We Have Arrived At The Party: Thoughts on the Multi-state bar examination.

1. Study one subject at a time. Study one subject at a time during your bar prep period. There are six multi-state bar exam subjects. Choose either: (i) the subject that the commercial bar prep course begins its studies with, or (ii) the most difficult multi-state bar subject you encountered in law school.

2. Each week or so, study another multi-state bar exam subject. Keep adding one subject on to the previous subject until you have learned all six topics.

3. Don't think about the past: Whenever you answer a multi-state question, answer that question, and move on. Do not think about the previous question, again. Ever. When you move to the next question, that is the question that receives all of your focus and attention. Do not second guess the answer in the previous question. That question is done and over with. Forever. Concentrate on the question before you.

4. I want you to be an active learner: an active learner tests herself on the material, even when she is doubtful of her abilities or when she knows she has not mastered the law. Study one subject, test on that subject, create your outline for that subject.

5. Take a day off from testing. Yes, you can and will take a day off. However, even if you "take one day off," there is still time during that day for testing. Rise at 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. Test at 8:30 a.m., for three hours. You are finished at 11:30 a.m. Go have your day off. No review. No outline. Test. Three hours. Then go!

Caveat Emptor: People are not impressed that you are studying for the bar exam; they are impressed when you pass. When you go to a picnic and tell others that you are studying for the exam, they will wonder what you are doing there, at the picnic. If you go to a picnic, keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, you will have to justify why you are there, and may have to answer some legal question for which you have no legal answer. You do not need a deflated self-esteem. You came for fun. Eat the hot dogs, mingle, have fun, and be quiet (regarding the exam). Remember, it is a day off.

6. Proper Practice Prevents Poor Performance. Never stop practicing multi-state bar questions, even if you are getting a very low percentage of questions correct. You must always practice. Practice helps you to keep your rhythm and reinforces your technique. If you stop the rhythm, the ritual, and the method, you run the risk of losing your technique during the actual exam. Keep practicing.

7. Skipping questions. Never skip a question. NEVER. If you skip a question, and make the mistake of placing the answer to question number 4 in the box for question number 5, then you have blown your entire exam, and will be required to go down "Re-take Road," (TM) under a circumstance that could have been prevented. If it is a question that you decide to skip, and choose to come back to later, then shade in a circle (a), (b), (c), or (d), but circle the question number in the booklet. Do not circle the number on the answer sheet, because if you forget to come back to that question or don't have enough time to get back to the question, then the circle on the answer sheet is recorded, along with the mark you made as an answer choice. A stray mark, such as a circled number on the answer sheet, will automatically throw out that particular question.

8. Please become a five-year old. Learn how to color. If you are taking a 90 minute test (eg., 50 questions), but for whatever reason, you are unable to complete the last five questions within the time period given, shade in a circle (any circle, please). When time is up, time is up. Circle the answer. Call it a day. You can go back and read the last five questions and change those answers. Do not get into the habit of not finishing the exam, but failing to answer the remaining questions before time is called.

9. Naps: When you start the multi-state bar, question answering process, you will probably fall asleep. Why? Long questions that you are not used to seeing, reading or answering require more mind power. You will have to concentrate more, for a longer period of time. If you fumble through five or ten questions, or find yourself on the same question, reading it two or three or four times, and your head is bobbing, that means that you need a "wake-up" call. A wake-up call may mean that you should take a walk, get some air, or, the easiest remedy, a 20 minute nap. Yes. Put your head on the desk and take a nap. If you are sleepy, then sleep. Head bobbing means that you are not retaining anything. Get the nap in. Start up, again.

10. Yes, it is the answer - seriously. Do not fight the correct answer choice. Fight to listen carefully for the truth. Whatever the answer to the question, is the answer to the question. You may actually find one question out of 3,000 that is the wrong answer. May!!! Some applicants tend to spend an inordinate amount of time fighting with the answers in the back of their books. The only thing this means is that you are refusing to learn. You would rather not be wrong, instead of deciding that the answer is correct. Find a way in which to agree with the answer choice, instead of constantly going to battle with an answer. Work to find the truth in the call of the question and the answer.

Our last two posts: the performance test and the essay.

Thank you for your time,

Prof. Smith

Our Last Three Posts: tips for the multi-state bar examination; the essay exam, and the multi-state performance test.

Hello, everyone. I am writing to inform you that I will write three posts over the next week. Each post will provide tips you can (and, should) use when it is time to actually study for the bar examination.

If you have any questions, please try to share them with me as soon as possible. Please leave your comment. No question too big or small. And, there is always at least one answer to every question.

We will talk soon.

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

An Invitation To "The" Party - Mode of Transportation (Driving).

Hello everyone. This is the last post regarding transportation to the party; that is, the library or wherever it is that you will study for the bar exam this summer. We have already discussed walking and public transportation (bus/subway), but do I have any thoughts on driving? Yes, I do.

1. Tickets: Make certain that if you are unfortunate to get tickets that you pay them on time. You do not want to receive a boot while parked in a space that eventually will become a no parking zone because of rush hour. You do not want a boot at anytime, but rush hour means that you will be towed. That's time that you will now need to travel to the Department of Motor Vehicles, and pay all of the fines on your vehicle with cash or a major credit card. This could be troublesome. FYI: Take the tickets with you when you leave the car and place them on the desk where you keep all of your study materials. You can pay the tickets on line and the tickets will be right there, in front of your face, as a daily reminder. We won't allow our tickets to double.

2. Parking: Think about finding a parking place where the car will be hidden from the sun most of the day. Don't be compelled to look for the space closest to the library. Shade is what you want. You do not want anything to melt in your car while you are in the library and that includes you, when you leave the library for the day or a break. Yes, it's best to have the "car visor" to protect your seats when you enter the car, however, if the car is already parked in the shade that will give you a nice, familiar place to take a break inbetween study periods. If you know there will be thunderstorms, then move closer to the door of the library; otherwise shoot for shade.

3. Change For The Meter: If you have to park at the meter, don't waste time running back and forth to a change machine. If Friday, for example, is your early day out of the library (only early day a week), then that is the day that you head to the bank or a local grocer and get your week's worth of quarters. Don't spend the quarters on the snack machines! Leave them in the car, for the car. Set your phone for the time in which you need to put change in the meter and allow for 15 minutes to gather up the items that you need to take with you and the walk to the car. This is also a good time to take something to the car that you completed and to pick up something else to work on for later.

4. Some books; Not all. You will have a lot of trunk space - - maybe. I don't suggest that you carry all of your books in the trunk. You don't want to be towed, or even worse, someone to steal your car. Take what you need for that day and keep it in the car. Also, everything you put in your car, you eventually have to take out of your car at the end of the day or the next morning. The books can be heavy. Take some books, not all of them. It's like a vacation - - you know that you won't wear all of the clothing you bring with you. Think carefully, before you pack.

5. A Cooler. Keep a cooler in the trunk of the car. There is nothing like running out to the car for a cold drink during break time and a sandwich, or anything light (eg., a piece of fruit, a few crackers, popcorn, etc.). The cooler, once closed tightly, is your window to good snacking and good breaks without moving the car or driving to the nearest 7-11.

6. A little "brown" bag: Keep some type of overnight bag in the car, too. A shaving kit, an extra change of clothes, toiletries, including a toothbrush and toothpaste can come in handy, IF YOU NEED IT. Murphy's Law sends out extra recruits to accompany every law school graduate taking the bar this summer, and you want Murphy on someone else, not you. Moisturizer, vaseline, face cloth, hand sanitizer, travel sized soap, lotion, after shave, a favorite cologne, deodorant, a brush and a comb. Whatever you think you need that you can stick in a little black bag in the back of the trunk is what you want to carry with you.

7. Getting to the library: Go early or go late, and try to stay out of rush hour unless you don't mind the traffic. If you don't mind the traffic, then I don't mind the traffic. I do, however, mind your time! Make sure you know more than one route in the event that one or more streets are cut off from you. If more than your requisite number of streets are not available, and it is taking you twice as long to get to the library as usual, then TURN AROUND, and go in the opposite direction to another library, even if that library is not a law library. A public library is just as good as the law library if it means that you can get to it in 15 minutes, and will not get to the law library for another hour and 15 minutes. Don't forget to adjust accordingly. That is the most important word during the bar prep period. Adjust. Adjust. Adjust.

8. Getting Home From the Library: If you are too tired to drive, then don't. If you are too tired to drive, then don't. If you are too tired to drive, then don't. There. I thought I would say it several times just to make sure that you are not too tired to read. You know yourself very well and can gauge how tired you are and whether you need sleep. Everyone can't just decide to go to a hotel and get some rest if she is too sleepy to drive home. There are other options. Stay with friends. Take a nap in a car in a place where there are a lot of people and traffic coming in and out of a store (even 20 minutes in a police parking lot is better than just sitting somewhere without human traffic). Do not put yourself in a position that we are now studying you (criminal law - manslaughter) on the bar this summer. Also, look at this word - man ---> slaughter. When you really break it down, it is not a pretty term. For you, for me, for anyone.

