Strategies | Make This Your Last Time

January 16, 2026January 16, 2026 - No Comments

How an Australian Lawyer Passed the Illinois UBE (After Passing in California)

I featured James in a previous case study back in 2022. He passed the California Bar Exam as an Australian lawyer back then. Then he passed the July 2025 Illinois UBE.

💬 “Brian, just a heads-up: I passed the July UBE! Thanks for all that you do.”

I didn’t even know James was taking another bar exam. What a masochist.

💬 “After passing the CA Bar exam in 2022, in late 2024 I ended up in the mid-west! Fortunately, given my decade+ experience as an attorney in Australia, I was able to become eligible to sit the Illinois Uniform Bar Exam (UBE).”

Here’s a follow-up to his 2022 case study because I run into folks taking both exams fairly often.

Whether you’re taking the UBE or the CA Bar Exam (or a masochist looking to take both at some point), James compares and contrasts his successful strategies from both exams.

He recommends tailoring your approach to each exam given the differences.

💬 “You might think that passing the UBE would be easy enough (after passing the CA Bar). However, speaking from experience I can advise that it isn’t that simple. In important ways (content tested, timing, structure and scoring), the first day of both bar exams are completely different. This means that if you don’t adapt your strategy accordingly, you could end up failing the UBE!”

💬 “I do not recommend the strategy I used to pass the California Bar be used to attempt to pass the UBE.

These differences dictate the need for a change in strategy!”

January 10, 2026January 10, 2026 - 15 Comments

Enjoying Bar Prep: 6 Ways to Make Studying for the Bar Exam More Fun and Effective (Visual Guide)

Is it possible to enjoy bar prep?

It’s one of the dryest things a person can do on this planet. But we retain more and pay more attention when things are enjoyable.

The default, typical approach to bar prep involves sitting still like a statue watching people in a suit drone on as you fantasize about throwing yourself out the window (not your computer though…you already paid the exam laptop fees).

If you’re especially masochistic, you’ll pause the video and make sure to fill in all the lecture notes because you think your Barbri books will be a fine addition to your future library.

This is all surprisingly exhausting.

As a bonus, you’ll also forget 99% of what you listened to. I’d rather watch water boil because at least I’d have something to show for it, like edible pasta.

“Just complete the course! Here’s some busy work! Play it safe and you’ll be fine!”—The National Association of Barbri (probably)

The default way of doing things feels nice because you can’t get anything wrong when you’re just absorbing information. You won’t taste defeat, but you won’t taste victory either.

January 3, 2026January 5, 2026 - No Comments

Are you finally ready to listen yet? Here’s how to get unstuck in bar prep

They say that overthinking happens when you don’t trust your gut.

You already know what to do. The problem is that you don’t trust yourself enough to do it.

Maybe you should learn to listen to your gut a little more instead of regretting it later in your most private moments.

December 20, 2025December 27, 2025 - 16 Comments

Predictions for the Bar Exam (What to Focus On for Efficient Study)

No wonder this person posted anonymously because I see at least 3 things I could critique in this comment:

"The worst part about studying ... is that we cannot even properly use predictions."

You know what, it’s my fault for reading social media.

Before every exam, a handful of people come out of the woodwork and shamelessly ask about which subjects will appear on the upcoming bar exam.

“Does anyone know the essay predictions?”
“What do you think will be tested?”
“I don’t think ____ will appear on the exam.”
“Anyone think ____ will be tested?”
“I know we’re not supposed to listen to predictions, but…”
“What are ____’s predictions?”
“Here are my MEE predictions!”

Whose speculations are you going to listen to?

If you’re like many bar takers, or if you’re a repeater, you say: “Haha of course I’m not going to rely on the predictions. I shall adequately study all the subjects. You should too!”

And then you panic and look at the predictions anyway.

Did you want me to tell you, “Aww poor baby, don’t worry. It’s normal and happens to the best of us 🥺”?

You SHOULD worry if you’re secretly tempted to rely on predictions… because this kind of thinking is entirely predictable and avoidable. Sweating about predictions is NOT a good place to be and requires intervention.

Also, remember when subjects actually leaked for the California exam in 2019 and people got mad over it? Do you want to know the subjects ahead of time or not? Make up your minds!

Maybe you’re too young to remember ancient history. I’ve been dealing with you people for too long.

Here’s why you should look toward essay/MEE predictions for entertainment value and morbid curiosity only:

(and 3 things you can focus on instead to take control over your studies)

December 7, 2025December 13, 2025 - No Comments

MBE Tips and Best Supplements to Get

Ah yes, the MBE, everyone’s favorite multiple-guess section…

1.8 minutes per question for 6 hours
Paranoia from seeing seven C’s in a row on your answer sheet
50/50 choices that make you go, “Damn, what’s with this ultimate decision?”

Up to 50% of your bar exam score hangs on a series of letters. I don’t mean essays, which are also a series of letters.

Wow! Sounds important.

For some people, the MBE comes easily while the essays don’t. For some other people, the essays come very easily while the MBE seems impossible.

If neither is your strong suit (like it was for me)…then you’re out of luck.

Just kidding. It’s never over. If you lack the talent of high scores, develop the talent of grit instead.

While the MBE is a formidable portion of the bar, improving on it is figure-out-able.

So how do you improve your MBE score? Here are:

3 quick tactics you can try RIGHT NOW
3 study strategies for success on the MBE
How to implement these tactics and strategies