10 approaches to the BSB civil and criminal litigation centralised assessments/part one of the ICCA Bar course

In this article, ten Bar students at The Inns of Court College of Advocacy answer thirteen questions on their approach to The Bar Standards Board civil and criminal litigation centralised assessments, having passed both of their exams in the recent December 2023 sitting.

This article offers practical guidance on time management for part one, suggests extracurricular activities to enhance understanding, and shares revision and exam strategies. It is specific to studying at ICCA, as to assist other ICCA students, we mention when we started the content and began revision, but will also be helpful for students at other providers as it contains general study and revision advice too. Additionally, I hope it reassures students that others have found these exams demanding and challenging.

Please see the link in the comments for information on the ICCA Bar course.

Thank you very much to everyone who took part.

1. How did you approach learning the content?

Katie Stephens: I followed ICCA's pathway: I completed the reading from the practitioner texts, made notes in a table, and then completed the activities on the VLE. For particularly difficult topics, I made mindmaps because handwriting helps me to understand things.

Rishi Nursimulu : I first looked at the BSB syllabus and ensured that I had all the sections of the white book and other textbooks spelt out. I then followed the guide from ICCA in terms of the sequence of learning the content. ICCA divides them into 9 chapters. I set myself a target of learning one chapter per week, but in the end managed to squeeze them all in 7 weeks. I did quizzes after each chapter which I found helpful. I didn't do any summary notes but instead highlighted the sections which I felt were important to memorise and refresh before the exams. I felt this was better than trying to do notes

Siphe Atoun : I read the notes provided by the ICCA and the practitioner texts. The feedback in assessments was by far the most helpful to understanding how to apply the concepts.

Nora Nanayakkara : Read the revision guide first for an overview and then worked through the online content. Consolidated by making notes based on the end-of-module quizzes.

Athena Kam : I followed the VLE units (watched introductory video, read core texts, did VLE activities). Before taking the module reading quiz, I turned all of my notes from the reading and activities into a flashcard deck on Anki (I cannot recommend it enough) as this process helped me to summarise and revise it. During revision, I focused on testing myself with these decks, adding more cards with information that I missed initially, or which phrased information differently in the areas I struggled with. I had revision notes from someone else which clarified the structure, but didn’t help me too much with learning.

Niamh Kenny : I followed ICCA’s VLE pathway very closely. I would do the reading and activities in the order recommended and sat the unit assessments at the end to test my understanding. I however left the multi-unit assessments and case studies to do as part of revision.

Caitlin McLachlan : I found tables to be the most effective way to organise my notes and condense the information. I would have the reading reference on the left hand side, followed by the key points on the right; I would include any information from practice questions and mock papers. This allowed me to also check I had covered the entirety of the syllabus easily. I also used flashcards for time limits and provisions needed by name.

Lily Sainsbury: Condensing my written notes created during first learning the syllabus, into smaller chunks of key information. I also made a Quizlet for every single topic to practice through active recall, and did “matching” activities on this platform also with questions and answers I had created myself.

Ella Statham : I would do all of the reading for the unit before completing the consolidation exercises. I also found making flashcards helpful for time limits or numerical values that I needed to be able to recall.

Vansh Arora: My strategy was just reading the material as thoroughly as possible with quizzes.

2.?Outside of studying, did you do anything to help your understanding of the content/to help put the information into context?

Katie Stephens: On four occasions I sat in the public gallery and observed cases in the magistrates and crown court. I watched PTPHs, bail applications, applications to change pleas, cases involving multiple defendants and other points of procedure. I attended 5 Pump Court Chambers 'Take 5: Settlement' webinar and watched a recording of St Philips Chambers webinar on part 36 and offers to settle. I also listened to 'The Study Legal English podcast'.

Rishi Nursimulu: Not really. The material in the textbook is so detailed and comprehensive that I did not feel the need to venture outside. Also, it helped that ICCA tutors were always there to answer any question we had.

Siphe Atoun: I explained complicated concepts I was struggling with to those around me. Saying things out loud really helped my comprehension.

