Law school in one state, taking bar in another: classes? Forum

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

Are classes like family law or trusts & estates sufficiently different from state to state that it doesn't make sense to take them out of state if you are planning to practice in another state?

I'm planning spring classes and it seems like it makes sense to get some bar material classes...

Anyone have recommendations of what to take?

[A. Nony Mouse]

A lot of law schools don't really teach the local law of T&E or family law or the like, so I don't think you'd be learning stuff that would screw you on the bar exam, especially since the general principles will be pretty transferable anywhere.

[mrsmartypants]

It's hard to give an optimal answer to the general question, because while the fundamental principles of bar-subject law are fairly common, for certain states and certain subjects there are significant divergences. For example, if you're taking the bar in a community property state but your wills/family law class doesn't teach CP, you're probably wasting your time.

If secured transactions is on your exam, that's probably a good choice, because I think just about every state has adopted UCC Article 9.

Evidence might be another good choice if you haven't already taken it, because it's on the MBE.

I wouldn't sweat it too hard, though. A good bar review course really will teach you the BLL you need for a particular state. I think I took classes in only about half of the state-specific subjects and it was NBD.

[mr. wednesday]

Take the classes. It will be similar enough to give you all of the basics, the policy arguments, the terminology, the various ways of doing things and then your bar review course will narrow that to the specifics you need to focus on. But don't take a class just because it's on the bar. Take things you want to use in practice.