Brian, Author at Make This Your Last Time

November 22, 2024November 27, 2024 - No Comments

Passing the CA Bar Exam as an Older Candidate

You don’t need to be a 20-something Zoomer studying in your parents’ basement to pass the bar exam.

You could be working full-time, a parent, from another country, or not even know what a Zoomer is.

Brendan, in his 50s, is a second-time passer of the California Bar Exam.

Age itself is not a defining factor in this:

I’m a little concerned that my humor resonated with a 66yo.

But I’m a firm believer that each of us is still the kid who wanted to be a grown-up (we have to GO BACK). So it’s totally fine and encouraged to get help and support from others no matter where you are in the process.

Let’s see if we can find some lessons from how Brendan approached his studies.

November 15, 2024December 4, 2024 - 3 Comments

Passing the California Bar Exam 20 Years Out of Law School

Heather graduated from law school 20 years ago. Then she passed the 2024 July California Bar Exam.

The last time she took the California Bar Exam was when it was a different format altogether and three days long (I took that shit twice, and it is no joke).

💬 “I’m a full time working mom, with 2 young kids at home, and diagnosed with ADHD. No one at work even knew I was taking the exam.”

💬 “I didn’t need the license for my job, but wanted to pass just for me. My 2 kids got to see the whole process, and were so excited to share in the joy when they found out I passed the California Bar Exam!”

Let me get this straight:

Graduated 20 years ago
Last exposure to the bar exam was several years ago at least
Probably forgot everything from law school
Full-time working mom with ADHD
Didn’t even need to pass and or flex on anyone (I will be flexing on her behalf)

And here you are wondering how you can get “motivated.”

Well, here’s how you can do it too.

September 4, 2024September 4, 2024 - No Comments

How to Study for the MPRE: What & When of Effective MPRE Prep

You heard it’s easy to study for the MPRE… But how easy?

“I studied over the weekend, and look how I turned out! LOL!”

Don’t listen to these people. Everyone’s different. The MPRE is not as difficult as the bar exam, but you still want to take it seriously.

The MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam) is an important part of the process of becoming a licensed attorney. It tests your knowledge of professional ethics and responsibilities related to the practice of law in the United States.

Yet another exam?! I know, right? You have the bar exam, the MPRE, the NYLE (New York Law Exam) if you’re in New York, the Patent Bar if you want to work with patents… Not to mention all those finals you may have just taken in law school.

Well, let’s get the MPRE out of the way. The silver lining is that it’s not as hard as the bar exam.

July 31, 2024September 4, 2024 - 3 Comments

What to Do After the Bar Exam to Live a Normal Life Again (21 Post-Bartum Ideas)

Weeks and months of insanity preparing for the bar exam while putting on life on hold.

The onslaught of psychologically tormenting questions.

It’s over.

The hard-fought battle has ended. The dust has settled. There’s nothing left. No rewards. Just palpable silence (filled only with “how do you think you did? oh wow”) and an empty space in your heart. What were you fighting for this whole time?

It’s hard to believe it’s over, isn’t it?

We get attached to the struggle.

Now yet another difficult part called “waiting” begins. It might be harder than the actual prep. After the shell shock that was the bar exam, what do you do?

What is “free time” again? Is it edible? Will life be the same?

Some people seem to be completely happy with this state of being, while others get post-bartum depression. Let’s recover from your mixed feelings and bring life back to normal.

Here are 21 ideas on what to do to stay sane (and a few things NOT to do) if you have post bar exam depression (ideas that have nothing to do with studying for the exam “just in case” even though the bar exam is over).

July 23, 2024February 15, 2025 - 2 Comments

Admire the Buttcrack (and 9 Other Last Minute Tips for the Bar Exam)

Ahh shit… You utter the first word of the day as a dying declaration.

Because it’s time. Is it really that real? Let’s do this!

Implementing, practicing, and doing. I hope, by doing those things consistently, you’ve made solid progress.

Maybe you don’t feel ready. The good news is that the more prepared you actually are, the less you feel prepared. The bad news is that the other way isn’t necessarily true. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Not all hope is lost, ye weary traveler. It’s time to put your training to the test.

For now, go in with a “might as well, even if I don’t feel ready” or a “you never know until you try” attitude.

You’ll be able to say, “I’m glad I tried.”

You’ve worked hard these past weeks and months. You’ve come all this way. Let’s finish it without any hiccups at the very end.

We don’t want a “failure of the last mile” to undo all we’ve done up until now. Here are some final tips for bar exam week.