Nora Nanayakkara: I mooted and participated in advocacy workshops at the Inn – these were a great way to put what I’d learned into practice, for example: the American Cyanamid principles in an interim injunction application etc.

Athena Kam: I had a mini-pupillage and saw different claim forms/Part 18 requests for further info/other parts of the CPR which helped me put my learning into context. If there is the opportunity to shadow a barrister or do a mini-pupillage, do it - contextualising the rules really helped me remember the steps and time limits.

Niamh Kenny: I worked as a paralegal prior to starting the course and was still working part time as a paralegal, which helped with civil litigation.

Caitlin McLachlan: I found seeing the rules in practice by attending court, and listening to podcasts helpful. I gained a basic understanding of the CPR from podcasts like The Study Legal English Podcast which I could then build on. I also enjoyed speaking to others about the content.

Lily Sainsbury : I went and sat in the public gallery at court two or three times which was helpful, especially for understanding the content for co-defendant cases in criminal law.

Ella Statham: Barrister shadowing was helpful to see the procedure in practice.

Vansh Arora: Not really. The quizzes really helped.

3. Did you study with other people? How did you make friends on a remote course?

Katie Stephens: I made friends by joining the ICCA WhatsApp chat and attending The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn 's 'Intro to the Bar' qualifying session. Close to the exams, I organised a study session where each person created quiz questions and conducted a quiz. After completing my mock exams, my friend and I discussed the answers we answered incorrectly.

Rishi Nursimulu: Yes and no. We have a whatsapp group amongst the ICCA students where we would discuss topics and so on, but I was not really involved with any physical study group in London because I did the whole of Part 1 whilst in Mauritius, even the exams (at the British Council)

Siphe Atoun: No.

Nora Nanayakkara: I didn’t on the Bar course but have in the past done so on the GDL.?Reaching out to people on general whatsapp groups or following up with people you meet at qualifying sessions/networking events are good ways to find your people on a remote course.

Athena Kam: The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn 's library had a few ICCA students working there, and I knew because I agreed to study together with a friend from university (also on ICCA). However, I largely worked with my old university friends who are also studying (either SQE or doing a masters) to stay motivated and have a sense of accountability.

Niamh Kenny: Yes – I initially worked with a friend but they decided to defer their exams which meant we could not work together. However, I had reached out to people on social media before the course started and met up during qualifying sessions. We worked together online, specifically during revision as we would go through the answers of mock papers together, but also provided general emotional support when it felt overwhelming.

Caitlin McLachlan: Yes, I met people through the group chat and by attending The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple qualifying sessions in September/October at the Inn. We would organise to meet each other in the library before QSs, and meet after the exams etc.

Lily Sainsbury: I was part of a small group chat and we did a few mini quizzes before the exams, where we all created a set of questions and tested each other in a relaxed environment over zoom. I think it is quite difficult to find a support network on the course when it is remote to start with and it won’t happen on its own. Therefore, definitely reach out to people on your wider course group chat as someone will definitely be feeling the same way that you do if you are stuck on something or need some reassurance.

Ella Statham: I did occasionally during the revision period, via zoom or by meeting others in the Lincoln’s library. My best advice is to ask questions or reach out to others in the chat, and do not be afraid to strike up conversations in the library.

Vansh Arora: I was unable to work with others. Support network was available through the group chat and forums.

4. Did you use any revision guides? If so, which ones?

Katie Stephens : No.

Rishi Nursimulu: No.

Siphe Atoun: No. I don’t think you need anything in addition to what the ICCA provides. I scored very highly in both, and I didn’t buy any additional material.

Nora Nanayakkara: 'It’s Criminal' and 'Be Civil' – both very helpful but be wary of developments to the law as the revision guides are old.

Athena Kam: No.

Niamh Kenny: No. Personally, if I am paying all this money to do a course, I want it to be all of the resources I need.

Caitlin McLachlan: No.

Lily Sainsbury: No.

Ella Statham: Be Civil and It’s Criminal are helpful for a general overview of the topics, but ICCA’s exercises are best for consolidation. ?

Vansh Arora: No.