9. A Car Is A Home? My car was my home during the bar review period. It was a mess, but it was my mess and I did not explain my mess to anyone. I believe that I get to do what I want to do for the things I pay for, without anyone's help. So, it's my car to trash. The only thing is that you start to feel a little trashy when the car is a little trashy. Keep some plastic bags in the car and once a week throw stuff away. I don't say that you have to do it everyday because I know people that will spend 90 minutes cleaning out the car before heading into the library (anything to prevent the long walk to the library's front door). At night, no one is throwing away anything; we are sprinting to the car. Once a week, perhaps Saturday morning, take the bag out of the car and stuff it in the trashcan. Try to take out foodstuff right after you've eaten it.

10. Maintenance. We covered this in an earlier post, but now I'm speaking of cleaning the car. Go through a brushless car wash unless you want to spend some comfort time cleaning the outside of the car. Then, of course, you will feel guilty for taking all of the time to clean a car when you know you should be in the libary. Car wash. Please.

11. Tires. I have mentioned tires before, but just look at your car when you leave the library every evening. Look at it for anything out of the ordinary. Underinflated tires do not wear well. A quick look - - two minutes may help you prevent your home from being sidelined on the highway.

12. Embarrassed? Do not be embarassed that you do everything from sleep, eat, talk on the phone, or memorize an outline in your car. The car is the home away from home. It is just a small place for you to relax outside of the library during breaks when you need it. You don't owe anyone a reason, and you do not have to provide anyone with an excuse about your automobile.

I want you to get in touch with your bar exam. Don't worry about anything or anyone else.

Prof. Smith

Next Stop: The multi-state bar examination (multiple choice).

An Invitation To The Exam: How Will We Travel To the Party (Public Transportation; Anyone)?

Hello, all. Let's talk today about traveling to and from "the party" using public transportation. Public transportation includes bus or metropolitan subway system, or any other form of citywide transportation.

1. Get a Bus Schedule. Please. Do not wait to make a call on your cellphone to learn what time the bus arrives in the morning, or that evening. You don't want to be late to the bar prep course that is already in session, while you wrestle with your books, computer and other items, before you quickly squeeze into a seat, while learning is in session.

2. Be Ahead of The Bus. Even with a schedule, arrive to the bus stop five to ten minutes earlier than its posted arrival time. Some bus drivers are early; others are late. We want to be at the bus stop if the driver is early.

3. Metro Cards. Ask someone in your family to "fill you up," financially, with tokens or whatever type of pass that is used on the bus or railway system. Take whatever it is that they offer you and be happy.

4. Studying On The Bus. It is not a good idea to try to study on the bus. Too many distractions, even if you have earplugs that reach from one ear to the other. You are trying to juggle all of the items that you brought to the library on one leg, balance the multiple choice questions on the other leg, plug up your ears so that you can concentrate on one question during a 30 minute ride, and you just so happened to have sat next to "perspiration man." Something (or, someone) is going to give. Soon. Use the ride on the bus to send the 1,000 text messages a day you normally write each day, to telephone someone who is not studying for the July bar exam, or to return calls to your priority list folk (the people that take front and center in your life). Or, just grab a window seat and stare out into space for the entire bus ride (especially if you are heading home). Nothing says peace and quiet like a noisy city bus at 10:00 p.m., after a good long day of testing and preparing outlines.

5. Napping on the Bus. If you decide to nap on the bus, set the timer on your cell so that it goes off five minutes before you arrive at your destination. I have, unfortunately, been caught on the last line of the subway system at 3:45 a.m. Yes, I have had to walk two or three miles, on a few occasions, when I've fallen asleep on the local subway train. It can be an long walk, but an even longer one when you have 15+ pounds of books on your back.

6. Passengers: we are all concerned about our safety, so be cordial, but careful. If someone has had too much to drink, be careful how you interact with this person. You don't want someone to become attached and try to follow you home. Yes, it happens. It also happens to those of use who have mental maladies, too. I am no doctor, but a person with schizophrenia who is not taking medications consistently, may show some erratic behavior. None of us are featured physicians on Diagnosis.MD, but we are all caretakers of our own lives. Correct? Keep your eyes open and ears alert. Try to stand with a group of people while traveling and waiting for a bus (if you don't want to stand out.

7. Did Not Take the Bus Today (Waiting for A Scheduled Pick-Up)? Stay in touch with the person who is supposed to pick you up, by telephone. Let the person know (before you leave the library's study corner) where you will be and how long you will be. And, be there. Make a decision that you will wait a little longer or leave after a certain time period, if the ride has not arrived within a reasonable time period.

There is nothing that frustrates a non-car owner more than a person who says he or she will offer a ride home, but the person does not show. You will be angry, frustrated, mad, etc. You have to release (or, let go) of the anger, as soon as possible. This is the only way that you can take back your night. It's important to know that person is safe, but your sanity is important, as well. Don't spend your very important two hours in the evening arguing with someone about where you were and where that person should have been. Spend that time rejuvenating yourself for the next day. When you do have time to reflect on the "driver," ask yourself is this person consistently adding to my bar exam experience or taking away from it. If the answer is the latter of the two, then you know what you must do. That person will have to be given another title, at least right now, until your bar exam experience is complete.

Always weigh your options; lean toward efficiency.

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

The Invitation To The Party - What Are Our Means of Transportation - "Shall We Walk?"

Hello CLEO Family. I want to discuss transportation to and from the party. You have to get to the party. You are either going to walk, drive, take public transportation (bus or rail), ask someone to drop you off and pick you up, or jump in a taxicab. A few of us will not have to take any transportation at all because we will entertain ourselves by studying at home and will not need "a ride" to the party.

Let's talk about staying home, first, instead of heading out to the library or a classroom in a school, or a favorite quiet place to study. Home is where the heart is, but it is also full of distractions, but it is not the wrong place to study, if it is your place of choice. Those who choose to study at home must be aware that a good amount of discipline is involved to keep you on track. The "home alone" person must still get in ten or more hours of studying and do so while sitting near the radio, the Ipod, the television, the cell phone, the e-mail system, Facebook, and Twitter.

If you choose to make home your study castle, then I'm all for it. However, if you start to fall off the horse (eg., you take too many breaks, you take calls that you do not have time to entertain, you take one too many naps, or, you are in the kitchen to eat or drink more than you should), then it is time for you to get off the horse, and get on to the library. No one will be at your home to monitor you. You may dislike the library, but the library may just be a necessary evil.

Walking: the plusses! Walking ensures that you get Vitamin D everyday and that you get in much needed exercise to and from the library. Some of us may choose to take public transportation part of the way and then walk the rest of the way, even if it is only ten blocks or so. Get your exercise in the best way you can. Walking also clears the mind. If you have a nice sturdy backpack (and a good back), you can plan your day while you walk, munch on cereal and have a drink as breakfast, or do absolutely nothing but concentrate on the walk.

You will probably establish a specific route and run into several people consistently over the ten week period. Don't forget to greet people you meet on your way to and from the library. You have no idea when you may need their help, or vice versa. Do not be mean to others just because you have to study for the bar and the people smiling, sitting on the porch, or watering their grass, are not heading to the library for the next ten weeks.

The minuses! If you walk to the library every day you have to carry books. The books you receive from the commercial bar prep course can be quite heavy. Take only what you plan to study, and not a lot of excess materials (if you are walking). Otherwise, too many books may be a drag (literally and physically). Please note that you can break up your commercial books so that you only need to carry the subjects you will study that day. Yes, you are destroying a book, but it is your book to tear in half, if you choose to do so.

It is hard on the body to walk home in the evening, especially if it is at night. It is also dark. Regardless of gender, you need to be careful if you walk home in the evening. We all know the standard warnings; just keep in mind that you are extra tired because you are carrying a load of books, and your mind has been on the law all day. You may not be as alert as you would normally. Maybe walk to the library in the day, and take another form of transportation in the evening, as you head home. This is just something for you to think about. Your feet will become worn (quickly). An extra pair of athletic socks will go a long way. Take it from someone who knows.

A Cash Money Caveat. If you decide to walk to and from the library everyday or even every other day, never forget to keep a $20 bill somewhere on your person when the physically tired you says, "take a cab, home, please." Swollen, cracked feet, and a swollen, cracked mind, sometimes, wants someone to act as a chauffeur from time to time, even if it is a paid chauffeur. Keep a taxi $20 bill on call, all the time.

Next: Public Transportation - How to Work Our Way Through The System.

Prof. Smith

An Invitation to the Bar Exam – July 2011. What to Bring To the Party. Part I – The Workout; Part II – Transportation.

The last post was all about exercise and that you have to include it in your bar prep regimen and get it done. Before I leave the exercise world and move on to transportation, there are two questions that I want to address with you regarding when, where, and how you exercise.

Question 1. Should you ever make an attempt to exercise during the middle of the day? The answer to this question depends on who you are as an applicant?

Consider the following questions. Are you a slow learner? Do you have a slow learning curve? A slow learning curve doesn’t mean that you are not smart, or that you are not intelligent enough to pass the bar exam. A person with a longer learning curve may need additional time to pick up more difficult concepts. Will it take you twice, or three times as long to learn commercial paper (what is a holder in due course, how do real and personal defenses affect the holder, and whether those defenses are imputed to another under the shelter rule)? How long will it take you to learn how to calculate damages in contract law? Do you know the difference between a profit and a license? Also, what subjects do you have to learn for the bar that you did not enroll in while in law school? How much time will you have to dedicate to these subjects?

