Law Students

When I was a 2L, I have received conflicting advice from people about whether to take bar classes or not.  Bar classes are subjects tested on the bar exam.  Most people take their bar classes during the first year required curriculum: Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Property, Torts, Civil Procedure, and Contracts.  Optional bar classes are: Criminal Procedure and Evidence for the multi-state portion of the exam.  And depending on the local jurisdiction, the state bar portion may require topics such as Corporations/Commercial Paper/Agency & Partnership/Secured Transactions/Wills, Trusts, and Estates, state distinctions for Civil Practice (civil procedure), crimes and procedures, evidence, property, and torts.  There are other state-specific subjects as well, but these are the most frequently tested areas. 

Regrettably, there are not a lot of state-specific courses offered in Vikingland University, but I did try my best to take the state civil practice.  I have also taken additional bar classes such as Evidence, Criminal Procedure, Secured Transactions, Wills, Trusts, and Estates, as well as Advanced Federal Procedure.  The only class I shied away from was Corporations.  It is the class I worry about the most.  

Overall, I feel good about most of the MBE subjects because I have taken the courses and the language is familiar and even though I complain about things I have not learned in class, the main theories are really the ones which will be tested.  If I had not taken these classes it would take me longer to learn the terms of art (which would take away my time to study the nuances).  

What I would recommend to 2L’s and 3L’s: take the bar classes if it takes time for you to absorb the information, especially Evidence and Crim Pro (complicated themes).