Good Luck Starting Bar Review!

Here is the talk I gave my students yesterday when they began bar review:

You are competing in the July 2015 Olympic Games, your Olympic Games.  You qualified to compete. We watched you, this Saturday at Graduation.  You proved yourselves these past three or four years.

Now, what do Olympians in training need after qualifying?

1) The ability, which you have!

2) A great coach, and we and your bar review are here for you.  And,

3) Time focused on hard work. Hard work —every day, sweating, falling down and getting hurt but getting back up and trying again, every day all day until game time.

This is your two months. It is all about you.  You have everything you need.  Now bring it.

Bring your grit, your commitment, your stubborn need to learn as much as you can and get as competent as possible in taking Essays, MBEs and PTs. Those are the three events you are competing in!  Just as the athlete in your shoes is now ready to give it her all, you too must give this your all.

You must need to pass.  Don’t just want it. Don’t just try. Need this. Hunger for it. Push for it. Do everything in your power to make it happen.

You qualified to compete. We are your coaches. We are here for you.

Now take a moment and picture yourself at the Swearing In ceremony after you pass the exam. That is our Medal Ceremony. Imagine yourself raising your right hand and taking the attorney’s oath.

Keep that image concrete in your mind, then stop your mind from thinking about what is next. Just get licensed.  Have that power tool in your arsenal. Then, decide what to do with it later. If you have a job, great; don’t think about it. If you don’t have a job, don’t think about it, and certainly don’t worry about it until August.  Everything is on hold until August. Whatever you decide to do, you will be better served because of the effort you put in now.

Everything is about, this summer.  Get as much as you can out of every minute of every lecture; read, study, and practice, practice, practice.  

Remember, you CAN do this!  You can pass this bar exam!!!

Author: Sara J. Berman

Sara J. Berman, a graduate of the UCLA School of Law, is a Professor of Law and Assistant Dean at the Touro Law Center. She formerly served as a Director at the Washington DC-based Center for Legal Education Excellence. View all posts by Sara J. Berman