These are some of the questions that you should ask yourself before going to the library, and deciding, during the middle of the day, that you will split up the day, to exercise. If it is going to take you some time to get “X study” done, then you don’t need to get up during the middle of the day to take a break for exercise. You don’t have that kind of time to spare. Vigorous exercise will give you pep, but you have to travel to the place where you will conduct the exercise, change clothing, shower, then change back into street clothes. Then you run the risk of taking a long nap when you return from the mid-day exercise.

Efficiency is your middle name, and keep that in mind at all times during this bar study period. Time is very important to you. Now, can you take a break & take a solid 30 minute stroll between studying. Absolutely! But you don’t want to tire. Do you understand? That’s the key. Get the stroll in; move the body, but do not drain the mind. That is what you need. Pace yourself. Whatever you tell other people, make sure that you always tell yourself the truth.

Question 2. Must you go to the gym in order to get your exercise? That depends. I do not think that going to the gym is overrated, but it does take up a slice of your time. Walking, parking, waiting for machines, shower, changing, etc., eats up a lot of time. That does not mean that you cannot ever go to the gym, but do you want/have to go to the gym for your exercise, every day? Think about the time factor and the number of people you may have encounter (which depends on the time of day you hit the gym), then make a decision. Also, consider the thoughts posed from the first question.

Some of you are thinking, is she crazy? Does she think we can plan all of our exercise, and grocery runs, etc., in the morning? Do we have to plan all of our errands and bar prep work down to the minute and do it all of the time for eight (8) to ten (10) weeks?

Listen to me. Do what you have to do when you have to do it. You don't have to do anything that I suggest. I am just the messenger. You decide what you want to implement. I just do not want you to act surprised when the summer hits; I want you to have options. However, If you don’t hear me now, just listen to this:

July 2011, now; or February 2012, later.

It’s all up to you!

Prof. Smith

Next: Part II: How Will We Travel To The Party?

The July 2011 Bar Exam - Your Invite To The Party. Part I - The Daily Workout ; Part II - Transportation To and From The Event.

Hello, everyone. All of you that are tuning into this site know that we are trying to attend a party sometime in November. For some of us, the party will be in October. Regardless of the month, everyone in the CLEO family is trying to get the right ticket for entry into the party. That is what we are seeking to achieve. The winning ticket.

Well, I know you want to look your best as you prepare for the party. The "big dance," is not until October or November; right now, you are preparing for that dance. We all know that in order to look our best, that it is important to start on that task now, and not wait until six months later to get ourselves together. Right!

So, we must keep moving and studying throughout our actual bar exam study period.

Part I.

1. Exercise: You must move during the bar exam study period, even if you have never moved before. I don't care if you walk, run, Wii, do the Insanity Workout, Lift Weights, Yoga, play basketball, football, baseball, or soccer. Just get your body active. I don't have any preferences for any particular workout regimen, as long as you move. When we are under stress (informal definition - doing something in our lives that we do not normally do and doing that thing for an extended period of time), we tend to do certain things in order to cope with the stress.

Some of us drink a little more than we should. Some of us socialize more often. Others sleep more than the requisite period of time. Yet, many of us eat to comfort ourselves during a stressful time period. And, that additional food adds up to our inability to sustain our normal weight. Eight to ten weeks later, we can find ourselves at 10 plus pounds heavier than we were when we began a particular ordeal.

No, you can't stop eating. You have to nourish the body in order to use the mind as the sponge required to soak up mountains of knowledge provided for in the commercial bar prep courses. Starving yourselves means starving your mind. I know women go on diets all of the time. You can not prepare for the party without adequate sustenance. Men, who have also been known to diet from time to time, do not seem to try dieting during the exam. Known to eat mothers' out of house and home during any season, the male applicant for the bar does not seem to be concerned about dieting, which is why he needs to exercise as much as possible.

Is time in your way? I mean, you don't think you will have time to exercise? I understand your concern. Why? Well, if I told the truth, I would say that I did not exercise during my bar prep period. I was a good friend of Popeye's chicken & biscuits. I paid for it, too. Thirty pounds gained, and since I had never been overweight before, it was difficult for me to get it off, afterward. The sole reason for my lack of exercise during this time was that I was too scared to do anything except study, smoke cigarettes, and eat Popeye's. And that is all I did for the entire bar prep period. Today, I would be a walking time bomb. Oh, by the way, I don't smoke any longer (more than a decade). I have not been inside of Popeye's in at least three years (a biscuit still has a hold on me). And my treadmill, which is to my left, gets consistent use.

If you want a surefire way to get in the exercise, get it done as the first thing in the morning. Now, the requirement to exercise first thing in the morning, will conflict with my premise that you should test early, and often do it first thing in the morning. You have a choice of doing one at a time on the same day, or just alternating days. That means that three days one week you will exercise, and four days one week, you will test first thing in the morning; or, four days a week, test first, and three days a week exercise first. Or, five (5) to six (6) days a week, test first, then exercise, or exercise first, then test. Pick your poison, but pick something.

If you don't have an exercise, but you want something cheap, then get up first thing in the morning and walk. You can walk with or without coffee, or bagel or sandwich. I am not trying to act as the spokesperson for Jenny Craig, but you must get going. Get a sandwich, coffee, your pet, whatever, and hustle right out the front door. I want the movement more than I want you to consider how your hair looks, who is going to see you, that you did not wash your face, or brush you teeth, as those things do not matter a 10th as much as your ability to get up, walk strongly for 30 minutes and return home. I would like 40 minutes, but some of us will complain that they just started walking (never mind that they have been walking of their lives).

If you don't want to walk, please buy a jump rope. Jump ten minutes in the morning, and increase your time by ten minutes until you can jump 30 minutes (total). I don't need non-stop. I just want to see your time increase, a little at a time. I don't care how you skip rope, fast or slow, what I care about is that you get it done. Other men or women will try to impress you with their boxer like jump rope skills. Hit 'em with your rope (just joking). Don't worry about the other person; this task is on you. If you need a more challenging session, many ropes come with weighted handles; this will give your upper body a tremendous workout. FYI - you will not jump rope at 11:30 p.m., at night, after a day of studying. It's not going to happen.

Next post - a final thought on exercise, and Part II - Transportation To The Party.

Prof. Smith

The July 2011 Bar Exam - Your Invite To The Party. Suggestions to Consider. What Will I Wear?

Happy Tuesday. Although we are coming to the close of March, we are just at the beginning of prep time for the bar examination. In the last two posts, I talked about how you can get started for the bar without picking up a book. Keep in mind that some of the time you spend preparing for the exam will not be about how much law you know. You won't always be searching for an application of the law to the facts. Or, memorizing codes or elements, or factors. Some of this time you will spend getting yourself in line. You want to know what set of factors make up your own personal rule of law. This is why you have to prepare for the party mentally, long before the party begins, be satisfied with your plans, and be willing to adjust your plans if and when necessary. Let's return to prepare for the party.

1. The Uniform. There is no particular uniform that you must wear to the party. I will caution you, however, about taking ten years, every morning, trying to find something to wear to the library. This is not the time to spend thinking about fashion and style. You may want to look "really nice" for that person, but I would not try to pull it off everyday. Once a week, maybe; at the end of the day, that person wants to know if you passed the exam, and he or she won't be there to see you "get dressed" for the February exam. You know what I mean?

You do not have to wear to the library what you think you would wear to the exam, but if you have a pair of favorite jeans, or shoes, or a hat, or shirt, that you like, please wear it. Purchase five or ten of the same item, if you know that your ability to study forever, can be accomplished by wearing this piece of clothing.

2. Exam Clothing. However, our clothing should be practical, comfortable, wearable, and flexible. From head to toe. All of the time. Hats, jackets, hoodies, sweaters (yes, it is cold in the library), skirts, dresses, pants, socks & shoes. You are probably saying, "doesn't she know this is not real news to anyone who has been taking exams for years' now?" Generally, I would agree with you, but I am here to remind and suggest a few things now so that you won't make unnecessary mistakes, later. Just a reminder.

3. A blanket. I want to remind you to bring a light throw blanket in the event you become colder than usual, or want to sit in a comfortable chair for 30 minutes and take a nap. Where? In the library. In your car. Anywhere, really. You will tire a little, everyday, and most of the time you will want a nap. You cannot go home for a nap everytime you want to take one, but you can take a throw with you to the library, especially, if you are driving. Even if you could go home, home is a place where you will take a more comfortable nap and if you don't possess a lot of control, that nap could last three or four hours. That's too long. That's not a nap. The blanket will also be useful for cold legs, arms, back support, or an alternative to sitting on a not-to-comfortable chair.

4. A pillow. Those of you that won't bring a blanket (because real men only sleep on concrete) should consider a small pillow, or an extra large zip-up-the-front sweat jacket, with a hood attached to it, as an alternative. Use the pillow (a small one, please) to support your back while you rest. Or, just place the pillow on the desk as a head rest when needed. A large pullover or zip-up-the-front jacket will keep you warm in a cold library or in the late night, if it becomes cool. FYI: gals or guys who decide to take naps on the lawn can pull out their blankets and their pillows!

