Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2016 Forum

[Easy-E]

Checking in...just started yesterday and taking PA.

I know I'm about a week behind you guys, but I managed to finish MBE Contracts & Sales in 2 days. Got a 75% on the first PQ set (17) and I'm moving on to my state distinctions.

Sorry if this was asked, but anyone else speed up the videos? I watch the vids at 2x speed. I follow along with the printed out handouts (free printing at my job) and I'm seeming to retain everything. Granted, I took remedies as a 3L, so 1/3rd of this was just easy review, but still, seems weird blowing through videos quickly while everyone else is complaining already about 12 hr days.

For the guys who already passed, is that kosher? I'm putting in about half the time, but according to PQ, I'm doing fine. WUG?


edit: Again, I'm PA, so not like I'm NY or CA.

I think most people started yesterday, don't worry about it either way though. And yes, speeding up the videos is credited. I'm doing 1.5x, I find myself zoning out at 2x, and I can't fill out the handouts that quickly. NY here.

[xdeuceswild81xx]

Checking in...just started yesterday and taking PA.

I know I'm about a week behind you guys, but I managed to finish MBE Contracts & Sales in 2 days. Got a 75% on the first PQ set (17) and I'm moving on to my state distinctions.

Sorry if this was asked, but anyone else speed up the videos? I watch the vids at 2x speed. I follow along with the printed out handouts (free printing at my job) and I'm seeming to retain everything. Granted, I took remedies as a 3L, so 1/3rd of this was just easy review, but still, seems weird blowing through videos quickly while everyone else is complaining already about 12 hr days.

For the guys who already passed, is that kosher? I'm putting in about half the time, but according to PQ, I'm doing fine. WUG?


edit: Again, I'm PA, so not like I'm NY or CA.

I think most people started yesterday, don't worry about it either way though. And yes, speeding up the videos is credited. I'm doing 1.5x, I find myself zoning out at 2x, and I can't fill out the handouts that quickly. NY here.

Cool, yeah I decided to take a week off after finals. Just finished up PQ 2 (17) and got a 60% after about 7 hours of studying so far today. Feeling pretty good about contracts so far. We all gonna make it fam

[AlanShore]

(working ahead because im taking a few days off for graduation)

I just watched Wills for MA - wow. He was terrible. I honestly don't remember anything. Not sure how I should approach the Wills essays - it's not on MBE, just on the 2nd day..... should I not study it much? wing it?

[bsktbll28082]

I'm having hard time getting my head around this idea. I understand the UCC assumes a K is "at most, only a partial integration", but I can't follow the exception. "Unless the parties would have certainly included a disputed term in the writing". So if the parties would have definitely included a disputed term in the writing, the UCC considers the contract completely integrated? Can someone come up with an example of this? Top of page 29 of the Ks handout

I tried to come up with an example, but nothing really made sense when I typed it. If I see a UCC contract, I'm going to assume it's not fully integrated. Perhaps if it is super detailed about most parts of the deal, but leaves out one major part? Then the court might decide 'oh they certainly considered all the parts of this deal, but left X out, so this is completely integrated.'

[bsktbll28082]

VA Professional Responsibility was a joke. But I'm actually enjoying the estates portion of property (there's something wrong with me). Not looking forward to continuing the mortgage portion; that'll probably kill me because I can't keep all the parties straight.

[blueapple]

I just watched Wills for MA - wow. He was terrible. I honestly don't remember anything. Not sure how I should approach the Wills essays - it's not on MBE, just on the 2nd day..... should I not study it much? wing it?

The only issue with this is that there are a lot of things that aren't on the MBE that might be on the state essay portion. I would guess it's fine to pick a couple of topics to just not study much, but you can't really do that with everything that's not on the MBE.

Someone who has taken the bar before should correct me if I'm off base though...

