How to pass the bar exam as an internationally trained lawyer?
It's a joy to speak with my star student, Ruth Njeri Gitau-Karanja , who not only wrote the best paper in my legal research and writing class at Georgetown University Law Center but just passed the February New York Bar Exam! Ruth is an M&A lawyer with five years of experience at firms including Dentons . Here's her take on how internationally trained lawyers can pass the bar exam. Congratulations Ruth and to those who have passed the bar exam!
What bar prep materials did you use??
How long should candidates expect to study for the bar exam?
Regarding time, bar candidates need to consider what time is available to them to study for the bar exam. Bar preparation courses offer schedules that require full-time study for 6-7 weeks, which could require anywhere from 6-10 hours depending on one's familiarity with the material, speed of reading, or grasp of the material. Candidates need to be prepared to spend some hours from their weekend studying where they fall behind their schedules.
Some bar courses provide schedules for candidates who are working that could span over a 4-month period, and these schedules could require studying for at least 3 hours during weekdays and full-day studying during weekends. Completing the bar course one selects as well as several timed practice exams is strongly recommended.
Practice is a?crucial portion of this exam due to the unique testing technique adopted for the bar exam.?Candidates would need to use the feedback provided by the bar courses to work on weak areas they identify in their exam practice.
What is the number of recommended practice questions for the candidate to complete?
Some sources recommend candidates to complete and review answers to not less than 1,000 practice questions for the multi-choice portion of the exam, and completing timed and graded essays and performance tests is strongly encouraged.
One must consider that bar preparation varies from candidate to candidate, and so do learning styles. Although no single resource is recommended, candidates must be prepared to put in the work required by the examining board as stated on their website, and by the course they select to prepare for this exam.?
I studied 8 to 10 hours a day for 10 weeks or so. I’ve done thousands of practice exams leading up to the exam. They tell you that the target score needs to be 60% two weeks before the exam, I felt like I needed more practice questions. So other than Kaplan, I used AdaptiBar for practice questions.
What other factors should candidates consider to increase the chances of passing the bar on their first attempt?
The US bar exam is not only knowledge-heavy but also approach-heavy, and mastering the approach is crucial. You have to learn through practice questions. Learning how to type quickly, how to write in American English, and following the exam format are some of the essential skills that students need to learn. It is important to note that students have different learning styles and may require different resources and approaches to prepare effectively for the exam.
President at Raymond Scott Hayden DBA VDO1
1 年Onboarding is the way to go about licensing New Attorneys. The idea stemmed from the thought I had about Wisconsin moving their Diploma Privilege OUT of Law Study, and offering as an Admission Process to ANYONE who qualifies to SIT for a Bar Exam... The wait period in California from the Feb exam to Results is 12 weeks. INSTEAD of a Bar Exam, provide an Onboarding Process which can be completed within 8 weeks, but allow 12 weeks for those who require Testing Accommodations. The program provides information that the Profession of Law has been begging for for decades - all of my clients are attorneys, and I have had a front row seat to this. Provide the information a Newly Licensed Lawyer needs to know to hit the ground running, provide Quizzes and an Exam on the various subjects designed to get that vital information into their long term memory to: 1) ASSURE Greater Protection for the General Public. 2) ASSURE Greater Competence in Newly Licensed Lawyers. 3) Guarantee a more Diverse and Balanced Bar membership 4) Saves MILLIONS of Dollars because it is done REMOTELY.
Congratulations Ruth Njeri Gitau what a terrific update and so richly deserved.
Data Scientist | Graphic & Web Designer
1 年Congratulations Ruth Njeri Gitau!?
MPA-PNP, New York University |
1 年Yi Song Thank you for sharing this. My friend, Ruth Njeri Gitau congratulations. The fruit of your hard work is the evident. ??