5. Tee-shirts. We know to dress in layers. As lawyers, we tend to sit a lot; we know that eight to ten hours in the library is a long time. It is an entire work day. Comfort is paramount. So, we dress in thin layers that we can remove quickly. A tee-shirt is your greatest defense to getting ready quickly and staying comfortable without worrying about being stylish (which should not be our primary concern, right now). Women might consider a more feminine, strappy tee as a initial layer and a regular tee shirt on top of the first one (just in case one takes a nice break and wants to have a little fun in the sun, with "the one"). Guys should consider a regular tee-shirt, too, especially since this is the summer, you will be studying, and you do not have to look a certain way. Also, the generic tee-shirt comes in several colors (black, white, grey), so you can change up some, too (just in case you also want to have some fun in the sun, with "the one," too).

6. Our shoes. Ten hours in the library. Walking back and forth to the cafeteria, or to the car, or to the library, or to our homes, or anywhere ... at some point, we will have swollen feet. If it doesn't happen to you, then congratulations. I would suggest a slipper that wears like a shoe. Or, a slipper that does not look so much like a slipper. Just be comfortable, please. Most of us don't want to wear our bedroom shoes in the library (I would, if I had no other choice), but we don't want to leave our place of study prematurely, especially if it is just an excuse because our feet look and feel like a sausage packed too tightly in our own skin. I don't expect that men will wear house slippers or even "soft shoes," so guys, do yourself a favor and buy a shoe that is one half size larger than your normal size, or buy a workable, walkable sandal. A sandal is not a pair of flip-flops. Okay, if you want to wear those, then fine, just realize that you may break them up quickly and that you don't get much support, or you may get a little cold in the library. If none of the above works for you, take off the shoes and console your feet with an extra pair of socks.

7. Rainwear. I am more concerned that your books are not soiled, than I am with you encountering a little rain. If you are in a pickle, and must leave the library when the rain is pouring down in buckets, find a trashcan liner from one of the 50 small trashcans in the library and use it to wrap your books in while you make a mad dash to the car. A umbrella works well for your body, as it has for your entire life. However, I have become a fan of the one piece, pull over your entire body, raincoat. You can pack it in a backpack without any difficulty, and you are less likely to leave it somewhere. I must admit, it is simple, a little unconventional, maybe, but it works. That is what I need; something that works. It keeps you almost as dry as the indoors, you don't have to run, and there is enough room for your books (and maybe another person, too).

More suggestions on preparation in the next post.

Thank you for your time,

Prof. Smith

The July 2011 Bar Exam - Here Is Your Invite To The Party. Suggestions to Consider for mid-March until mid-May.

Hello 2011 Graduates. I have returned to write more about getting ready to attend the ultimate party - - preparing and passing the bar examination. There are probably hundreds of bar exam prep courses all across the United States. They all have strategies and tactics for the multi-state essay, the multi-state bar exam, and the multi-state performance exam. Each probably has a reason or various reasons why some applicants don't pass the exam.

Well, I have done some informal research over the last 13 years. My research says that while applicants have some difficulty preparing for the law, the writing, and studying for the exam, that applicants have just as much difficulty organizing their lives in preparation to take the bar exam. Some applicants seem to have a problem shutting down their old lives for an eight (8) to ten (10) week period. Some people just can't seem to put one life on hold long enough for another type of life to take over. There is still a belief that studying for the bar exam is the same or similar to the type of study done for law school. That's not a bad analogy, however, try studying 15 to 20 topics in one semester. I'm sorry. A semester is 16 weeks. Let's change that to eight (8), and if we are very lucky, ten (10) weeks. Do you see the difference, here? Just checking.

So, let's return to prepare for the party.

1. Shopping: you have to buy and pick up all of the items for the party. The breakfast, lunch and dinner meals will not pick up themselves. Your prescriptions will not be delivered to you. Any dry cleaning? Must you walk the dog? Purchase kitty litter? When do you shop for the "stuff" you need? When do you run errands? When?

You shop at the earliest possible time during the day (early morning), or the latest possible time in the evening (at night). The local grocery store usually opens at 6:00 a.m. Okay, now you know that 6:00 a.m., is your time for grocery shopping. I know that you can barely drag yourself out of bed at that time. I also know that you won't be there at 6:00 a.m., either, but you know that the earlier you get up to shop for groceries, the sooner you will return home because smaller lines means that you get through the store faster.

I started the 6:00 a.m., run some years' ago, and then slipped up and fell into a later time slot. I stood in the "later time line" a couple of times and that was it for me. I returned to the 6:00 a.m. (or, as close to it as possible) time. No, I was not a beautiful woman at that time of the morning, nor did I try to be. Yes, you run the risk that someone will see you. However, I cannot tell you what it is like to be at the store first thing in the a.m., and back home at 7:00 a.m. Oh, and by the way, I did not say that you had to stay awake and continue on with the day. Usually when I shop at 6:00 a.m., and unpack (quickly); I get in a 90 minute nap, afterwards.

The goal is to control your quiet time and not to give it away to standing in long lines, looking for parking spaces, or chatting up with people that are not on your same mission. We are interested in using our time efficiently. Excuse me, your time. Key words. This is your time to shop.

2. The All-Night Drug Store: This is your favorite place of business - - an all night drug store, and do not forget it or forget where it is located, because this store is the key to a lot of things you will need to buy. You want a "go- to" store where there is less of a chance that you will be stuck in a long line. The 24 hour drug store carries just about everything you need.

3. Middle of The Day Travel: Rarely, if ever. Try, never. If you must have a pedicure or manicure, be the last customer. If you need to get to the barber or get your hair done, you will be the first customer. Or, you will schedule an appointment with the hairstylist until you get a date in which you are the first customer. I am always first to get my hair done and I will wait until a first-in-line time period is open. I am not going to wait hours for a one hour hairstyle. I'm not doing it. I suggest that you consider it as well.

4. Playing In A Sporting Event: Guys will want to play some sport somewhere with some other guys. Go. Do. Have fun. Remember one thing. Try a 10:00 or 11:00 morning game. Or, an evening game at 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. I prefer the evening game because you are not going to study first, then go play a sport, then shower and return to the library. I can hear you at the library snoring up a storm. Can you see it. You had a great 90 minute game, a nice, hot shower, and something to eat and drink. You made it to the library, full of zest, etc. Within 20 minutes you can't retain, or recite anything because you are now sleeping with torts, evidence and contracts on the brain.

Try the 7:00 p.m., game. After you finish that game, you can still do all the above, except now, when you decide to take a nap, it will be naptime in your home, in your bed. You won't have to worry about recovering and you will be at your best the next morning when it is time to study.

5. Watching A Sporting Event: Gentlemen, are you interested in watching a game, or golf, or whatever sport is on the television during the day, during your study period (eg., NBA Finals)? Here's what you do. If the game is 3.50 hours long, then you must dedicate, in this case, at least 7.00 hours of studying (include active testing p-r-i-o-r to watching the game). I know sports watching. I know that I rarely, if ever, return to what I was doing prior to the game. Why? There is always another game on right after the first one. So, to alleviate guilt and anything that would hurt your chances of passing the exam, I want you to double the amount of time you would spend studying (include active testing [writing essays and answering multiple choice questions]) prior to the game.

Think about this for a little while. I'm going to talk more about other outside influences in my next post.

Prof. Smith

The July 2011 Bar Exam - Here Is Your Invite To The Party. Suggestions to Consider for mid-March until mid-May.

Hello 2011 Graduates. I am back and I have returned to share with you certain information that I know will help you prepare for the bar exam. None of what I will write in today's post will have anything to do with a multiple choice question, or an essay question, or a performance test.

However, I consider everything I will discuss in this post as something useful to help you prepare for the exam. So, let's begin. When you are "throwing" a party, you must provide food and drink and eating utensils, etc., for your guests.

1. Drinks. You should purchase 10 cases of 16.9 or 20 oz. containers of water and store this at your home. The exam study period is about 10 weeks. A case of water consists of 24 bottles. If you drink three (3) 16.9 or 20 oz. bottles of water a day, then you drink at least a case of water a week. You do not want to stop at a store or at a vendor to purchase water. That is a waste of valuable "wait in line for no reason," time. Of course, from time to time, you will forget to bring enough water with you, and you will wait in line to purchase water. But that is because you did not bring enough water with you or you forgot to pack the water, not because you wanted to wait in line forever.

2. Cooler. You should purchase a small cooler to store in the trunk of your car. Every party needs at least one cooler. Coolers keep all beverages cold, and a cooler will also keep sandwiches and fruit and other items cold in the summer, too. Some of you may be dynamic enough to make your own lunch during bar prep; if so (and you drive), then a cooler will be very helpful.

Oh, I forgot about the ice. Do not buy the ice from a grocery store. Why? Grocery stores have lots of lines and lots of people who are not taking the bar exam. Those people may be in a hurry, but not the kind of hurry you are in. Also, not all grocery stores make allowances for dumping ice in a cooler in a parking lot. Get the ice from a service station. You can run in and purchase it (shorter line) and dump the ice in the cooler and not worry about water or excess ice getting in or on anyone. Just keep the cooler lid closed, so as to preserve the ice (coldness). It lasts much longer than you think.

