Saturday, May 19, 2007

Trying to Start...

Trying hard to get motivated to actually start seriously studying for this - sucks that the course I am getting for the California bar won't really be through to me until probably the end of next week - it's kinda giving me a bit of an excuse to delay studying properly until that comes - obviously not a very good idea! Did an intro evidence test the other day - got 21/35 - i know I'm weak on evidence but on an INTRO exam to score that low - really need to do more! Only got 2 more months until the exam - after all i paid for this course it's fucking annoying that they are taking so long to get it to me - should get an extra discount for lost studying time. Once i get the course I can properly sort out some kinda revision timetable re: whatever materials I have and whatever time i have left. Guess I should sort out the rest of my life before then - tidy workspace properly, sort other side things out.

At the end of the day I know I will get down to studying and will get down to studying a LOT, I guess because I know once I start I probably won't be able to stop means I'm putting off starting. Whatever - once the course comes - no more excuses!

(Today's excuse = FA cup final!! First football game at the new Wembley stadium. Last game at Wembley was around 7 years ago I believe and this game will be BIG... Ugh!

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

First of many...

So far with the whole studying thing I have just began going back over my MBE notes from the New York bar exam. Hoping that the common law hasn't changed too much!! lol. Unfortunately California state bar do not accept reciprocity re: MBE scores so gonna have to face that 200 multiple choice question monstrosity once more! Work so far has entailed going over the spider diagrams I did for the MBE 6 and often re-doing them if they say anything re: New York law on them - bad enough having to learn MBE and California law seperately now - can't start recalling New York distinctions as well!

As for today - did my first mini-test from the old Barbri practice questions book - reasonably impressed to be honest! Did q's 1-35 in around about 45 minutes and scored 30/35 without really going back over criminal law properly pre-taking the test. That seems to be better than I was scoring in the early stages of New York study but then it IS criminal law - one of the ones i always did better on (is it easier?!). So anyway - guess it's a milestone of sorts - first practice q's and start as I mean to go on.

Problem I have though is I HAVE at some point done almost all of these questions before - don't remember doing them but maybe I'm scoring high because my subconcious is remembering the answers? Could be dangerous, if that is the case, in being too positive about early high marks!

Long way to go yet! Am getting a new bar-bri (Cali bar orientated) course coming through to my home sometime soon though so hopefully that might even have a load more practice q's in it. Think I would generally say, from experience last year, that the practice questions probably helped me the most overall - especially going over them after doing the test (including going over the ones I got right).

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

It Begins.... again!

Ok to start this whole thing off - I am studying for and taking the California bar exam in July 2007 (BAR-ring any unforeseen circumstances such as rejection of the application - haha - i love the puns!) I was born and live in England where I went to uni for 3 years to do my law degree which then meant i was eligible to sit the New York bar exam which i sat February 2006. One of the toughest things I have ever done - studying for a few months beforehand all from home using these lectures on CD and having no one at all who I could talk to who was doing the same thing. SOMEHOW i managed to pass that exam which permits me now (hopefully) to sit the California bar exam in July of this year (as technically now I am a qualified attorney in New York, despite still living in crappy England).

Why am i doing all this?! I have always wanted to move to the USA one day and for various reasons decided that law was what I wanted to eventually do - this loophole route whereby I have to take and pass both the New York and California bar exam to become qualified in California so i can actually seek a job in California is long winded but apparently the best way. Added to my desire to move to the USA is the fact that my girlfriend, now of 4 years, lives in Los Angeles which is where I wish to move to and live!

So - on to the California bar exam. I have heard from reliable sources that it is much harder than the New York one so let's see! :)