| class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; | | | | facts of the question back to the examiner in your |
| line-height: normal;">1. Time Management | | | | answer, highlight each fact in the question that has |
| It is virtually impossible to succeed in any law | | | | been included in your essay answer with a yellow |
| examination without mastering the concept of time | | | | magic marker. A similar quick review of your scratch |
| management. The California bar exam is no exception. | | | | paper notes will identify to you any facts and any |
| It is not what you know. It is what you know in one | | | | ideas you may have neglected to include in your |
| hour. Budget your time or perish. The same holds true | | | | answer. |
| for the multi-state multiple choice exam. In fact, time | | | | 6. State the General Rule Before Discussing |
| budgeting on the multi-state multiple choice section of | | | | Exceptions |
| the exam is so important you should make a special | | | | The most amazing discovery I made in reviewing my |
| effort to pre-mark your computer answer sheet with | | | | old bar exams which I obtained from the state bar |
| penciled-in times. | | | | examiners and compared to the model answers they |
| For example, at question number 17 mark 9:30, at | | | | provided was that I failed to state the general rule in |
| question 34, 10:00, etc. This helps you stay super | | | | my hurry to discuss a given exception. Thus, for |
| conscious of whether you are on time going through | | | | example, I failed to define hearsay before going into a |
| the multiple-choice questions. | | | | discussion of the admissions exception to the hearsay |
| | | | rule. You have to assume you are writing the answer |
| 2. IRAC Adversarial Answer Format | | | | for someone who knows nothing about the law in |
| IRAC stands for Issue, Rule, Application and | | | | order to get top grades. |
| Conclusion. It is a style of writing answers to law | | | | 7. Answer the Question Exactly the Way it is Asked |
| school essay questions. When coupled with an | | | | Particularly on performance exams, the key tactic to |
| adversarial answer format, it is an ideal way of writing | | | | employ is to answer the question exactly the way it is |
| the bar exam. Thus, you identify an issue and discuss it | | | | asked. Just as a diagnosis in medicine is half way to a |
| by pointing out what the plaintiff would say, and then | | | | cure, following the requirements of the question on a |
| what the defendant would counter. You then state the | | | | law exam is half way to a passing answer. As |
| rule of law that applies. You then apply the rule again | | | | amazingly simple as this may appear, sometimes you |
| laying out the viewpoints of each party to the dispute. | | | | tend to get wrapped up in your answer at the |
| Finally, you state a conclusion indicating how the court | | | | expense of failing to follow the format required by the |
| would rule on the issue. Using this approach, where | | | | question. Don't miss this. |
| applicable can substantially increase your grades. | | | | 8. Discuss Your Exam Answers During the Breaks |
| 3. When Reading Bar Questions Write Your Ideas in | | | | Once you leave the exam area what you have done |
| the Margins | | | | is history. You cannot change history, whether you did |
| Recording your ideas the moment they come to you | | | | well or poorly. But you can correct any misconceptions |
| as you read an exam question is very important. Do | | | | you have about issues raised in the exam by |
| so right on the exam booklet you are reading. If you | | | | discussing the answers with your fellow students. |
| don't, more often than not, you will forget these ideas. | | | | Going into the next portion of the exam you will have |
| Capture them on the spot. Waiting until you turn to | | | | a stronger grasp of the concepts you may have |
| writing your answer will be too late. | | | | missed earlier, and they may arise again. If you have a |
| 4. Diagram the Parties to a Dispute, Use Ladder Time | | | | sensitive ego, beware - otherwise, review with your |
| Lines | | | | fellow students to sharpen your understanding of the |
| If a question discusses a dispute between a plaintiff | | | | issues you faced. |
| and a defendant, diagram this immediately with the | | | | |
| symbols: P v. D. As the question refers to other | | | | Outside Influences |
| parties, such as a witness for example, mark that | | | | There is no doubt that at some stage in your |
| witness' initial beside the party the witness supports. | | | | preparations you will become discouraged. You will |
| Thus, if she supports the plaintiff, mark: W-Pv.D. | | | | seriously doubt your ability to endure the pressure. |
| Drawing lines to show a bond between two parties | | | | After all, for several months your life will be out of |
| also helps to keep things straight. Use vertical time lines | | | | balance as you sacrifice valuable time focusing on the |
| marking significant dates down the margin of a | | | | bar exam instead of elsewhere. Personal problems |
| question instead of across the page. This is more | | | | can be exacerbated. Your family and friends may |
| conducive to the format of the bar exam and looks | | | | suffer. These are some of the problems associated |
| like a ladder going up the page when completed. | | | | with your goal of becoming an attorney in the state of |
| 5. Use a Head Note Style on Issues Identified and | | | | California. Yet in the end, this is short-term pain for long |
| Feedback Facts | | | | term gain. If you endure, sooner or later you will |
| Write a head note style of paragraph to summarize | | | | succeed. Indeed, maybe the next time you look at the |
| the applicable issues identified in the question you have | | | | list of successful applicants in the Daily Journal, your |
| read. This can be your outline for your subsequent | | | | name will appear. Then it will be time for you to go out |
| written answer. Then, to ensure you have fed all the | | | | into the legal world to make us all proud. Good luck. |