The new year has started, and the February Bar Exam is just a few short weeks away. Next, the July Bar will be here as well. I have pulled this excerpt from my recently released book “How to Write a Bar Exam Answer in 60 Minutes” to help those of you preparing for this session (or if you are getting a head start on the July Bar). So, check below:

Time Management & Goals

The following time allocations are a way to keep the answer within 60 minutes. The most important part of this process is the outlining and organization section as this is where the framework of the answer is constructed. The drafting portion is then used to tie each section of the outline together and insert additional facts. The sections below lay out how much time should be spent within each section, as well as an overview of what should be accomplished during this time.

Issue Spotting (5 Minutes)

At this phase in the process the objective is to obtain an understanding of the parties, what are they doing, and what parts of the law affect their actions. To achieve this read the hypothetical in the following order:

• Last paragraph
• Call of the hypothetical
• First and subsequent paragraphs

Outlining and Organization (15 – 20 Minutes)

The goal of the outlining and organization phase is to break the answer into both IRAC and mini-IRAC paragraphs. To accomplish this take the rule in IRAC and list out each element or factor. Then for each element/factor insert a mini-IRAC below. These will become their own paragraphs later on.

Drafting (30 – 35 Minutes)

The third phase is designed to focus on applying the facts to each rule of law and come to a conclusion. This portion of the essay takes the largest amount of time because each fact may apply to more than one rule of law and often changes how the conclusion section is written.

Editing (5 Minutes)

The goal of the editing portion is to make sure that all words are spelled correctly and the answer flows logically. To do this read back through the answer and make sure all IRAC annotations have been removed and that each paragraph relates to its corresponding section. Finally run a quick spell check.

To read more, this eBook is available for $9.99 at Amazon.com, or in .pdf through the website here.