2018 February New York Bar Forum

[PanickingBarTaker]

Sounds great but where can i get Themis books or MBE subject outlines?

If i don't know the black letter law, would i still be able to start on adaptibar?

sent you a PM, I can email you outlines and other resources I have.

Can I get the resources too? I'm taking the NY Bar in Feb and am planning on studying early since I'm working full time.

Same here! 3 of us so far! I'm glad i'm not alone.

MAKE IT 4

Can we make it 5 please

[lolabear727]

Sounds great but where can i get Themis books or MBE subject outlines?

If i don't know the black letter law, would i still be able to start on adaptibar?

sent you a PM, I can email you outlines and other resources I have.

Can I get the resources too? I'm taking the NY Bar in Feb and am planning on studying early since I'm working full time.

Same here! 3 of us so far! I'm glad i'm not alone.

MAKE IT 4

Can we make it 5 please

Hey y'all!! Who has started review yet? I stated with Themis last week, just minimal review, listening to lectures. Just got my books this week.

[nada123]

Hey y'all!! Who has started review yet? I stated with Themis last week, just minimal review, listening to lectures. Just got my books this week.

Have also started with Themis. Listening to lectures in flex mode and doing those lecture handouts. Are there any benefits studying the subjects in Themis's order? (Contracts first, then Real Property, Family, Torts etc). Does it matter?

Any advice for a first time taker (working full time)?

Finding it hard to spend more than an hour or so studying on weekdays. Can get a solid day and a half of studying done on weekends. What are other people doing?

[b290]

Hey y'all!! Who has started review yet? I stated with Themis last week, just minimal review, listening to lectures. Just got my books this week.

I technically started with my Emanuel's S&T - after wanting to do essays.

I also remember why I hate Civ Pro

[Banana1]

Hey y'all!! Who has started review yet? I stated with Themis last week, just minimal review, listening to lectures. Just got my books this week.

I technically started with my Emanuel's S&T - after wanting to do essays.

I also remember why I hate Civ Pro

How are you finding Emanuel's ?

[law9871]

The Emanuels book is great for MBE questions, it has just about all of the questions that Adaptibar has for way less.

[kc128]

...any thoughts on test locations? The armory is extremely far from me, and I don't see many hotel options.

Define “extremely far.” Where are you? The Armory is right by the GW and I-95 (and connectors). Unless you’re nearer to White Plains, Buffalo and Albany are your only options.

The Armory’s in Washington Heights. It’s right by NY Presbyterian Hospital, so parking’s extremely hard to come by - which is generally the case in NYC.

I'm an out of state person, any suggestions on where to stay? I was thinking somewhere close to the subway stations that have direct trains to the Armory??

Your thinking’s right. I’d personally AirBnB it. For that time of year, if you’re flying in as of Monday morning, you can get it for Mon-Wed for about $350 (for all 3 days) now, which is reasonable for NYC.

The trains which you need to get/transfer to are the A/C or the 1 lines. You can transfer to either line @ Times Square (although xfer to the A/C there can be a longer walk - 7-10 mins, in station). Also, the A/C lines run on 8th Avenue, while the 1 runs on 7th Ave. All of those are on the West Side of Manhattan.

If none of the above makes any sense to you, refer to the page below (the Armory is on 168 St):

http://web.mta.info/maps/submap.html

My $.02

Good points. Having taken the bar at the Armory before (womp), I would suggest staying anywhere on the UES or UWS. I personally would NOT play with trains the day of the exam, though subway isn't far from the Armory at all... just never know when you'll get stuck, delayed, etc. The cost of a cab was maybe $15/20 each way and it takes 15 min. tops from the 80s on the east side. There is a garage nearby, had a friend that used it. Personally thought it would be more stress.

Bigger issue is getting a cab in that area after getting out of the exam (everyone's lingering/trying to get one). So long as you don't mind uber or walking a few blocks, you're fine.

[kc128]

Hey y'all!! Who has started review yet? I stated with Themis last week, just minimal review, listening to lectures. Just got my books this week.

Have also started with Themis. Listening to lectures in flex mode and doing those lecture handouts. Are there any benefits studying the subjects in Themis's order? (Contracts first, then Real Property, Family, Torts etc). Does it matter?

Any advice for a first time taker (working full time)?

Finding it hard to spend more than an hour or so studying on weekdays. Can get a solid day and a half of studying done on weekends. What are other people doing?

Third Themis user here! Tho going totally out of order/using Flex. Good luck!

[gladiator0flaw11]

just registered last minute on the 30th of November, I didn't get to choose a location though. Anyone else register on the day of the deadline? haven't received anything but my receipt.

[Respondeat_Inferior]

just registered last minute on the 30th of November, I didn't get to choose a location though. Anyone else register on the day of the deadline? haven't received anything but my receipt.