[Easy-E]

I'm having hard time getting my head around this idea. I understand the UCC assumes a K is "at most, only a partial integration", but I can't follow the exception. "Unless the parties would have certainly included a disputed term in the writing". So if the parties would have definitely included a disputed term in the writing, the UCC considers the contract completely integrated? Can someone come up with an example of this? Top of page 29 of the Ks handout

I tried to come up with an example, but nothing really made sense when I typed it. If I see a UCC contract, I'm going to assume it's not fully integrated. Perhaps if it is super detailed about most parts of the deal, but leaves out one major part? Then the court might decide 'oh they certainly considered all the parts of this deal, but left X out, so this is completely integrated.'

I think I figured it out, the language Themis just didn't line up with how my professor had described it. This is helpful to too though, so thank you.

So are you guys using the outlines at all? Just to revise your own outline, or does the lecture handout cover it all? I saved my outlining for the end of the entire subject.

[blueapple]

So are you guys using the outlines at all? Just to revise your own outline, or does the lecture handout cover it all? I saved my outlining for the end of the entire subject.

I'm not reading the outlines before watching lectures -- I tried for Ks but it didn't help me at all. Instead I'm making notecards from the lecture handout at the end of each day. I don't think the lecture handout quite covers everything, so what I've done so far for Ks is copy the BLL/reasoning from each of the the MBE PQs I missed (or that I got right by luck/for the wrong reason) into a word document and will add those into my notecards at some point if it's not already in there.

Ex.

When a writing is a partial integration, the parties are permitted to introduce supplementary extrinsic evidence (oral or written) of other terms as long as the evidence is consistent with the writing, but not if the evidence contradicts the terms of the writing. Here, the evidence about the earring settings only supplements the written agreement.

Under the UCC, a buyer may reject the goods if the seller fails to make a perfect tender, which includes a timely delivery of the goods. Unlike under the common law, substantial performance of a contractual obligation is not sufficient.

Under common law, a material breach of contract occurs when the nonbreaching party does not receive the substantial benefit of its bargain. A material breach of contract allows the nonbreaching party to withhold any promised performance and to pursue remedies for the breach, including damages. A breach is considered minor when the breaching party has substantially performed.

In a personal-services contract, as is the case here, performance is considered impracticable if the performing party to the contract dies or becomes incapacitated.

[Easy-E]

Seems like a basic question, but it's bothering me. Themis seems to say a unilateral contract is strictly "I promise to pay you $100 if you do X", and acceptance is by performance. Why can't a unilateral contract be "I will pay you $100 now if you promise to do X"?

[mu13ski]

Seems like a basic question, but it's bothering me. Themis seems to say a unilateral contract is strictly "I promise to pay you $100 if you do X", and acceptance is by performance. Why can't a unilateral contract be "I will pay you $100 now if you promise to do X"?

Because in the second scenario there is an exchange of promises. In the first, acceptance can only come with performance. I could be wrong.

[Easy-E]

Seems like a basic question, but it's bothering me. Themis seems to say a unilateral contract is strictly "I promise to pay you $100 if you do X", and acceptance is by performance. Why can't a unilateral contract be "I will pay you $100 now if you promise to do X"?

Because in the second scenario there is an exchange of promises. In the first, acceptance can only come with performance. I could be wrong.

No, I'm fairly sure you are correct. I am promising to pay you X if you promise to do Y. I think the scenario I'm imagining, where the offeror literally shoves the money into offeree's hand and wants a promise in return, isn't a contract.

[throwaway7]

Does anyone have copies of the pdfs accompanying the lectures filled out? Watching these real estate lectures is just murder

[Zero99]

Seems like a basic question, but it's bothering me. Themis seems to say a unilateral contract is strictly "I promise to pay you $100 if you do X", and acceptance is by performance. Why can't a unilateral contract be "I will pay you $100 now if you promise to do X"?

Because in the second scenario there is an exchange of promises. In the first, acceptance can only come with performance. I could be wrong.

No, I'm fairly sure you are correct. I am promising to pay you X if you promise to do Y. I think the scenario I'm imagining, where the offeror literally shoves the money into offeree's hand and wants a promise in return, isn't a contract.