5. Are there any topics in criminal or civil litigation that you suggest students pay close attention to? Why?

Katie Stephens: My friend advised me to pay close attention to hearsay, bail and character evidence in criminal litigation therefore I focused on memorising these topics and being able to regurgitate them which was helpful for the exam. I also struggled with procedures in criminal litigation - I recommend paying close attention to this as it makes up a lot of questions in the exam.

Rishi Nursimulu: I found bail in criminal to be quite complex as a topic to navigate in terms of the rules. It did help that we had been warned about it, so I knew it wasn't just me that found it challenging. For Civil, I would say "Amendments".

Siphe Atoun: Both crim & civil: ?No specific topics. I’d say aim to have a good understanding of all the main topics so that you can identify when they are being incorrectly applied. The ICCA provides a guide on the weighting of different topics. The multiple-choice options can present subtle misrepresentations of concepts, if you understand that you can eliminate answers.

Nora Nanayakkara: Civil – For the open book exam, pay close attention to exceptions to general rules. Criminal – Spend time getting a clear understanding of hearsay rules.?

Athena Kam: Civil - Part 36 Offers. It is rather complex as a topic, and as it comes up in the closed book exam, there is no way to check how it operates. Criminal - Bail presumptions: particularly the ‘exceptional circumstances’ test for granting bail where the accused has been previously convicted, as the rule does not apply to a non-custodial manslaughter conviction.

Niamh Kenny: I think this is quite personal, as different things ‘stick’ for different people. What I would say is look at the number of questions assigned to each topic and focus more on the weightier topics, both when going through the content for the first time and revising.

Caitlin McLachlan: I would recommend paying close attention to the weighting, although there is no guarantee, it was a close reflection of the questions in the paper. Civil – Disclosure, Part 36. Criminal – character evidence, hearsay.

Lily Sainsbury: Civil - make sure you know which court is used for what (i.e. for claims under ￡50,000, etc) early on - this will be foundation knowledge required for many questions. So, if you don’t know this, it’ll make answering the rest of it quite confusing! Criminal - visual identification, bad character evidence. I found that these took longer to learn.

Ella Statham: Civil – interim applications, Part 36 offers, costs. Criminal – bail, bad character, hearsay, sentencing. Essentially wherever the BSB put most weight on the markscheme.

Vansh Arora: Civil - costs is quite complicated, and amendment. Criminal - hearsay evidence.

?6. How did you stay focused and motivated when there is so much content?

Katie Stephens: I followed ICCA's recommended pathway and stuck lists on the wall to track my progress, and encourage myself (I find ticking things off satisfying!). Carrying on my hobbies and spending time with friends were important. On challenging days (of which there were many!) I relied on the Pomodoro technique and classical music. To mix it up, I studied in different locations, for example, at my house and my local library. When I was struggling, I reached out to ICCA who made someone available to talk with.

Rishi Nursimulu: It was tough to be honest! It was my first time doing it all online without any weekly tutoring to support or tell you whether you're on track or not. This part was quite challenging. I managed to stay focused by aiming to learn one chapter each week; I worked hard to finish the chapter earlier in that week so that I could have more free time with the family (I have three sons!). My motivation? Well, I kept telling myself "it's only 3 months, you'll be done in 3 months". I was so looking forward to doing Part 2 in London that I suppose this helped too.

Siphe Atoun: It is a really tough course and sometimes I felt defeated by the challenge. Taking breaks when I noticed a dip in my mental health was crucial. In all honesty, the fear of failure was the most motivating thing even if it was anxiety-inducing. I knew I couldn’t afford to fail and I recognised that these exams demanded a lot of preparation.

Nora Nanayakkara: Mapping out the content and ticking it off as I went kept me focussed.? There were definitely times when I felt unmotivated.? I just tried to be consistent and even when I didn’t feel like doing any studying, would choose one small subsection and get that ticked off.

Athena Kam: I timetabled evenings off and made plans with friends, as knowing that I had limited time to complete a task made me more focused. I also worked a lot in libraries, where the environment made me more inclined to focus and I knew I could have a coffee break every few hours to have a break and reset.