Everything is available online, with the exception of final review outlines (the shorter 20ish page outline vs. the longer 100-200 page outlines), the practice exams which you won't need until later, and the MPT stuff. So you don't necessarily need to wait on books if you want to start now and just registered.

Hey y'all!! Who has started review yet? I stated with Themis last week, just minimal review, listening to lectures. Just got my books this week.

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm class of 2015 though and I didn't intend to ever take the bar exam for various personal reasons. I feel like I'm playing catchup. The company I work for though likes to collect people and find jobs for them later (mental health non-profit in a really underserved state, constantly opening new programs) so they thought it would be fun to ask me to take the bar exam for no particular reason except it would be neat.

That was a lot of unnecessary back story but.... I guess it's partially framework for the following question:

Themis tells you "do what worked for you in law school", but I didn't really have a thing that worked for me in law school. After busting my ass first semester 1L and getting all Bs and a B+, then burning out second semester 1L and getting all Bs and a B-, I just kind of winged it the rest of the time, got middling grades, and finished somewhere in the middle. I never really found what "worked".

I'm doing alright in MBE question areas because I learn fairly well with hands-on repetition. I have a hard time picking things up from just reading and re-reading though, if there aren't any associated questions. As a result, I'm not doing so hot in the essays areas, because there aren't a big database of multiple choice issues to work through.

Anyone have any tips for this? Memorization for MEE subjects for tactile/kinesthetic learners? Especially for subjects like Secured Transactions that are just rules within rules within rules. I feel like secured transactions would be a breeze if everything were just memorized, but there's a billion one sentence rules to memorize and it's just too much.

I'm supplementing with lean sheets' outlines and flash cards so far but there's some stuff in lean sheets that seems....kind of wrong or misleading? Like sometimes they miss exceptions.

[Banana1]

Hey guys!
I have a question on criminal law!

So one of the elements of burglary is with the intent to commit a felony therein.

Does that felony need to be one of the spesific intent crimes or can it be anything?

[Tony48]

Hey guys!
I have a question on criminal law!

So one of the elements of burglary is with the intent to commit a felony therein.

Does that felony need to be one of the spesific intent crimes or can it be anything?

Any felony. But the questions don't really get that narrow. The questions will usually test on an obvious felony/major crime, like larceny/theft, murder, rape, etc.

Most burglary questions are usually about theft anyway. "Billy planned to break into Sally's house and steal her pearl necklace." That's usually how the questions go.

[kc128]

just registered last minute on the 30th of November, I didn't get to choose a location though. Anyone else register on the day of the deadline? haven't received anything but my receipt.

Everything is available online, with the exception of final review outlines (the shorter 20ish page outline vs. the longer 100-200 page outlines), the practice exams which you won't need until later, and the MPT stuff. So you don't necessarily need to wait on books if you want to start now and just registered.

Hey y'all!! Who has started review yet? I stated with Themis last week, just minimal review, listening to lectures. Just got my books this week.

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm class of 2015 though and I didn't intend to ever take the bar exam for various personal reasons. I feel like I'm playing catchup. The company I work for though likes to collect people and find jobs for them later (mental health non-profit in a really underserved state, constantly opening new programs) so they thought it would be fun to ask me to take the bar exam for no particular reason except it would be neat.

That was a lot of unnecessary back story but.... I guess it's partially framework for the following question:

Themis tells you "do what worked for you in law school", but I didn't really have a thing that worked for me in law school. After busting my ass first semester 1L and getting all Bs and a B+, then burning out second semester 1L and getting all Bs and a B-, I just kind of winged it the rest of the time, got middling grades, and finished somewhere in the middle. I never really found what "worked".

I'm doing alright in MBE question areas because I learn fairly well with hands-on repetition. I have a hard time picking things up from just reading and re-reading though, if there aren't any associated questions. As a result, I'm not doing so hot in the essays areas, because there aren't a big database of multiple choice issues to work through.

Anyone have any tips for this? Memorization for MEE subjects for tactile/kinesthetic learners? Especially for subjects like Secured Transactions that are just rules within rules within rules. I feel like secured transactions would be a breeze if everything were just memorized, but there's a billion one sentence rules to memorize and it's just too much.

I'm supplementing with lean sheets' outlines and flash cards so far but there's some stuff in lean sheets that seems....kind of wrong or misleading? Like sometimes they miss exceptions.

I personally feel like re-writing all of the rules for MEE subject areas that you are personally less familiar w/ as a result of not taking the class in law school (i.e. secured) is helpful. Also, I would recommend doing every essay in the Barbri, Kaplan, Themis, etc. books. The ONLY reason I knew what the hell was going on in the July 2017 secured trans. essay was b/c the exact same pattern appeared in one of the Barbri sample essays I had done the weekend before the bar. Granted, I'm re-taking, however I scored above average on that essay just by memorizing the pattern. There are only so many ways some of these topics can appear on the exam...

