Author: Dwight Zenzano

Dwight Zenzano is the author of the Bar Exam Blog at www.dcbarexam.com and tutors for bar exams across the country. He specializes in the Virginia and UBE (DC) bar exams.

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Virginia Bar Exam

Virginia Bar Exam July 2011 Results are posted – 76.40% Pass Rate

Good showing this summer to all Virginia test takers. The overall pass rate was 76.40% with a great showing by the first time takers at 81.01%. Extra kudos go out to George Mason, University of Virginia, and Washington & Lee first time takers for their schools having a pass rate over 90% and representing Virginia law schools.

To those who passed, you are licensed effective October 14, 2011. Don’t forget there are TWO pass lists, the first is everyone who passed and are licensed. The second are those who passed but still have pending issues so those on the second list are NOT licensed.

Finally, make sure you attend the swearing in ceremony on Halloween. Congratulations to those who passed! For those of you who did not, don’t despair. Re-think your approach and sign up for the February 2012 exam. The deadline for signing up is December 15, 2011.

Link to the complete list of names on both pass lists:

http://www.vbbe.state.va.us/bar/barresultsprint.html

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Bar Exam DC Bar Exam Virginia Bar Exam

Virginia results this week, DC results soon

Virginia results should be out Thursday afternoon or sometime Friday at the latest. No big surprises expected but the long wait from this summer is finally drawing to an end. Good luck to everyone as the results are posted. When they are posted I’ll do a breakdown and analysis of how the numbers came out. And of course, the same for the DC scores when they are out in the next few days/weeks.

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Bar Exam Study Materials Virginia Bar Exam

Analysis of Barbri’s Virginia bar exam materials for self-study

Those of you that have taken Barbri or are taking it know that when you receive your materials (usually in 2 or even 3 shipments), you get about 40-50 pounds of books. This is quite absurd and one of the reasons I developed my own methodology for studying for the bar exam. Nevertheless, I thought I’d go through and briefly discuss all the individual books you get with the Barbri Virginia package, especially for those of you who will be buying these materials used from a previous test taker as many times some materials are missing. This will hopefully assist in your hunt for used study materials.

Multistate (MBE):

First a quick word on the multistate stuff Barbri gives you. I’ll be honest, I think barbri’s MBE prep is one of the worst out there. Basically, anything else is better (kaplan/pmbr, etc.). They give you a bunch of books, I wouldn’t use any of them.

Virginia:

Now to the good stuff, the Virginia specific materials.

Continue reading “Analysis of Barbri’s Virginia bar exam materials for self-study”
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Bar Exam Virginia Bar Exam

July 2011 Virginia Bar Exam results to be posted October 14, 2011

The VBBE has posted that the results should be posted online October 14, 2011, just over 2 months from now. In the past, the exam results are usually posted the afternoon before or on the exact day they say.

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Bar Exam DC Bar Exam Virginia Bar Exam

Bar exam for July 2011 is done – DC & VA thoughts

A quick look at the DC and Virginia bar exams from this week shows that nothing out of the ordinary was tested. Both exams were fair.

MBE – An average MBE, not easy, not impossible. A few civ pro type questions were thrown in, which is not too unusual.

DC Essays – Subjects were pretty much what you would expect: Crim, Con law and property, plus civ pro, family law and commercial paper.

DC MPTs – Both memos, one objective and one persuasive. Classic.

VA Essays – No surprises here, straightforward and fair exam.

Now the waiting begins. Try to enjoy the rest of the summer during this 2+ month wait for the results.

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Bar Exam

Couple tips for Virginia July 2011 bar exam takers

Last weekend before the bar exam here folks. Many people think that if you are not ready at this point, you are doomed. That’s not exactly true. Yes, it’s true that if you have not done anything at all until this point you are probably in bad shape, but what is not true is that you should take it easy this weekend. In fact, quite the opposite. This is the time to really cram/reinforce everything you have studied thus far.

When it comes to the essays, I recommend spending some more time on VA and federal procedure, especially the VA specific vocab. Same goes with Equity and Local Government. Know the Virginia terms. Take the time this weekend to write at least few practice essays to test your comfort level with the Virginia vocabulary. The bar examiners in Virginia are fair people but they expect a well written essay that ANSWERS THE QUESTION(s) ASKED. Don’t go off on tangents or try and BS them as it will not work.

Have a good and productive weekend.