3. Food. You must bring food to the party, or who else will attend. This is a must. Now preparing food for yourself while studying for the bar can be problematic. Often the person who needs the food (also known as the applicant) starts off in the first two weeks of bar study packing food for herself. The next four weeks the applicant is buying muffins in some "bagel with cream cheese, and jelly," store. On top of food, the applicant, who used to have "something" to drink every now and again, now has become a Starbucks (frozen drink) fanatic. A little bar exam pressure is beginning to show up in the applicant's choice of food, especially breakfast. Breakfast is the killer meal because it is the on-the-go-meal, and the first meal of the day. Because you have to be on time for bar prep, you have to eat something. Eating "something" can add 15 pounds to your waistline within a month if you are not careful.

Let's solve this problem. Buy lots of dry cereal, individual oatmeal packets, pears, apples, bananas, individual packs of raisins. Anything really, that is dry, that you can grab onto and leave the house within minutes. Dry cereal begs for milk. You can purchase milk when you get where you are going. Or, you can munch on the cereal in just the manner in which it is packaged (right out of the box). Mix individual oatmeal packets with yogurt if you have some in the refrigerator; if not, purchase the yogurt in the very expensive cafeteria that will be serving you this summer. Or, get some hot water (yes, hot); or cold milk with some raisins and oatmeal will satisfy you.

Do I hear the men screaming, yogurt?!?!?!? Dry cereal? Is she crazy? Yes, I am and no, I am not. You must have options when this bar thing gets into full swing. You should stock up on food items that you know you will eat. Why? You are preparing to enter a battle where words are very important. In this battle, you want to be equipped with the items that will save you the most time, and give you the best bang for your buck This doesn't mean that there is no room for traditional fair from the egg and bacon group. However, you will need food, right now, but you just might not always have time to stand in several lines to get the food.

Let's talk a little more about how to prepare on my next post.

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

Getting Ready for Final Examinations: The First and Second Year.

I will spend the remainder of March discussing the bar exam. However, I have no intention of leaving the first- and second-year students alone during this month (or April, either). So, let me discuss some final examination concerns with you.

Many of the first-year students are enrolled in the second half of Civil Procedure, the second half of Contracts (Sales), Torts II (strict liability), Property II, and Legal Research and Writing. Some of the first year students are enrolled at a school where Constitutional Law is taught during the second semester of the first-year. Criminal procedure is not a required course in the second semester of the first year (at most schools), but it is taught in the second semester of the first year.

Second-year students (rising to 3L status) will be enrolled in Constitutional Law II, or Evidence, as both are, generally, "required to graduate," courses. Some of you may have elected to enroll in Taxation, Wills, Estates & Trusts, or Commercial Paper, or Secured Transactions as electives. I'm certain that the bulk of you are enrolled in at least one seminar course, where a paper, covering a particular topic is a requirement.

1. Prepare For Finals (Again): If you want the best chance of doing well on Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I, or Evidence, then please copy (or, print out) all of your professors' old exams. If your professor does not have old examinations, print out another professor's exam. Keep printing out examinations until you have at least ten (10). Ten is not a magic number, but it is a good start, as you don't need all of the exams in the state, but you do want to have a good, representation of the document - - the samples that could make up your final examination.

2. Print out All of the Exams. All of them. Place each examination in a three-ring binder and if you have access to, or can afford tabs, separate each test by subject (and number). Now, suppose your professor is new to teaching and does not have any 'old' exams. Just use another professor's examinations to create an outline. Now, your professor may scoff at you and say, "do not use another professor's exams; only mine." That is a reasonable warning because no two exams are alike. The professor's warning does not provide you for an alternative to issue spotting, but your method assists you!! It is very important that you "house" enough exams, because you want to be able to spot certain issues, and the only way you can accurately spot those issues is to have a set of different facts identifying that issue over and over again.

3 Take one of your photocopied examinations (subject) to the corresponding course for the remainder of the semester. Each time the professor for that course discusses a specific issue (sub-issue) in class, look for that issue on the exam, after each class. If you find that issue on the exam, draw a line out to the margin and write out the full name/description of the issue. At the end of two weeks, pull out a second examination, and look on that examination for the same issues/sub-issues that you found on the first examination. Every two weeks, add another exam and compare facts, etc., for issue spotting. Hopefully, many of the issues will be exactly the same; the difference will be the set of facts that are used to make up the fact pattern.

4. Use this method to help you issue spot on your first five or six exams. Keep in mind that you are not answering the exam question. You are looking for keys to the structure of the exam and you are issue-spotting.

Okay, Next Stop: The Party for the Bar Exam.

Prof. Smith

The July 2011 Bar Examination - An Invitation To Become a Lawyer. Suggestions to Consider for mid-March until mid-May.

Hello May 2011 Graduates. I want to discuss a few things that you can do now, in March, to prepare for May and the beginning of bar preparation. A friend, who had entered law school several years before me, told me that, as a student, there is "always a fire to put out." He said it in a matter-of-fact kind of way, but I knew what he meant. His statement also implied that the law student must use time efficiently, because there are more projects to do than there is time in the day. So, how efficient can you be with your time now, so that you do not eat up precious bar preparation time, later?

The following suggestions may seem mundane to you. Some of the suggestions may not actually apply to you. However, try to reflect on the things you have to do in your own life, that will help to ease you into bar preparation.

1. Cars: get the oil changed, the brakes and rotors checked; replaced cracked or missing windows, or anything that you know your car will need over the next eight (8) weeks. Do not place yourself in a position where you are unnecessarily answering multiple choice questions, while waiting at a garage for your car. If you need tires and you have money for them, change the tires. If you need tires and you do not have money for new ones, determine which relative you will ask to help you solve this problem. If you need four (4) tires, ask four (4) different relatives for some assistance.

2. Health: get to the doctor; get a "check-up." If you have something going on, get it looked at; now. Do not place yourself in the untenantable position of, again, circling multiple choice questions while you wait for hours in a doctor's office for something you could have taken care of before graduation. Take care of it now.

3. Dentist: Ditto for the dentist. I know. Going to the dentist is like taking a car in for a tune-up. The intent was to spend $300.00, but somehow $1,200.00 is falling out of your pocket into the dentist's hands. It is still good to know what you have to do and when you have to do it as it relates to dental work. NO ONE wants a toothache and bar preparation at the same time. You want to know if you will need more than a cleanings. You would rather know in order to plan accordingly.

4. Moving: I'm awestruck at the number of people that decide to move in May and take three weeks to get the job done. Excuse me. You don't have three weeks to pack and unpack, and unpack some more - - and go to bar prep. Especially, not in May. If you must move, grab a box on your way home (until you have a sufficient number) and a couple of times a week, pack something. Or, throw away something. You will hit yourself on the head once you realize that you blew your bar examination because you were not packed, or did not have a plan (P-L-A-N) to move. Keep in mind the word, efficiency. What can you do now to make May much, much easier? Do you have to move right now? Can you study in place "a," take the bar examination in place "b," then return to place "a" and move to the place where you plan to work, live, or do business?

5. Accounts: bank accounts, gym memberships, netflix, peapod (grocery store delivery), etc. You need to know the penalties, if any, related to any changes, cancellations, and/or how to pay for something when service is interrupted.

6. Facebook/Social Networks: It may be wise to establish a social network for your profession as a lawyer. This is not a suggestion to advertise yourself (purporting to be a lawyer = unethical). This is about creating a page that reflects your new stage in life. Do it before you graduate - a good photo, with proper attorney-related clothing, will go a long way. You do not know who is looking for, or, at you (right now). Just something to think about.

7. Professors/Staff, etc. Please be certain that you write a note, or leave a business card for the people that have helped you through this process. I am not talking about family and friends (yet). Contact that first-year professor that made the connection for you, say on the "rule against perpetuities," or the professor that explained the difference between implead and interplead. Contact the security guard who let you stay in the library an extra 30 minutes, and give that person a thank you note. Contact the person in the cafeteria who let you eat free during the first week of school because your "loan money" had not come in yet. I want you to thank the environmental service person who handed you tissue when she found you crying your eyes out in the restroom. If you were ever sick, you owe that person two notes.

8. Administrative Staff: the paper pushers in law schools (anywhere, really) are often forgotten, except when someone wants something. Of course, someone wants something, all of the time. A thank you note will go a long way. It is just not that difficult to give someone a thank you note. The key is to buy the notes now, and write your thoughts out, and give it to the people that matter to you after finals.

9. Reading Glasses: you may need reading glasses this summer. You will be doing a lot of it. This is a "just in case," moment.

10. Law School Services: Whatever the law school offers you as a student, learn whether that service is available for you during the summer, while you are studying for the bar exam. If the law school has a gymnasium, and it is included in your school's fees, then you need to know whether the gym is available to you during the summer. Or, is your access to the gym cut off when you hear the words, "introducing the class of 2011." How does the library work for you? Full access? Yes/No? Does your school have a "former student, taking the bar exam in July," discount at the cafeteria?

Learn about these things so that you can ADJUST accordingly. This is the word that I want you to stick in your back pocket until the end of July 2011. Adjust. You will have to learn how to adjust, and how to do so quickly. Everything you do in preparation for the bar will depend on how you act, react, and adjust.