[gladiator0flaw11]

So I registered Nov 30th and still haven't chose my seat location. Assuming I was late registering is why I didn't have a location choice? Haven't received anything but an online confirmation of payment for the exam ($250). Anyone else?

[Damage Over Time]

So I registered Nov 30th and still haven't chose my seat location. Assuming I was late registering is why I didn't have a location choice? Haven't received anything but an online confirmation of payment for the exam ($250). Anyone else?

I just looked through my files and I registered for the bar exam on April 30th (the last day for the July 2016 exam) and I received a confirmation email confirming my location choice on June 13.


So you're probably fine at this point.

[nada123]

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm also working similar hours but struggling to complete 0.5% per day! What's your studying schedule like? Amazed at how you 're able to complete 1% per day. Any tips appreciated!!

[lolabear727]

So I registered Nov 30th and still haven't chose my seat location. Assuming I was late registering is why I didn't have a location choice? Haven't received anything but an online confirmation of payment for the exam ($250). Anyone else?

No one gets to choose a seat. Not to be a jerk... but all the information about when you will get your seat email and how seats are determined are on the BOLE website. They said that we will get out seat selection email about a month after the application closes. For last February I received mine around 1/11.

[lolabear727]

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm also working similar hours but struggling to complete 0.5% per day! What's your studying schedule like? Amazed at how you 're able to complete 1% per day. Any tips appreciated!!

Dang! I really need to step my game up. After Thanksgiving I fell off and didn't even log on to the website. ugh.. Motivation. Motivation. Motivation.

[Respondeat_Inferior]

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm also working similar hours but struggling to complete 0.5% per day! What's your studying schedule like? Amazed at how you 're able to complete 1% per day. Any tips appreciated!!

It helps that I'm a basket case, so most of this probably won't be of any help to you unfortunately.

1. I financially and emotionally supported my SO while she studied for her bar and finished up her last year of law school, (two times, didn't pass first time), so I have an understanding SO when it comes to me using up all of my time for studying.

2. I watch all the lectures a 1.5x speed minimum (Themis, 2x speed for Torts guy and Civ Pro guy because holy hell they sound like they're stroking out at the podium and I've got places to be).

3. I have a weird metabolism and generally only eat once per day in a big meal rather than throughout the day, so I don't spend any time cooking.

4. I only sleep 5-6 hours a night, that's just my normal routine, not a personal neglect thing.

5. I start studying when I get home from work and don't stop till midnight. So 6:30/7pm-12am. Some days this is just enough to eke out 1%, some days I have 1% by 9 or 10, Themis does a shit job at allocating percentage based on actual time spent (0.4% for 180 pages of civ pro outline, cool deal). The days I'm over make up for the days I slack.

6. I started on Themis on the very first day (Nov. 6) and I printed out the schedule for the entire course all the way through to the bar exam so that if I ever missed something I would know exactly where I needed to get to to be back on track.

7. Huge inferiority complex/imposter syndrome.

8. Adderall (™)

[b290]

So I registered Nov 30th and still haven't chose my seat location. Assuming I was late registering is why I didn't have a location choice? Haven't received anything but an online confirmation of payment for the exam ($250). Anyone else?

No one gets to choose a seat. Not to be a jerk... but all the information about when you will get your seat email and how seats are determined are on the BOLE website. They said that we will get out seat selection email about a month after the application closes. For last February I received mine around 1/11.

Correct. For last Feb, I got the ExamSoft (install your software) email on Dec 16th, with a deadline to be registered as of January 6th.

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm also working similar hours but struggling to complete 0.5% per day! What's your studying schedule like? Amazed at how you 're able to complete 1% per day. Any tips appreciated!!

Dang! I really need to step my game up. After Thanksgiving I fell off and didn't even log on to the website. ugh.. Motivation. Motivation. Motivation.

If it makes you feel better, I’ve been slacking since the end of Nov. Not good

[lolabear727]

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm also working similar hours but struggling to complete 0.5% per day! What's your studying schedule like? Amazed at how you 're able to complete 1% per day. Any tips appreciated!!

It helps that I'm a basket case, so most of this probably won't be of any help to you unfortunately.

1. I financially and emotionally supported my SO while she studied for her bar and finished up her last year of law school, (two times, didn't pass first time), so I have an understanding SO when it comes to me using up all of my time for studying.

2. I watch all the lectures a 1.5x speed minimum (Themis, 2x speed for Torts guy and Civ Pro guy because holy hell they sound like they're stroking out at the podium and I've got places to be).

3. I have a weird metabolism and generally only eat once per day in a big meal rather than throughout the day, so I don't spend any time cooking.