Niamh Kenny: It was hard. I set myself goals on the number of subjects to complete each week (as recommended by the provider). Importantly, I did not beat myself up when I had a slower week and used the next week to catch up. As I was working part time, I studied on the weekends which was difficult when my flatmates were working 9-5 jobs and went out and did things on the weekend. However, on the whole, I did not sacrifice any socialising for the course which kept my mental health in check.

Caitlin McLachlan: I found scheduling breaks and having something to look forward to doing in that time helped, whether that be walking my dog, watching my favourite TV show, or grabbing a cup of tea with my mum. I also made sure to schedule work alongside my hobbies and seeing friends. In the month leading to the exams, I didn’t have any free time besides my daily walks. I found this really impacted my studies. My advice would be to listen to yourself and don’t feel guilty for taking well-earned breaks because if you’re not in the right headspace you won’t retain information or work well!

Lily Sainsbury : I always worked harder in the morning as I knew that’s when I worked best and my attention would drift, however, I made sure to eat breakfast and lunch away from my desk (most of the time…) and get outside most days as it’s really important to get away from the screen and come back with fresh eyes (even though it’s cliché, it’s so true!).

Ella Statham: It is difficult at times, and it is important to take breaks. I set myself time limits for work (e.g. 9am-6pm) and made sure I had time off on the weekends. The revision period was more intense and so I did study on the weekends, but make sure you get enough sleep!

Vansh Arora: Lots of breaks, and keeping systems in place to relax and give rewards for achieving small, achievable targets.

7. In hindsight, how would you approach covering the content differently?

Katie Stephens: I would spend more time revisiting the content as I went along and create revision materials throughout the course. In hindsight, I probably should have completed the end-of-unit assessments as I went along (I left them for revision). However, I performed well in my exams, so my method worked for me, but I think I may have felt less stressed if I had done this.

Rishi Nursimulu: Maybe highlighting the white book physically during the first time I went through the Civil material. What I did is go through it online first, and then during revision I used the physical book; highlighting the relevant sections took longer than I thought.?

Siphe Atoun: I would do the same thing because I’m very happy with my scores.

Nora Nanayakkara: I would have tried harder not to fall behind the recommended pace.?There were some weeks that I did very little due to other commitments so towards the end, I had to skim things I would have liked to have spent longer on.?

Athena Kam: I would prioritise staying on top of flashcard-making. I did fall behind a little bit and had some modules where I did not make the flashcard deck when studying, with the intention of doing it during revision. In the end, I found testing myself with the flashcards most helpful (more so than reading notes, creating the decks etc) so I would prioritise getting those done as I went along, instead of having ‘perfect’/very comprehensive notes.

Niamh Kenny: This feels like a difficult question to answer because I passed the exams, so the method I used worked for me! There are definitely things I could have done to mitigate my stress, for example, tabbing the White Book as I went along and making revision materials at the end of each topic.

Caitlin McLachlan: I would do tables from the start. I initially began the course writing everything down, and it really didn’t work. When it came to revision I made condensed tables and would continuously read over them and complete practice questions. For the ICCA format, I found saving my 3 unit tests until revision helpful. This helped me to revise in a structured way and showed me what areas I needed to place more focus on.

Lily Sainsbury : No I am happy with how I covered it. I did have very long note pages, but it is harder to know early on what content you need and what you don’t, so I don’t regret doing that. I do wish I had visited court more to help cement my knowledge due to not being able to see the practical side of the content during part 1 in real life.

Ella Statham: I would not approach it differently, but I would advise to pace yourself as you make your way through the content.

Vansh Arora: Being organised is key, else it can feel overwhelming.

8.?Were you working alongside your studies? If so, how many days and how did you manage your time?

Katie Stephens: No. I am volunteering as a pod leader with Bridging The Bar for an afternoon every couple of months.

Rishi Nursimulu: Yes! I would wake up at 5am and study till 7am. Then worked till lunchtime, and resumed my studies after lunch. That was my daily routine. It's really not easy, but like I said... it's just 3 months!?

Siphe Atoun: No, grateful I could study full-time.

