What Law School Classes Are on the Bar?
Though not directly relevant to passing the bar exam, many law school classes provide essential foundations for success. Key subjects include Legal Writing, Contracts & Sales, Criminal Law & Procedure, Real Property and Evidence.
This student’s personal statement showcases both their passion for law, as well as an awareness that legal practice can be complex and demanding.
Legal Writing
To successfully pass the bar exam, students should study various subjects such as Civil Procedure, Contracts & Sales, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property and Constitutional Law.
Take classes on legal writing as it can be an essential skill that allows a lawyer to lead readers through the analysis process in an organized and efficient fashion. This skill is particularly handy for writing memos, briefs, contracts and other transactional documents.
As you transition between 2L and 3L years, it is advisable to enroll in a commercial bar exam preparation course. While these are costly, these will help focus your study efforts on specific subject areas necessary to passing the bar exam.
Family law and conflict of laws courses should also be part of your study regimen, since both will appear frequently on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) and are double-tested, making them particularly important subjects to focus on when studying for admission to the bar. New York Law School provides numerous academic and bar support services from beginning your first year until your admission, such as weekly skills courses, peer mentoring, tutoring services, one-on-one coaching services and academic support services as well as workshops and seminars to aid this goal.
Contracts & Sales
Alongside their preparation for passing the bar exam, law students take courses to gain skills necessary for legal practice. These so-called “clinical” or “experiential” courses include client counseling and management, project/case administration, teamwork and leadership – skills which cannot be learned solely within an academic course but which are integral for successful legal practice.
UCC Compliance In the United States, transactions over $500 must be documented in writing as per federal law and state regulation. Many commercial law classes cover topics like sales contracts and UCC compliance as a requirement of UCC implementation.
Although it is impossible to take every subject that could appear on the bar exam, you should prioritize those most often covered on tests – these are seven areas covered on both the multistate bar exam (MBE) and most state essay exams: Criminal Law & Procedure; Contracts & Sales; Evidence; Real Property; Torts; and Constitutional Law.
As an added precaution, applicants to the New York bar must also complete a special professional responsibility course requirement. While several YLS courses do meet this need, it is wise to confirm whether any particular one meets New York bar’s criteria prior to registration. For more information about Bar Preparation LibGuides.
Criminal Law & Procedure
Criminal law courses introduce students to the laws governing crimes and how these offenses are prosecuted in court, while also exploring their limits imposed by the U.S. Constitution on laws and law enforcement.
Legal concepts and principles learned in this class are integral to prosecuting and defending criminal cases, making the text an invaluable source for student comprehension of its complexities by linking black-letter law with current case material on key issues facing justice professionals today. Edited case excerpts, as well as recent constitutional interpretation of black letter law are integrated with study of criminal procedures so students gain a full grasp of how these factors play into decision making processes within justice systems.
Although law school may seem daunting at first, students who learn how to effectively manage their time and make use of available resources have a much greater chance of succeeding. Most law schools provide various extracurricular activities which supplement classroom learning – such as student organizations that allow participants to collaborate on legal topics with fellow peers such as law review or moot court.
One way to enhance your academic performance is to utilize the numerous online resources that exist to assist with bar exam preparation. The top bar prep tools provide access to real bar exam questions licensed directly from NCBE as well as updates regarding rules and regulations which could impact your practice.
Real Property
Law of property encompasses a diverse set of topics, from land ownership and rights and limitations on its transfer; land use regulation; landlord-tenant issues and quiet title actions to landlord-tenant issues and quiet title actions. This course is required of many first year law students as one of their required requirements – though its content can prove challenging due to legalese language used throughout, tests containing multiple choice and essay questions on exams as well as multiple choice examinations.
As well as teaching you about the law, this class will give you an understanding of how attorneys practice their craft to facilitate deals – including negotiation, contract drafting and client engagement, dispute resolution and settlements. You’ll gain an appreciation of how real estate transactions fit into other major areas of law like construction law.
Law school differs significantly from undergraduate education in its delivery method; nonetheless, students still require considerable dedication outside of class in order to succeed. Students typically dedicate 40 or more hours each week reading and studying. Study groups can be invaluable resources in law school for first year law students (PLs). Study groups allow for meaningful interaction among classmates while getting feedback on assignments/tests from experts as well as practicing notetaking during classes – perhaps leading them to higher grades on examinations/final papers than without their support!
Torts
If someone violates your privacy, property or dignity rights in some way, a tort action could be filed in court to recover costs incurred and enforce liability on those responsible. This type of civil suit seeks recompense as well as justice against wrongdoers.
The New York Bar Exam is composed of three parts, the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). The MBE is a six-hour multiple choice exam designed to test your knowledge of American law and legal subject matter; MEE includes six essays; while the MPT contains two 90-minute skills questions with tasks such as an objective memo, persuasive brief, demand letter or opinion letter that need to be completed within 90 minutes.
Accessing the appropriate law school classes is key to passing the bar exam and beginning your career as a lawyer. Pace offers blackletter and legal doctrine courses, clinics and skills-based and experiential classes designed to make you an excellent attorney.
Apart from these essential bar prep subjects, we also recommend enrolling in a course covering topics likely to appear on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). This 60-question exam covers ethical standards in law practice that is offered three times each year: March, August and November.
Evidence
Examining for the Bar Exam takes considerable preparation and study. Students should begin setting themselves up for success early during law school by choosing courses regularly tested on state and multistate bar exams – such as those double-tested on both multiple choice portions of UBE (Uniform Bar Exam) as well as state essay portions such as Real Property Law & Procedure Evidence Torts Constitutional Law etc.
Beginning during Orientation Week, the Foundations for the Study of Law course provides you with all of the skills necessary for being an effective law school student. This class aims to develop reading and writing habits, learning strategies, and critical thinking abilities necessary to successfully take other law school courses.
It also covers the fundamentals of research, legal writing frameworks and approaches to legal analysis, and provides a basic outline on how to prepare for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). Students aspiring to sit the New York Bar Exam must pass the MPRE in order to be eligible to sit their examination – it takes place three times each year – March, August and November respectively – in order to be eligible to sit it. In order to be eligible, an NY bar-approved law school course must either be currently underway or already completed before taking the exam in order to be eligible.