When I return, I will write to the first- and second- year students regarding mid-March and preparing for final exams. I will follow that post with a 3L, "What to bring to the party, post."

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

The July 2011 Bar Examination - An Invitation To Become a Lawyer.

In eight to ten weeks, all third- and fourth- year law students will graduate from one of several hundred law schools in the United States of America. There will be a lot of fun, festive events, family gatherings, and excitement during this time period because the graduates have completed their journey as law students. All of them have endured at least three, and in some cases, four years of non-stop, year-long learning about our legal system.

Everyone - - mom and dad, sister and brother, aunt and uncle, cousin and friend will have the chance to meet deans, professors, and staff. Your family will meet all of your 3L and 4L buddies, too. Many of the people that matter most to you will be in the SAME PLACE at the SAME TIME and the stories you have shared with each group will now have faces to match.

This day means so much to you. You can barely contain yourself. There are flowers, gifts, congratulatory remarks; awards are bestowed upon you. Everyone is in their best attire, looking glamorous with their new suits and dresses, and the sun usually shines for graduation, no matter where we are that day. There is food, drink, laughter, and a bunch of children running around playing. It is so overwhelming. It couldn't be better.

Or, could it be ... ?

There is only one other event more breathtaking, more exciting, and more overwhelming than graduation.

Is it the bar examination, itself? No. The bar exam may take your breath away, it may cause a little extra excitement, and for some, it may be overwhelming.

Is it finishing the bar examination and going on vacation with friends and family afterwards? Oh, that will be a lot of fun, too. It will likely be breathtaking, and certainly exciting. But, nope. That's not it, either.

Well, it must be the letter you get in the mail with the results indicating that you were successful on the bar exam. Sorry, that is a close second, but that is not the one event that is as breathtaking, exciting and overwhelming as the day of your graduation and day-long celebration.

The one event that is as breathtaking, as exciting and as overwhelming as graduation, is the party.

That's right.

The Party.

What Party?

The Party You Decide to Attend After You Have Received The Results In The Mail, or On-Line, Indicating to You and the World That You Passed The Exam That Qualifies You To Be a Licensed Attorney In the Jurisdiction Where You Sat for The Exam.

THAT PARTY!

Yep.

That's the one.

Three-L's. Four-L's. I want you to think about the party tonight.

I know. I know that you have a bunch of exams staring you in the face over the next couple of months. I know that you have a lot of requirements to meet and a final screening for graduation coming up.

I know that you can't think of a topic for the paper that is due in six weeks. I even know that some of you haven't started the research on the paper, yet.

I know some of you are coming up on the deadline for the bar application, and you are still trying to get that traffic violation removed from your record so that you will not have to include it on the state's bar form. I know that a few of you may even have a credit issue that you have ignored and will have to deal with as part of some jurisdiction's character and fitness review.

I know.

Tonight, however, I want you to think just a little bit about the party. Think about it while you work on that bar application. Think about while you conduct the Lexis or Westlaw search for that final paper. Think about it as you begin one outline for exams and finish up another.

Think about how much fun it will be to receive an invitation to become a lawyer. Let that future moment get you through some of the work you have to do over the next couple of months.

Why don't you do that tonight while you work.

And, I'll start helping you get to the party, beginning with my next post.

Party Hard.

Prof. Smith

Resume Writing - Words That Describe You and What You Do.

Hello Everyone: This is the last post on resume writing. As mentioned in the previous post, I want to focus on words and phrases that will help you describe who are you to the reader, what you have done in the past, and what you are doing in a current position. I will share this list with you; before I do, I want you to consider a few things before using any word from this list.

1. Please use words that apply to you or your work product. Just because a word sounds and looks good on your resume doesn't mean that this word actually describes you or the work you have done in the past. Make certain there is a connection between the word and you, or the work that you have done.

2. Please do not overuse a word or a series of words. Try, if at all possible, to keep your writing simple, but keep from saying the same thing over and over again. Is there another way in which you can describe a situation without being unnecessarily redundant? If so, then include another description for the reader.

3. Please use descriptive words, but not three or four in a row within the same sentence. For example: Edited, produced, directed, and starred in a one act play - - "The Lawyer." It is great to know that you were responsible for all of the work in the play. You should receive the credit for each of the roles you played in the production of the play. However, I would suggest that you work in only two of the "-eds" at a time. Edited and produced, maybe in one sentence, then, directed and starred in another sentence. Why? Readers want to know what you did to bring this production to life, still, they also want you to elaborate a little on the editing and producing, first, then, maybe, in the third sentence, discuss the director role, etc. You do not have to make the description go on forever, but you do want the full impact of your work to be noticed. Unfold the description - - a little at a time.

4. Pay close attention to the words you use to describe yourself. Every word that you use to describe who you are may not necessarily be one of the words that an employer wants to describe an employee in a particular company. There are a few words that most all employers would like to see in a description of their employees. An employer would find it hard to frown at a employee who is loyal, responsible, reliable, and discreet. I would not say that you had to be all four, but I hope that you do possess at least two of the referenced characteristics. If you do not, you will soon enough. As a member of the legal profession, please do not leave your "ethical" hard hat at home. You will need that, as well.

Some words to describe your work product.

1. Administered, approved, analyzed
2. Completed, conceived, controlled, coordinated, created
3. Delegated, developed, directed,

4. Eliminated, established, evaluated, expanded
5. Facilitated
6. Generated
7. Implemented, improved, increased, initiated, interpreted
8. Launched, led, lectured
9. Maintained, managed, mastered, motivated
10. Organized, originated
11. Participated, performed, planned, prepared, proposed
12. Recommended, reduced, reviewed, revised
13. Scheduled, set-up, solved, structured, supervised
14. Taught, trained
15. Worked
16. Removed, reorganized, repeated, responsible

Some words to describe you.

1. Active, adaptable, adept, aggressive, ambitious, analytical
2. Challenging, competent, conscientious, consistent, constructive, contributor, creative
3. Dependable, determined, diplomatic, disciplined, discreet, diverse,
dynamic
4. Easily, economical, efficient, energetic, enterprising, enthusiastic, exceptional, experienced, expertise, extensively, extraverted
5. Facilitator, fair, forceful, foresight
6. Honest
7. Imaginative, independent, initiative, innovative, instrumental, insightful
8. Leading, logical, loyal
9. Mature, methodical
10. Objective, optimistic
11. Participated, perceptive, personable, pioneering, pleasant, positive, practical, productive
12. Readily, realistic, reliable, repeatedly, resourceful, responsible, responsive
13. Self-reliant, sensitive, sincere, sophisticated, strongly, systematic
14. Tactful, talented,
15. Unique
16. Versatile, vigorous
17. Will travel, will relocate.

The words used in this post can can be found at:
http://www2.ferrum.edu/career/guide/keywords.html

We have completed our introduction to resume writing. I hope this has been helpful to you. I will take any questions you have or if you have a job description that you want me to review for you, please feel free to send it to me by e-mail or discuss it in a comment.

Our next segment will focus on bar preparation. If you have any questions that you want answered prior to the next post, please know that you do not have to wait. Find a previous post, and make a comment; I'll be ready to take questions for the July 2011 bar exam as soon as you are ready to send them to me.

Until the next post.

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

Some Descriptions, Some Tips and Some Thoughts To Make Your Resume Pop!

On Monday, I provided descriptions of two (2) positions I had as a law clerk. All law-related positions are not the same, and no one description is perfect for all jobs. However, when it comes to resume writing, in general, there are some things that are very important to you, as the author, and to the reader, who may be a potential employer.

I. Some Additional Tips.

a. Clarity
Read your sentences several times to make sure that each sentence reads smoothly. If a person has to read the sentence more than one time, then the sentence should be re-written.

b. Sentence length
A sentence does not have to be 17-25 words long. It can be longer, or shorter than listed above. Again, read the sentence, first. Check it for clarity. Even if the sentence is clear, ask yourself if the sentence is too long. A sentence may be too long based on the number of words in the sentence (too many words). Or, a sentence may be too long if the writer is trying to convey too many concepts in a single sentence. A good sentence length has as much to do with the number of words used in the sentence as it does with the number of ideas that the writer wants to share with the reader.

c. Word choice:
A friend of mine, Agnes Powell, Esq., once told me that lawyers are "word sensitive" people. That is a true statement. We listen to what other people say, very carefully. We read what others write, just as carefully. Or, at least we should. Ms. Powell also meant that lawyers "watch" where a word is placed in a sentence to determine how the writer meant to use that particular word. Word sensitivity is or should be a tool used by all lawyers. If this is the case (and, it is), then all potential employers who are lawyers are carefully reading your resume and cover letter.

d. Knowledge of words used.
Choose words that accurately reflect what you want to say. Choose words that describe your actions and your work product. Make certain that you know the meaning of the words you use in your resume, and you can actually pronounce the words, without stumbling over the second syllable. Purchase a thesaurus, or look on-line for proper definitions of words that adequately explain who you were (or, are) in a position.

It is not necessary for you to become hooked on the use of five-syllable words. Simple is good. Simple will get the message across without fanfare or confusion. There is no need to use a $10.00 word when a $2.00 word will do just fine. And, remember, someone once said, "there is no such thing as good writing, only good editing." All of us need to keep that in mind.

