Scott Pearce has been working one-on-one with bar exam candidates since 1988.  There is nothing mysterious about coaching people to pass the bar examination.  First, we evaluate the student's situation, taking a holistic approach to approaching the bar examination.  Then, we plot out an approach and a schedule.  Finally, we play out the schedule.

 

Usually, a tutorial student will submit work for review, either in the tutorial session or as part of a program in which Mr Pearce records audio essay critiques for the student.  The tutorial sessions usually focus on specific black letter law issues, or exam technique, or fine-tuning the student's schedule as the time of the exam comes closer. You can enroll at this link.

 

First-time takers ordinarly have to set up their schedules around those of the corporate bar review course they are enrolled in, even if the order of the subjects presented is less than ideal.  These candidates usually need more guidance about the bar review and examination process than repeat candidates.   

 

Tutorial Philosophy

 

In order to pass the bar examination, everybody agrees that successful candidates have certain qualities in common.  They are, inter alia:

 

• Law Knowledge

• English Reading and Writing Skills

• Test-Taking Technique

• Physical and Emotional Endurance

• Good Luck

 

Law Knowledge

 

Obviously, you've got to know a lot of black letter law to pass the California Bar Examination.  "Law Knowledge" is more subtle than the ability to recite long and complicated passages of law like a trained parrot. You also have to be able recognize the relationship between issues, both within a subject area (e.g. torts) and between multiple subjects (e.g. torts and real property and Constitutional law).  Finally, you have to be able to explain how the legal result arises from a specific set of facts.

 

Legal Reasoning is part of "Law Knowledge" as far as the California Bar Examiners are concerned! Not only do you have to recognize the issues presented, you've got to be able to explain how the law and the facts interact to produce specific answers to all the questions. Similarly, the Multistate Bar Examination requires applicants to use legal reasoning to eliminate incorrect answer choices.

 

Successful bar candidates usually appreciate how the material is tested in addition to having a broad knowledge of the law. Thus, it should come as no surprise that practice is the single most important method of preparing for the California Bar Examination. That means working your way through thousands of MBE questions and dozens of essays and performance examinations. Use your practice to fuel your study! Do not devote a lot of time to studying the material in the abstract. Get into practice and learn how to sharpen your knowledge to best prepare for the task at hand - passing the California Bar Examination. 

 

English Reading and Writing Skills

 

The California Bar Examination is a test of language skills. You have got to be fluent and sharp in order to pass a timed examination. If you are fluent and you can't complete the exam in time, you should seek diagnosis for possible learning disabilities.

 

Most candidates who pass write reasonably well. This means they organize their thoughts with care before writing, and they express themselves clearly. "Plain English" is becoming increasingly popular, and this is a tremendous development. For the California Bar Exam, it is critically important for candidates to focus on outlining and organization. Setting up an answer is enormously important, and it is a skill one has to concentrate on in order to develop.

 

The most common mistake bar applicants make on the written section of the exam is to spend too much time reciting the law and not enough time analyzing the facts. Again, this is a specialized skill one has to practice with some dedication in order to master it.

 

Test-Taking Technique

 

It is amazing how many people fail the California Bar Examination because they spend too much time studying and not enough time practicing. One can study the law around the clock for a couple of years and never learn the first thing about actually taking the exam. The goal is to pass the California Bar Exam. You've got to prepare for the exam you're going to take, as opposed to striving for some abstract notion of excellence. It goes without saying that we emphasize solid technique - and you don't have to take our word for it. This web site has more practical information about how to pass the California Bar Exam than all the other bar review sites combined. It's better written than the sites of the other professionals in the field, too. 

 

Physical and Emotional Endurance

 

It takes a lot of strength to prepare for and take the California Bar Exam. This is a three-day examination. Doesn't it make intuitive sense to think that those who are in better physical shape have advantages over the other candidates? Plan on being in better shape on day one of the exam than you are in the day you begin to prepare for it. Every minute you devote to your physical health is wisely spent - up to a point. If you spend eight hours a day in the gym you probably won't have enough time to practice and study for the bar exam.

 

The bar examination experience is emotionally demanding, too. Suppose you're a recent law school graduate with $90,000 of debt and a big corporate job riding on whether or not you pass the bar exam.  Hey - no pressure - just relax and have fun, right?  Probably not. It makes good sense to take care of your emotional health while you're getting ready for the exam. This is best done by planning your whole approach to preparation in advance, and taking your emotional needs into account.

 

Luck

 

Luck is one idea that most bar review professionals don't like to talk about, but it's important to acknowledge that luck will play a role in your success or failure on the California Bar Examination. Realistically, however, the truth is that a well-prepared candidate can have plenty of bad luck and still pass with a comfortable margin.  A knowledgeable and skillful candidate can use sharp technique to compensate for soft areas of knowledge and still craft decent answers.  Sometimes a poorly-prepared candidate can have great luck and bluff his or her way past the bar examiners, but this is not a common occurrence. 

 

Enroll

 

We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discovery via PayPal. The transaction is encrypted and happens off the Cal Bar Exam servers. We are notified of your payment and then create your password manually. If you contact us before you pay, we can have your password ready for you immediately.

 

Master Essay Method

Video Seminars & Materials Only: $595

Unlimited on-line Access to our premium video seminars and written materials through August 1, 2008:

 

Video Seminars & Materials Plus 10 Essay Critiques: $995

Unlimited on-line Access to our premium video seminars and written materials through August 1, 2008, plus 10 audio essay critiques:

 

Video Seminars & Materials Plus Unlimited Essay Critiques: $2995

Unlimited on-line Access to our premium video seminars and written materials through August 1, 2008, plus unlimited audio essay critiques:

 

Seminars, Materials, Unlimited Critiques, 5 Hours Tutorial: $3995

Unlimited on-line Access to our premium video seminars and written materials through August 1, 2008, plus unlimited audio essay critiques and five hours of one-on-one tutorial time:

 

One Hour Tutorial: $250

Consult with Scott Pearce about any aspect of bar exam preparation.

 

Five Essay Critiques: $300

Submit five practice essay exams with any questions or thoughts that you have, and we will send you an audio critique that answers your questions and comments on the content and style of your answer.