Nora Nanayakkara: I worked full-time and have two children. I found that for me, early mornings and weekends worked best to get some dedicated study time but everyone will be different.? I used any chunks of free time during the day (commuting/waiting in the car at school pick-up time) to run through notes or listen to legal podcasts to keep up to speed.

Athena Kam: No.

Niamh Kenny: I worked as a paralegal 2 days per week. I set myself boundaries at work, by not working late or taking on too much responsibility - the course was my priority. I was also able to arrange arriving and leaving earlier so I had more time in the evening. I would sometimes head to the library after to work or stay at the office to study, so I could properly switch off when I got home. I also volunteered at a school a couple of times per week, but this finished in the middle of November.

Caitlin McLachlan: Yes, I worked around 3 days a week. I managed my time by setting realistic targets I knew I could stick to. I am a big ‘list’ person, so I would structure my week by deciding what content I needed to complete, and noting how many hours of work I was scheduled for. From this I would organise each day (not time wise but more of a ‘to-do’ list), this helped me maintain my focus and ensure everything was done.

Lily Sainsbury : No.

Ella Statham: No.

Vansh Arora: No.

9.?When did you start and finish covering the content, and start revision?

Katie Stephens: I started the content at the start of September and finished it at the start of November. I then had a week off and began revision in mid-November. I completed on average seven topics a week and alternated between civil and criminal each day.

Rishi Nursimulu: I started in September and finished the content end of October. I took the whole month of November to go over the content again in full and revised a 3rd?time (scanning my highlights daily) in that last week before the exams in the 1st?week of December.

Siphe Atoun: Started September 4th. Started revision last week of October.

Nora Nanayakkara: I finished the content (albeit having skimmed some sections!) two weeks before the exams.? That felt quite pressured and ideally, I’d have liked more time to revise.

Athena Kam: Started content in the second week of September, finished around mid November. I blocked out 2.5 weeks for revision.

Niamh Kenny: I started the content in September and finished before the middle of November. I was doing 7 subjects per week on average, although the number of topics I did varied considerably. There was not much revision time which was quite stressful, but I was also glad to have Part 1 completed within three months.

Caitlin McLachlan: I started content at the beginning of September, and finished at the start of November. I had just under one month of revision before the exams in December.

Lily Sainsbury : Started 4th September and finished 10th November roughly. Started revising 14th November roughly. This was by treating it as a 9-5 and I appreciate not everyone can do this!

Ella Statham: Started content = first week of September. Finished content and started revision = first week of November.

Vansh Arora: September till dec.

10.?What methods did you use to revise? Were these helpful? In hindsight, how would you approach your revision differently?

Katie Stephens: I used the BSB's 'Questions per Syllabus Area Tables' and prioritised the bigger topics. I left all of my end-of-unit tests and multi-unit tests for revision, completed as many mock exam papers as I could, created paper flashcards from answers that I got incorrect, and revisited ICCA's quizzes and activities. To memorise information I did a lot of blurting: I reviewed my notes on a topic, then on a whiteboard, I tried to recall all of the key points of that topic, including time limits etc. I then used a different colour pen to fill in anything I had forgotten.

Rishi Nursimulu: I did a table for all the timeframes we had to learn in criminal and civil, how many days for this, how many days for that... and I memorised it. This was super helpful in the end. I also attempted as many questions as I could from past or sample papers which we got from friends on our whatsapp group. I don't think I would change my revision strategy. I am glad it paid off

Siphe Atoun: I focused on challenging areas, re-read the practitioner texts, and really focused on the feedback in assessments (figuring out the logic used to apply concepts). Throughout I would explain concepts to those around me and answer their questions.

Nora Nanayakkara: I used quizzes and consolidated notes to revise. The quizzes were the most helpful and in hindsight, I would have recorded notes so I could listen back to them – there were times when I couldn’t face any more reading.

Athena Kam: I mainly used the flashcards I made. Anki is great for it because you can rank your familiarity with a card to determine how frequently it reappears, which means you can focus on your weaker areas. Additionally, as it’s a multiple-choice exam, turning content into flashcards can help with trying to understand how the examiner thinks and how you may be tested as it forces you to think of a single, discrete, best answer.