4. I only sleep 5-6 hours a night, that's just my normal routine, not a personal neglect thing.

5. I start studying when I get home from work and don't stop till midnight. So 6:30/7pm-12am. Some days this is just enough to eke out 1%, some days I have 1% by 9 or 10, Themis does a shit job at allocating percentage based on actual time spent (0.4% for 180 pages of civ pro outline, cool deal). The days I'm over make up for the days I slack.

6. I started on Themis on the very first day (Nov. 6) and I printed out the schedule for the entire course all the way through to the bar exam so that if I ever missed something I would know exactly where I needed to get to to be back on track.

7. Huge inferiority complex/imposter syndrome.

8. Adderall (™)

#2 - hahaha I think we are going to be great friends!
#6 - same but I totally fell off and should use my tools that I had on 11/6 to get back on track today..
#8 - yes x2 per day...

[lolabear727]

So I registered Nov 30th and still haven't chose my seat location. Assuming I was late registering is why I didn't have a location choice? Haven't received anything but an online confirmation of payment for the exam ($250). Anyone else?

No one gets to choose a seat. Not to be a jerk... but all the information about when you will get your seat email and how seats are determined are on the BOLE website. They said that we will get out seat selection email about a month after the application closes. For last February I received mine around 1/11.

Correct. For last Feb, I got the ExamSoft (install your software) email on Dec 16th, with a deadline to be registered as of January 6th.

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm also working similar hours but struggling to complete 0.5% per day! What's your studying schedule like? Amazed at how you 're able to complete 1% per day. Any tips appreciated!!

Dang! I really need to step my game up. After Thanksgiving I fell off and didn't even log on to the website. ugh.. Motivation. Motivation. Motivation.

If it makes you feel better, I’ve been slacking since the end of Nov. Not good

I don't want to say your slacking makes me feel better since that doesn't seem very nice.. But yes, it does! Thank you!

[Banana1]

Hey guys!
I have a question on criminal law!

So one of the elements of burglary is with the intent to commit a felony therein.

Does that felony need to be one of the spesific intent crimes or can it be anything?

Any felony. But the questions don't really get that narrow. The questions will usually test on an obvious felony/major crime, like larceny/theft, murder, rape, etc.

Most burglary questions are usually about theft anyway. "Billy planned to break into Sally's house and steal her pearl necklace." That's usually how the questions go.

Thank you so much!!

[b290]

Hey y’all! This one’s for those who are taking the NYLE this week (and in the future). A buddy’s told me that the Board’s has changed the NYLC PDF. The current edition (2017) is an image PDF, rendering searching for stuff on (NYLE) exam day useless.

The solution’s to get last year’s PDF. It’s a document, so the previous NYLE advice’s still relevant. I’ll be happy to provide mine. No need to waste time - know you’ve passed!

For the rest of y’all, happy studying!

My $.02

[nada123]

I started with Themis on November 6th. I'm at 28% completion so far. I work 40-50 hours a week, so in order to keep things manageable and retain my sanity, I set a reasonable goal of 1% per day, and a bit more than that on weekends. That way I can finish 100% of the class with room to spare, and still be able to have a few days off for holidays.

I'm also working similar hours but struggling to complete 0.5% per day! What's your studying schedule like? Amazed at how you 're able to complete 1% per day. Any tips appreciated!!

It helps that I'm a basket case, so most of this probably won't be of any help to you unfortunately.

1. I financially and emotionally supported my SO while she studied for her bar and finished up her last year of law school, (two times, didn't pass first time), so I have an understanding SO when it comes to me using up all of my time for studying.

2. I watch all the lectures a 1.5x speed minimum (Themis, 2x speed for Torts guy and Civ Pro guy because holy hell they sound like they're stroking out at the podium and I've got places to be).

3. I have a weird metabolism and generally only eat once per day in a big meal rather than throughout the day, so I don't spend any time cooking.

4. I only sleep 5-6 hours a night, that's just my normal routine, not a personal neglect thing.

5. I start studying when I get home from work and don't stop till midnight. So 6:30/7pm-12am. Some days this is just enough to eke out 1%, some days I have 1% by 9 or 10, Themis does a shit job at allocating percentage based on actual time spent (0.4% for 180 pages of civ pro outline, cool deal). The days I'm over make up for the days I slack.

6. I started on Themis on the very first day (Nov. 6) and I printed out the schedule for the entire course all the way through to the bar exam so that if I ever missed something I would know exactly where I needed to get to to be back on track.

7. Huge inferiority complex/imposter syndrome.

8. Adderall (™)

You are so lucky re #3 and 4! Those take up most of my time. But will be taking your advice for #2 and 5!

Do you listen to the lectures and/or make notes from the outlines? I find i don't have enough time to do both! So i've just chosen the lectures and study off the lecture handouts, referring to the sections in the outlines if i really don't understand.

(And by outlines i mean the books with the chapters - is that the correct term?)