I believe this would be a unilateral contract where the performance is completed by the payment of the money. So for example, if I say to you, "I promise to sell you my car if you pay me $10,000." Your payment of the $10,000 is performance of the contract. If you paid me $5,000 for example, this would be partial performance I couldn't revoke my offer. You could still walk away at this point (no obligation to pay me the other $5,000), but your example of shoving money into someone's hands in exchange for a promise is definitely a unilateral contract.

[Nebby]

Finished MBE Contract PQ 1 with 65% and was feeling a little down. Just completed AQ2 for MBE Contracts and got a 94%. We gonna make it fam!

[soj]

.

[Nebby]

Finished MBE Contract PQ 1 with 65% and was feeling a little down. Just completed AQ2 for MBE Contracts and got a 94%. We gonna make it fam!

jfyi this might fly early on when it's still just the keeners here but in a few weeks you'll get shat on if you say things like "only got 60% so depressed " when most people aren't even breaking 50 in subjects like Ks and property

I thought about that and assumed the only people in here right now were fellow no-life turds like myself who would understand my sentiments

I am no stranger to shat, however

[iliketurtles123]

Are you guys taking the entire 6-8 hours finishing the daily tasks?

It takes me about 4 hours and I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly or if this is because it's for the first couple days.

I am watching lectures at 1.5-2x speed though, and it takes me about 1.5 hours to finish the daily lecture and the assessment questions (and the handouts). As for the outlines, they just seem like a rehash of the lectures. I'm not taking any active notes while reading the outlines (but not skimming either). I give it a good read, and it takes me about 2 hours.

Overall it takes me about 3.5-4 hours. I'm not sure if I should be more proactive in my studying (making my own outlines, etc.) since this is about half the recommended time. Obviously since we're all studying this for the first time, it's hard to tell to tell if this is okay, but anyone in the same boat?

[Easy-E]

Are you guys taking the entire 6-8 hours finishing the daily tasks?

It takes me about 4 hours and I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly or if this is because it's for the first couple days.

I am watching lectures at 1.5-2x speed though, and it takes me about 1.5 hours to finish the daily lecture and the assessment questions (and the handouts). As for the outlines, they just seem like a rehash of the lectures. I'm not taking any active notes while reading the outlines (but not skimming either). I give it a good read, and it takes me about 2 hours.

Overall it takes me about 3.5-4 hours. I'm not sure if I should be more proactive in my studying (making my own outlines, etc.) since this is about half the recommended time. Obviously since we're all studying this for the first time, it's hard to tell to tell if this is okay, but anyone in the same boat?

Watching the substantive lectures at 1.5x, the practical bar stuff at 2x. Not reading the outlines, because I don't absorb any of it. Pretty similar timeframe to you.

[xdeuceswild81xx]

Are you guys taking the entire 6-8 hours finishing the daily tasks?

It takes me about 4 hours and I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly or if this is because it's for the first couple days.

I am watching lectures at 1.5-2x speed though, and it takes me about 1.5 hours to finish the daily lecture and the assessment questions (and the handouts). As for the outlines, they just seem like a rehash of the lectures. I'm not taking any active notes while reading the outlines (but not skimming either). I give it a good read, and it takes me about 2 hours.

Overall it takes me about 3.5-4 hours. I'm not sure if I should be more proactive in my studying (making my own outlines, etc.) since this is about half the recommended time. Obviously since we're all studying this for the first time, it's hard to tell to tell if this is okay, but anyone in the same boat?

Watching the substantive lectures at 1.5x, the practical bar stuff at 2x. Not reading the outlines, because I don't absorb any of it. Pretty similar timeframe to you.

Exact same for me ^^^. Watching vids at 2x, not really reading outlines unless it's something I don't understand/subject I didn't have a class in. Granted, I never did a lot of outlining in LS and did just fine, so ymmv. I just personally never liked outlines and thought flashcards were always better for me.

Only did 4 hours today and called it quits. Hit about 9% progress, so I think I'm doing good. As for the 3-4 hours, I believe that's if you do every day, including Sat/Sun, so if you work ahead to get those tasks done during the week, think you'll be closer to 5-6 hours?