Niamh Kenny: LOTS of mock exam questions and flashcards. In the beginning, I was good at making flashcards as I went along, but I did not keep this up. I felt it would have been a waste of time to spend my time to make all the flashcards, so I would do mock papers and identify my weaker topics and go back to my notes and the texts to consolidate my understanding and make any last minute flashcards.

Lily Sainsbury : I put each topic into a mind map and revised using my Quizlet flashcards.

Ella Statham: I used flashcards for time limits and numerical values, which were helpful and quick. You can carry them with you and go through them whenever you get a free minute.

11. How did you prepare for the civil litigation open book exam? How did you tab your White Books?

Katie Stephens : I tabbed my White Books with the syllabus areas and wrote a summary of each topic. I highlighted important things with bible highlighters and using see-through sticky notes. On big, colourful sticky notes I wrote out some of ICCA's revision materials such as summaries and flow charts, and things that I got incorrect in my mock exams. At the front of my book, I wrote out parts of the syllabus which were found in the commentary, and thus more difficult to find, and wrote the references so that I could locate them quickly in the exam. For example:

Evidence of fact - 35.5.2 amplification, 32.5.3 witness not called, 32.5.3.1 use of witness statements where party fails to attend trial.

Rishi Nursimulu: : I did my own table of contents so that it matched the BSB syllabus, this helped me to browse quickly through the relevant content. I used 3 colours for highlighting the text depending on the level of importance. I wrote my table of dates on post-its which was helpful during the open book exam.?

Siphe Atoun: I just tried to understand all the topics well enough so that I could in theory answer everything closed-book, or at least know the detail I needed from the book to answer a question. I tabbed every topic on the syllabus and highlighted the contents page with relevant sub-topics.

Nora Nanayakkara: Colour coding by topic worked for me with big post-it notes inside that covered key points for commonly examined topics.

Athena Kam: I tabbed the white books with the module names + corresponding general parts, using generic colourful tabs that I had leftover from university law fairs. I also wrote the time limits and tests that I struggled to remember for each part and stuck it on the tabbed page, especially if that information only appeared later in the book - this saved me from flipping back and forth.

Niamh Kenny: I tabbed my White Book by using card sticky labels and writing the exact topic the sections concerned, e.g. ‘limitation’. I also highlighted the passages were required to read and annotated using clear sticky notes. I also tabbed where I had gotten a question wrong in mock exams (although I wish I had tabbed for questions I had gotten right too). On a sticky note I would write down the question and the reason I got the answer wrong.

Caitlin McLachlan: I created my own contents page based on the structure of the syllabus areas that I was used to through the online learning platform. This helped me find things far quicker in the exam rather than using the contents page at the start of my white book. I included post-it notes with summary of commentary, and key principles from questions I had got wrong/would forget. I tabbed the beginning of each part which was included on the syllabus. My biggest piece of advice would be to leave highlighting until revision! I found when I highlighted while learning the content I over-highlighted and it really wasn’t effective.

Lily Sainsbury : I used see-through sticky notes on the front page of chapters that were important and included the key facts and bits of content that often came up in mock papers so that they were easier to find in the exam. I also highlighted (with bible highlighters as the pages are so thin), key info and parts of the table of contents that had content we were required to know in.

Ella Statham: I tabbed my white book thoroughly and it paid off in the exam. I colour coded my tabs with the CPR rules, so that I could find each section quickly.

12.?How did you approach the multiple-choice questions?

Katie Stephens: I read the question and then highlighted the key parts. If I could not identify the correct answer, I used the elimination method: I tried to work out the two answers that were not correct and decided on which answer was correct out of the remaining two. I tried to rely on whether the wording felt familiar and whether it was logical and ethical.

Rishi Nursimulu: By elimination.?

Siphe Atoun: Mixture of looking for the clearly right answer, and for difficult questions eliminating options that weren’t completely right. In my opinion, options can be the wrong answer for many reasons, such as irrelevance to the fact pattern, completely wrong definition of the concept, or subtle misrepresentation of the concept or its purpose.

Nora Nanayakkara: I eliminated unlikely answers and then spent time analysing the precise words.? Differentiating between words like always/sometimes, may/must etc. can help rule out answers.