II. Job Descriptions:
Here are a few more short job descriptions that may be helpful if you seek to describe a position in a single sentence.

a. Intern:
Prepared written responses to 13 civil and criminal motion briefs.

Note:
I keep a notebook of my work-related activities for each position where I am employed. That is why I used a number to indicate how many responses (and, orders) were written. This is a condensed version because I have added more experience in other areas on my resume.

I realized long ago that almost everything you do at one place of employment is a transferable skill at another place of employment. I do not believe any skill I have is unimportant; it just may not be a skill that I include on my resume. It may be something to discuss as a minor incentive at the end of an interview, or an ice-breaker at the beginning of an interview. Who knows.

b. Law Clerk
United States Attorney's Office, Appellate Division. Prepared three reply briefs for criminal matters brought on appeal.

Note:
This is another example of a shortened version of the work done at a particular worksite. I did not go into detail about the work, however the reader knows that I prepared three briefs and that I am familiar with the process that goes into writing an appellate brief on behalf of the government.

c. Law Clerk
The Public Defender Service: legal resarch conducted on assault with intent to rob, double jeopardy, homocide, illegal search & seizure, joinder & severance of defendants, and show-up identifications.

Note: this law clerk position was different than the other two, particularly because of the job descriptions. In the other two positions, I conducted research and wrote the final document. As an employee with PDS, I conducted the research portion of the work, only. I included the type of research conducted to show the depth of my knowledge of particular crimes.

The last post on resume writing will be a post solely of words you may use to help describe you and the work you have done up to this point in your career.

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

Resume Review

The Job Description: Today, I am continuing the series on resume writing. The purpose of today's post is to review some of the job descriptions listed in my resume.

I have included job descriptions of two clerkships. I attempted to do a number of things when I wrote the following job descriptions:

1. Defer To The Employer: Provide the judge's full name, his title at the time of the clerkship, the full name of the court, and the dates of the clerkship. Always pay deference to your employer.

2. Verbs - Past Tense: If you are no longer working for a particular employer, then the work you did there should be written in the past tense.

3. Paragraph, Paragraph, Paragraph. If a position required the employee to wear more than one hat, and it would be just as easy to separate the duties as it would be to keep the duties together, then separate the duties. Make it easier on the reader's eyes, and show the degree of difficulty of the job. In each set of descriptions below, there is a reference to general duties, followed by more specific duties.

4. Talk the Talk, or Take a Walk: a resume which indicates that a person worked in a tax or probate related position should actually use words that describe the type of work that would be found in that particular job. You must be able to write about your work and include it in the resume, and discuss it in person, during the interview. If you cannot write it, or speak about it, you may have to walk somewhere else to find employment. Employers' want a person who can articulate and convey information. The resume and cover letters are both opportunites to showcase your writing.

5. Use Verbs To Describe Your Duties: What you did for a particular employer should appear at or very near the beginning of each sentence in the job description. Use the main text from your first-year writing course and look in the back of the book for "forceful" words. I italicized the forceful words I used in the paragraphs below.

Law Clerk
The Honorable Peter J. Panuthos, Chief, Special Trial Judge
The United States Tax Court, Washington, D.C. (04/05 - 12/05)

General Duties: Prepared reports on matters referred for review and decision to the small tax division of the U.S. Tax Court. Reviewed documents relevant to taxpayer deficiency, incl., taxpayer correspondence, court transcripts of witness testimony, federal tax returns, petitions, deficiency notices, and correspondence from the I.R.S. Reviewed transcripts of collection due process hearings to determine proper filing of federal tax liens and levies.

Taxation: Prepared reports on individual & corporate federal income tax returns incl., claims regarding dependent exemption deduction based on divorce decree & custody arrangement, earned income credit, withdrawals from retirement account for purchase of home & education, & penalties associated with withdrawal, filing of amended returns, personal & corporate loss, examined short & long term capital gain, innocent spouse claims, joint filing status, activities not engaged in for profit, taxpayer protest, late filing, failure to file, and accuracy related penalties.

Law Clerk
The Honorable Jose M. Lopez, Presiding Judge, Probate and Tax Division
The Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. (09/03 - 09/04)

General Duties: Coordinated administrative calendar of approx. 50 weekly intervention, guardianship, trust, civil & criminal tax, and miscellaneous civil/criminal matters. Processed orders & court correspondence; assisted judicial staff. Drafted continuance orders, orders for motions to seal arrest records, jurisdictional issues regarding application of the Youth Rehabilitation Act, and post sentencing motions under D.C. Code Sec. 23-110. Answered telephone queries of attorneys & interested parties in probate, tax & criminal proceedings. Supervised six interns; conducted legal research & prepared written documents.

Probate & Estate: Conducted legal research & prepared memoranda on substantive probate topics regarding will formation, will contests, undue influence, incapacity, self-dealing, conflict of interest & appointment/removal of counsel and other court-appointed representatives. Researched statute under D.C. Code Secs. 21-2041(a), -2044(b), -2051(a), -2055(b), prepared memoranda; determined that court has the ability to use its inherent powers to continue an evidentiary hearing for the appointment of a guardian or conservator when petition is withdrawn. Drafted order on surety's liability to third party for the misappropriation of funds by a fiduciary who was not personal representative of the estate at time funds were mishandled. Determined surety was not liable, although it knew or should have known of misappropriation at the time fiduciary obtained bond, however, surety not bound outside scope of contract. Wrote memorandum order on allocation of settlement proceeds to beneficiaries in wrongful death & survival action.

Federal & State Taxation: Prepared memoranda on matter of first impression regarding constitutional claims under the First & Fourteenth Amendment (substantive due process & equal protection) to determine whether state tax assessor arbitrarily or intentionally targeted only commercial real estate owners for supplemental assessment tax on land. Prepared memoranda & drafted order on constitutionality of state law supplemental assessment tax under D.C. Code Sec. 47-829(d), determined a violation existed, based on legislative history. Drafted order on novel issue - whether, under D.C. Code Secs. 47-1522(a), -2001, and -2202, the government was required to pay use & personal property tax on personal property that the contractor was hired to purchase on the government's behalf, and subsequently transfer to goverment after seven-year servicing period.

Tommorrow: Some descriptions, some tips, and words to make your resume pop!

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

Temporary Blog Interruption.

Hello Everyone:

I am writing to inform you that the Academic Support Blog has been temporarily suspended (from February 26th through March 2nd).

I will begin posting again, tomorrow, Sunday, March 6, 2011. I do apologize for the notice and the interruption. I am really interested in completing the Resume series, so that I can turn my attention to early bar preparation for the graduating students.

Thank you for your time and I will send an e-mail to the entire CLEO family tomorrow, after the first (new) post.

Thank you, again,

Prof. Smith

We Need To Look For Employment Everyone - Let's Talk Resumes for Our Law Jobs (cont.).

Today Is The Day We Concentrate on The Body of The Document. The body of the document consists of the following: position title, employer name, dates employed, and job description. We have discussed everything in the previous posts, except the job description.

You must describe what you have done in a past position that makes you worthy of the one to which you are applying. A few things that you should keep in mind when preparing a description.

Share numbers with the future employer. If you supervised 19 people, then tell the reader you supervised three (3) people on project (a) , seven (7) people on project (b), and nine (9) people on project (c). It does not matter whether you supervised a group of people at McDonald's, or if you worked on Wall Street. What you are trying to convey to the reader is that you have a transferable skill (a skill that can be done in more than one arena). If you can supervise 19 people while they flip burgers and take orders for coffee at a register, then the truth is that you can supervise 19 people who make cold calls to people who want to purchase securities. There are certain skills necessary to do job X and you have the character and wisdom to do that job, because of your different, but similar work habits in job Z.

Share your people relationships with a future employer. If a working relationship consistently placed you in the company of other people who are more senior than you, try to artfully mention those relationships and the work you did for that senior person or group of people. There is nothing wrong sharing with future employers that you have supervised other employees; you should also inform them that you can place yourself alongside other people within the company who are outside of your pay grade. It is not a question of whether you have influence with someone who has a higher ranking in the company; what you want to display is a certain level of maturity about you. With maturity and confidence comes trust. Once you establish trust, then other benefits come along for the ride. A relationship of trust brings more coveted and exacting assignments. It often brings exclusive, work-related, yet more social interaction with people in the company. With these assignments come relationships with those who are influential in the industry, but those people may not necessarily be employed by the company where you are/were employed. It is more than okay to showcase trust and to know influential people; it does not matter that you work for a large or mid-size law firm, if you are in private practice as a solo practitioner, or if you work for a government agency, or non-profit organization.

Share your accomplishments (eg., work product) with the reader (future employer). What have you done for anyone lately? Did you write three legal memoranda? Five client letters; four intake memoranda? Create a bench book, or some other document that shows or indicates some expertise on a subject. Expertise on an issue that you have prepared a document on is not only about good writing. It is also about the patience required to see a project through to completion, and the perseverance it takes to go through many difficult and time consuming drafts. Employers are looking for someone who will keep her pedal to the metal when times get tough or when problems surface. What topics have you written on before - - what interests you? Constitutional issue? Tort? Contract? Crime? A new legal theory? A law review article? Who received these documents? What was the purpose of the submission? Any memorable court decisions? Perhaps in a cover letter you can inform the reader what a particular writing was supposed to accomplish.