[rambleon65]

Checking in... feels good to post in TLS as a graduate...

Question:
Anybody take a look at the practice essay questions? I haven't been writing out my essays but basically outlining / issue spotting. BUT, the sample responses appear to misstate the law or wrongfully apply the law to the facts. In fact, some of the responses are directly contradictory of some of the MBE answers in the same concept. Are these presumed to be the "correct" answers or are they really just "sample" questions?

[ultimolugar]

Are you guys taking the entire 6-8 hours finishing the daily tasks?

It takes me about 4 hours and I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly or if this is because it's for the first couple days.

I am watching lectures at 1.5-2x speed though, and it takes me about 1.5 hours to finish the daily lecture and the assessment questions (and the handouts). As for the outlines, they just seem like a rehash of the lectures. I'm not taking any active notes while reading the outlines (but not skimming either). I give it a good read, and it takes me about 2 hours.

Overall it takes me about 3.5-4 hours. I'm not sure if I should be more proactive in my studying (making my own outlines, etc.) since this is about half the recommended time. Obviously since we're all studying this for the first time, it's hard to tell to tell if this is okay, but anyone in the same boat?

The first few days, it was like 4-5 hours, now it definitely takes me at least 6. But I'm miles ahead since I had to start early. It will get more dense.

[Nebby]

Are you guys taking the entire 6-8 hours finishing the daily tasks?

It takes me about 4 hours and I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly or if this is because it's for the first couple days.

I am watching lectures at 1.5-2x speed though, and it takes me about 1.5 hours to finish the daily lecture and the assessment questions (and the handouts). As for the outlines, they just seem like a rehash of the lectures. I'm not taking any active notes while reading the outlines (but not skimming either). I give it a good read, and it takes me about 2 hours.

Overall it takes me about 3.5-4 hours. I'm not sure if I should be more proactive in my studying (making my own outlines, etc.) since this is about half the recommended time. Obviously since we're all studying this for the first time, it's hard to tell to tell if this is okay, but anyone in the same boat?

Watching the substantive lectures at 1.5x, the practical bar stuff at 2x. Not reading the outlines, because I don't absorb any of it. Pretty similar timeframe to you.

Same. I think the people doing 8 hours are BarbarTTTi people. It appears Themis takes a different approach to bar prep. They are chill af

Themis seems very reasonably paced. What I have been doing is to try and fill 5 hours. If I get done with everything and there is still an hour or two left, then I'll start on the following days stuff for an hour or two. I feel like 5 hours is the maximum number I can study and still mostly retain. I started a week later than my recommended start date and I am a few days away from being caught up to the regular schedule.

When I say 5 hours, I mean 5 hours of work--not 5 hours total. I probably spend about 6.5 to 7 hours if you calculate in my breaks/TLSing/stretching/taking short walk to clear my mind, etc.

[AlanShore]

Checking in... feels good to post in TLS as a graduate...

Question:
Anybody take a look at the practice essay questions? I haven't been writing out my essays but basically outlining / issue spotting. BUT, the sample responses appear to misstate the law or wrongfully apply the law to the facts. In fact, some of the responses are directly contradictory of some of the MBE answers in the same concept. Are these presumed to be the "correct" answers or are they really just "sample" questions?

I have a similar question/concern. i've heard not great things about themis's essay prep. I spotted some inconsistencies in an essay and messaged them.. I'll let you know what they say. I heard they are "model answers" but not necessarily 100% correct though I cant recall who told me that...

[mak_]

I think the essay workshop said they are usually essays that scored 70-80, which means they are solidly above passing, but not perfect.

[bsktbll28082]

I have no idea how many hours I'm doing. I just work through tasks, not completely following the schedule (sometimes I do more reviewing if I want). It seems like Themis goes easier in the beginning here. I start working around 9am, hit the gym around noon, and fiddle around until 7pm. If I had to guess, maybe 5-6hrs actual work. Course says I've done 12% (but I'm not really focusing on essays right now).