Athena Kam: Mainly elimination.

Niamh Kenny : I would eliminate the ones I thought were wrong immediately. When deciding between the other choices, if I did not know, I would try and place the scenario within the broader legal context and think logically about the possible solutions.

Caitlin McLachlan : On first read of the question, I would think of my answer before reading the multiple choice options available. From this, I would eliminate answers that appeared obviously wrong. If I was still between answers at this stage, I would read these answers carefully and note the differences between the answers. This helped me spot nuances between answers and mistakes in wording etc. During the open book exam I would answer the questions I felt confident in. Then go back to the ones I did not answer and use my white book to answer them. I then checked the whole paper using the white book.

Lily Sainsbury : Unless I knew the answer, I did process of elimination. Once you have done a few mock papers, you start to see patterns of almost ‘trick’ questions that you have to look out for - so you will get used to ruling out the ‘correct’ answers for those too.

Ella Statham: Elimination, I would physically write on the paper and strike out answers I knew were not correct.?

13. Do you have any final advice?

Katie Stephens: This was a challenging three months, and I worried about passing. You are not alone if you feel like this too. Making friends and supporting one another is hugely valuable. I would recommend revisiting the resources you have available: ICCA has so many helpful quizzes and matching activities. Lastly, do what works for you - everyone covers the content at a different pace, and everyone revises and makes their notes differently.

Rishi Nursimulu: It's just 3 months... Anyone can put one's head down for 3 months and smash them!

Siphe Atoun: Keep going and good luck. Don’t worry if nothing is intuitive to you, most of us really struggle with these syllabi.

Nora Nanayakkara: If you can, book time off work now in the two weeks before your exams.? You’ll thank yourself later! If staggering the exams is an option for you, consider if it would help you to do so.? There is no medal for taking them all in one sitting if that doesn’t suit you. Don’t be unduly influenced by what other people are doing.? You’re running your own race.

Athena Kam: Be confident in yourself and know that you are not the only one finding it difficult. I remember feeling quite anxious because I started a week late, people on the group chat were discussing topics I had not even heard of, I underestimated the volume of information, and how long it would take to learn everything. This initially made me question my abilities, especially as it was difficult to know whether others were feeling similarly when everyone is remote. Speaking to Bar Students from other providers during Qualifying Sessions reaffirmed that it was objectively hard, and I was not the only one struggling (for me, I had a particular moment when I was chatting an ex-Cambridge PhD student and they mentioned they were also finding it difficult to handle the volume of information). Knowing this meant I could take it into my stride and adopt a better attitude when I was studying. Also - and I honestly cannot recommend it enough - Anki flashcards! I didn’t need to rely on anyone else to test me, it was more fun than reading, and it helps you think strategically about what you might be asked.

Niamh Kenny: I would strongly encourage you to complete Part 1 in three months if that is something you feel able to do. If you are not working or only working part time (16 hours per week), you will finish the content in time for the exams. At times this felt like the wrong decision, and I did feel incredibly overwhelmed, but I do not think I would have the drive and motivation to continue to study and revise until the next cycle of exams in April. Also, the course is nothing like studying law at undergraduate. If you have taken a year or more out of education to work (which I would recommend), you will not be at a disadvantage in the sense you have not studied for a year. Make sure you have a support network around you – both friends on the course but also non-law friends and family who can keep you grounded.

Caitlin McLachlan: 1. Stay organised and on top of the workload, do things you enjoy to ensure you can stay motivated and consistent. 2. Reach out to people who have done the course recently, everyone is very helpful and you may pick up some tips from them. 3. Before my revision period began, I would give myself at least one full day off a week, where I didn’t think about anything Bar-related. This really helped me recharge my batteries and go again the next week.

Lily Sainsbury : It’s easy to doubt yourself during this part. It is demanding as it is a lot of content and the mocks are hard, but you can definitely do it! Just try to take a step back whenever you can and know that small steps every day will make you remember things by the end.

Ella Statham: For civil, you need to be comfortable with navigating the white book. Try not to get too reliant on the online version and keep up with your tabbing.