Be specific. Too often a writer paints with a broad brush when crafting a job description. Many people think broad is better because it shows great breadth and depth in a person's work. Some people even believe that a broad description is better, because maybe then the employer might not exclude him or her from the position for which he or she is applying.

I do not think that is the case at all. I believe the broader the brush you use, the more you will have to prove when you are in the hot seat for an interview. Or, worse yet, no interview at all because it is difficult to know or understand what you do because your job descriptions are so vague or too broad. Specificity brings with it an easy truthfulness and creates a working relationship between you and the employer that you are happy to do, that you want to do, and that you are qualified to do. It will not be work that you must do, or work that ends up becoming a burden on you and your employer. When the work becomes too difficult for you or your employer, that is when conflict arises, and too much conflict between you and the employer is never good for the client.

Tomorrow: our last resume blog will consist of a review of my resume.

Thank you for your time,

Prof. Smith

We Need To Look For Employment Everyone - Let's Talk Resumes for Our Law Jobs (cont.).

Hello, CLEO Family. Here we are again for another segment on resume writing. We are now putting our talents into creating the body of our resume.

1. Placement: Spacing; Job Title; Name of Organization; Dates; Descriptions.

A. Space: The person reading your resume is looking for space on your resume. Single space. Double space. White space. Some space. Any space. Space. Space has a very important function on your resume. It separates information and prevents categories on the resume from colliding with one another. A resume with too many words on it or not enough space to adequately separate those words is like a person wearing several types of clothing with too many colors on the clothing - - you just have to look away - - you have to look at something, anything, until that other thing (person) moves out of your vision.

That is what a resume with not enough white space on it looks like to a reader. A person wearing a collision of wrong colors. Now you know. Appropriate space on a resume is more important than your job title, more important than the organization's name, more important than the dates and descriptions of your various positions. Why? Because if the spacing is off, no one (NO ONE) will take time to read your resume. Even if someone did take time to review your resume, guess what they would do. Yep, that's correct. That person would impute the resume and how it looks to you and how you look. Your resume, because it is you, is that first impression of you that people are always talking about.

B. Job Title/Position Name: the job title you were given should stand out (and, perhaps, away) from the job description, dates and name of the organization. The reader wants the name of the position to jump out at her; she does not want to work to find it, and it is your job to make that person happy. Don't hide the name, but do place it on a line, a column, or a row by itself. In the alternative, place it anywhere that you can press the tab button that will provide you with space to write other information in another column or row. As a final note to title and position - make certain that you utilize the name and title the company gave you, and not another person's title. That's not good. Isn't it odd how you could never find anyone that ever heard your former employer's name, until you leave and either write or say something poor about the company. Then, what happens; the company no one knew is now known by everyone.

C. Organization Name: there are a few things you can do with an organization's name to save or create space. If the organization is well known, then the actual name of the organization (an abbreviation is sufficient) and the city and state of its national headquarters is appropriate (Eg., The Peace Corps., Washington, D.C.). If the organization is not well known, then include the zip code along with the name of the organization. This will help the reader to locate the organization, and learn more about it without asking you uncomfortable or unnecessary questions. There is no real need to include a full address of the company, unless asked for it, and you should not have anyone asking for the address unless they are offering you a job and this employer is acting as one of your references. A caveat: if your employer was company X when you were there (a reputable company that did Y), but somehow was acquired by Z (a fortune 500 company) long after you left that employer, be mindful of that distinction. You may have to include it on your resume (eg., Jones Company, now MicroSomething). Please do not embellish and try to make it seem that you were there when change occurred or even after change occurred.

Let's keep our minds on our obligations as attorneys!

D. Dates of Employment: the dates in which you were employed should be somewhere in the title, and description part of your resume, probably close to the organization's name. Right now, we are concerned about format, not exact placement. It is okay for you to include seasonal employment (Spring 2008 - Summer 2008), or by month (April 2008 - August 2008), month and year (12.2008 - 11.2010), (12.08.08 - 11.23.10). Some resume experts do not like exact days of hire or termination. It is not a matter of truth or non-truth; I think sometimes the details can get you into a question trap that you may get lost in because you will have to dig yourself out of something based on exactness referenced on the resume. Also when you use a month reference, it allows for the two or three weeks that many people like to take between jobs. A dash between dates is appropriate, as well (12-2008 - 11-2010).

I would not use any uncommon date combination (Roman Numeral, or dates written in a language other than English) because you are trying to show diversity, solidarity, or anything else. Employers have a type of environment that they have cultured and grown accustomed to - - the employer wants to see if you fit inside its culture; for the most part, it is not the other way around. Save the special effects and fireworks for the movies and July 4th.

2. The Job Description.

Okay, everyone. This is the core of the resume building experience.

It gets its own post.

Tomorrow.

Thank you,

Prof. Smith

We Need To Look For Employment Everyone - Let's Talk Resumes for Our Law Jobs (cont.).

Hello, CLEO Students. Yesterday, the discussion on resume preparation focused on the procedural items that you should utilize to make certain your resume has t’s crossed, i’s dotted, and that you understand the intricate nature of certain forms of punctuation. Today, I want to continue the discussion and work on the various sections of our resume. We have to include our name, address, telephone number, and perhaps an e-mail address. Then we can move to the educational portion of the document, and certain specific accomplishments, as they apply to the “top half” of our resume. Then we will add all of your relevant work experience and appropriate descriptions for each position, whether paid or unpaid.

1. Name: Your name on the resume will often be the first thing the employer will see. The pitch should be no more than two sizes larger than the other parts of your resume. You never want the size of your name to overwhelm the reader nor do you want it to overwhelm the balance of your resume. You prefer that the reader look at the entire document (in its entirety) and admire its symmetry. Do not change the typeface of the lettering in your name, either. The entire resume should be in the same typeface. You never want to disturb the reader’s concentration. You do so when you keep changing, pitch, or font, or typeface. You want a person to enjoy the document, not argue with it or determine what you should have done to make it better. If the person is doing that, then he or she is no longer reading your resume; that person is now a critic. We don’t want a critic. We want an employer. There is one exception to the name, placement and style rule as it relates to typeface. You may pick a typeface for your name that is ever so slightly different than the regular portion of your resume. Promise me, however, that there is only a slight variance and that the two typefaces are not in direct opposition to one another.

2. Address: You can place your address at the bottom of your resume, in the last line, out of sight, if you choose to do so. When you do this, you allow the reader to focus on you, your education, your experience, and how to contact you if that person agrees that your qualifications warrant an interview. The address can take up much needed “real estate” at the top of the first page and that can hurt you if you need that space to fill in work experience that you think will make you a great candidate for a position you want. There is no negative, except that not many applicants’ place their addresses at the bottom of the resume.

3. Telephone Number; E-Mail Address: The placement of a telephone number or e-mail address is customary on all resumes, however, you might have a question regarding where exactly you should place t, especially if you decide to move your address to the bottom of the resume. Keep in mind that you want the resume to display or indicate a symmetrical balance - - and it is not a good thing for too much information to be on the left side of the document and not an equal (or, somewhat equal) amount of information available on the right side.

Try this formula for your resume’s name, telephone number and e-mail address. Place your name at the top of the page and center it. Then place an e-mail address and telephone number on the line below, after your name, and display one on the left side of the page and the other on the right side of the page (try e-mail on the left side) (telephone number on the right side). Or, try this formula: include your name on the left side of the page on line 1 and on the opposite side of the page (same line) include your e-mail address. On the next line below the e-mail address, include the telephone number. The third method would include the name centered in the middle on line one, then the e-mail address and telephone number (centered) on the next line, or the next two lines. Print out all three possibilities. Which of the three most appeal to you? You may not have a clear cut answer immediately, but you have created possibilities. And that is what you want. Options! Right now, I want to work with you on options and placement, not really content. Not, yet.

4. Education: Credentials mean a lot to employers. Yours should mean enough to yourself that you want to present them (your credentials) carefully, correctly, and proudly. You should include all post-high school education that you obtained that resulted in a degree or a certificate that you think will add to the weight of your law school degree. Do not add continuing educational classes or courses that resulted in a certificate in a program, unless it is a program specifically related to a job that you want, or a job that no one can do, or that very little people can do (or, have done). If you completed a course that certifies fluency in a foreign language, then add that to your education, especially if it is a language that could require translation at any job (eg., Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, Japanese)). Add any skills you may have that an employer could find useful, but have no direct bearing on your job, later in the resume (eg., Interpreter for the Hearing Impaired, CPR Certified).

As you know bias exists in all walks of our daily lives, and many times you must navigate your course through life in a minefield full of someone else’s likes and dislikes. With that said, please be ever so mindful of what employers may find tasteful or lacking in taste. However, remember this is your life to navigate. You must make decisions based on your personal level of integrity, and the depth of a person’s integrity varies from one individual to another. So, if you are interested in highlighting an area of your life that you believe is important to you, and you do not think it should be hidden from others, then make the personal call for you and your family to include it. I just implore you to stay in touch with the responses you receive from employers. It is very important that you keep your eye on your prize by understanding how the job market works, how to make it work for you, and not against you.

We will pick this up tomorrow with the particulars regarding education and move into the body of the document. Thank you very much for your time.