Attention March 13th, 2024 Webinar Attendees, please click here to complete our Survey or Attendance Verification and Credit Request Form. (required for CLE credit)

New Study Reveals the Secrets to Bar Exam Success

Last update

at

by:

by:

Share

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Hint: it helps to ace Evidence 101

Two years of research into the key variables affecting bar examination outcomes has shown – to the surprise of absolutely nobody – that the more you study, the better you do.

But a deeper dive into the report reveals that not all exam prep is equal, and that students with law review or law journal experience perform better.

Those findings are from a report from the New York State Board of Law Examiners and AccessLex Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to improving legal education.

“Some factors identified in the report as influencing first-time and second-time bar passage, such as the amount of time spent studying, were obvious,” according to AccessLex. “Other factors, such as the fact that there was little connection between the number of elective, bar-tested subject courses taken and first- or second-time bar exam passage, were not. Also of note, candidates who reported greater satisfaction with their law school were more likely to pass the New York State Bar Examination on their first or second attempt, even when controlling for other factors such as LSAT score, law school selectivity, and participation in a law journal, mock trial, or student organization.”

Dealing with Difficult Clients can be a Nightmare! If you want to sleep better at night, join the Alta Pro Risk Purchasing Group for our upcoming webinar entitled: Ethics in 3D: Difficult Clients, Dabbling, and Documentation. This webinar will feature James Bell, a noted expert in Lawyer Ethics and will cover the dangers of dabbling in risky areas, the importance of documentation, tricks for dealing with difficult clients, and the magic power of the phrase “Don’t Do It!” James has been recognized in the Best Lawyers of America and has been honored as an Indiana Super Lawyer. He was 2018 President of the Indiana Bar Association, and he even has a channel on Youtube focusing on ethical issues facing lawyers. This webinar will provide 1 hour of Ethics credit, so don’t miss this opportunity to get free CLE. July 7, 2021 12:00 PM Central (US and Canada). Register here.

6 Key Factors for Bar Exam Success

Following are the six key factors for bar exam success, as shown in the NY State Board of Law Examiners/AccessLex Institute study and excerpted from this article in the ABA Journal by legal writer Debra Cassens Weiss:

  1. Burning the midnight oil. The more time spent studying, the better the outcome.
  2. Studying strategically. “In focus groups, second-time candidates said they made better use of their study time by tailoring their bar prep activities to fit their learning styles and address specific areas where improvement was needed,” according to the ABA Journal.
  3. Making law review or writing for your school’s law journal. This is more significant than class rank or LSAT score.
  4. Managing your time wisely. “First- and second-time test-takers who ran out of time on the multistate bar exam were less likely to pass,” per the ABA Journal. “Also, first-time candidates who reported running out of time on the multistate essay exam were less likely to pass. A few focus group participants said they wrote as much as possible on the earlier questions to earn more points, leaving inadequate time for later questions.”
  5. Remembering what you learned in Evidence 101. Doing well in corporations and evidence courses was predictive of exam success.
  6. Being employed and financially secure. “Law school debt and unemployment after the bar exam were negatively associated with first-time bar passage. Those factors may be having an influence because of bar candidates’ anxiety about finding a job and starting loan repayment.”

Sources: AccessLex and ABA Journal

If you practice in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana or Michigan, you can stay on top of ethics and risk management news by being a member of Alta Pro Lawyers RPG. You’ll get access to free webinars, the Pro Practice Playbook, Reminger ProLink, Ask the Risk Pro and more. Here’s how to join.

Share

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related Posts on Altaprorpg.com!

Alta Pro Logo Icon

About the Editorial Staff

In an age of consolidation where increasingly impersonal transactions have made customer service an oxymoron, we bring together independent agents, insurance companies, and other industry specific service providers to develop and deliver insurance products and risk management solutions that benefit our insurance customers.

June 12, 2024 1:00 pm EST
1.0 Ethics Credit
September 18, 2024 1:00 pm EST
1.0 Regular Credit
December 11, 2024 1:00 pm EST
1.0 Ethics Credit

Join Our Newsletter

Occasional newsletters and CLE invites

Find Us on Social

Upcoming CLE Webinar: Cybersecurity Ethics : Start with the Basics

June 12, 2024 1:00 pm EST
CLE Credit: 1.0 Ethics

David G. Ries

Clark Hill

Archives

Need Help?

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. 

Or email us directly at info@altaprorpg.com

Or submit your issue in the comment form below and we will respond as soon as possible.