Attention all Attorney Applicants for the California Bar Exam!!!! Don’t worry any longer…Steve Harris has created the perfect method to allow attorneys to pass the California Bar Exam. I passed the February 2012 attorney applicant exam. This was my fourth attempt after practicing for 11 years. Let me briefly tell you the road I took to get here and add my testimonial to the others as to why WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List were my keys to success.

In December 1999 I graduated from the University of Santa Clara School of Law. Santa Clara is ABA approved but I did not take advantage of anything that the school had to offer. As a full-time student I worked full-time in a law office and rarely studied. I did just enough to pass my classes. Having never failed a class or test in my life I thought I could walk into the bar exam and pass—even if just barely.

How wrong I was! I believe I bought a used set of Barbri books from a former Santa Clara student. I studied them pretty rigorously, but nothing near the amount that those who pay for Barbri or a similar course do. I sat for the February 2000 California Bar Exam. Needless to say I failed. I barely failed, but I still failed. I am sure that I was a disgrace to Santa Clara . My life seemed to stop.

I immediately signed up for the July 2000 exam. This time I did not study at all thinking that I was so close before that I would for sure pass this time. Wow, how arrogant! I learned very dramatically, when I got my second rejection letter, that the California Bar Exam is not for the ill-prepared. Once again my life was in turmoil. I did not know what to do.

An opportunity arose to move to Oregon for a new job in the legal field. This seemed like the answer because I would have time to study and rumor had it that the Oregon Bar Exam was easier than California ’s. I studied well. Still only from my old used Barbri books. Chalk it up to luck, and now some experience in taking the test twice, I passed the Oregon Bar Exam. I opened up my office and never looked back.

Flash forward to January 2011. Another opportunity arose to expand my practice but this time I would need a California license. And to my dismay California and Oregon do not have reciprocity. So that I meant I would have to take the California Bar Exam again. All the horrific memories began to resurface of my failures a decade earlier. Could I really subject myself to this torture again? The opportunity was calling, but the gloom of potential failure was almost tangible. The biggest concern I had was now as a practicing attorney I had very little time to dedicate to studying for the exam. It wasn’t like when I was a student, a lot younger, with a small family, and very few demands on my time.

Impulsively I signed up for the test. I know, crazy! My thinking was if I sign up then I will force myself to get a return on my investment. I will find the time to study.

I quickly bought up a bunch of guides I found online. I would list them here but the titles really are not relevant. They each gave their secret to success. I printed off all of the past exam questions and answers I could find. I began to overwhelm myself with methods and strategies. I spent most of my time looking for study tricks instead of spending the time answering the nagging voice in the back of mind that what I really needed was to spend time memorizing. I hate memorizing. I thought that there had to be a way to pass this test without memorizing everything. Heck, my mind just doesn’t memorize like it used to.

So I am sad to say I failed the third time I took the California Bar Exam. Here are my scores: Q1 55; Q2 60; Q3 55; Q4 50; Q5 50; Q6 55; PTA A 70; PTA B 60. Grand total was 1360.1961. Don’t ask me what that all means. I just know it was bad. I was really embarrassed. Didn’t all my years of practicing law mean anything? Why couldn’t I pass this darn exam? I am lucky that I had a good life in all other respects otherwise this failure might have really made me depressed.

Instead, a new feeling emerged in me—anger. I was angry at myself for all my prior follies. And angry at the exam and its writers. In my fit of anger I signed up for the February 2012 exam.

The next day I woke up wondering what I was doing. This was insanity! Why keep taking a test that I would not study for expecting to pass? Because I was a good person?

Now the plug for Steve Harris…I probably would have repeated my failures if it were not for something I consider miraculous now, finding WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List. Finally, books that made sense. The perfect mix of strategy and comprehensive, memorizable study materials. I loved how Steve made the definitions into opening sentences for my paragraphs. And I finally saw the forest from the trees. I could see how I should put down the definition and then follow it with sentence after sentence of “Here, this element is not met because…”

I know without a doubt that I never would have passed in February if it were not for WINNIN’ TIME! That book was my life saver. I could handle three hundred or so pages of material that was absolutely relevant. (I only wish there were boiler plate answers for more than just Evidence and Professional Responsibility) And The Trigger List really works. I loved the spotted issues with their corresponding triggers. I could now look at an exam question and almost see all the triggers in my mind.

I admittedly went into the February 2012 exam thinking that I was still going to fail. I mean I had confidence in Steve’s methods, but failure breeds the feeling of further failure. But after day one of the exam I felt something completely different. I now thought that I did pretty well. I kicked myself when I realized that I missed an easy Organizational Standing issue in Con Law. But I knew that I was close based on my now well-founded understanding of WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List. Like I said I could clearly see Steve’s books in my mind while I took the exam. The second day was a breeze and I know that I really nailed it.

So now I can close this chapter on my life. I have exorcised the demon of the California Bar Exam. And I attribute it all to WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List. I am a Steve Harris convert. Now to tackle my next demon—my waistline. Best of luck on passing the exam. I know that you can do it with Steve’s help. Damian M. Idiart, Esq. – passed the February 2012 California Bar Examination

When I found out I didn’t pass the July California Bar, I couldn’t shake the feelings of embarrassment and disappointment. As a father of three small kids, I didn’t know how I was going to find the time and energy necessary to study. To add insult to injury, I knew that my chances of passing the bar decreased with each additional attempt. I honestly considered giving up — more than once. I knew I needed something miraculous to help me overcome the odds. I needed some way to study more efficiently.

A friend who had been a repeater and then passed, recommended that I contact Steven. I was skeptical at first, but when my friend showed me the WINNIN’ TIME! book, and Steven’s other materials, I knew I had found my miracle. Steven and I had our first conversation Thanksgiving morning. I could tell within the first minutes of talking to him that he had the knowledge and experience to help me pass. Furthermore, with his coaching I felt like the bar exam was a conquerable foe. He took the time to create a custom plan for my particular circumstances that allowed me to prepare to pass the exam, without missing out on sharing the Holidays with my family.

Even though studying for the exam is never an easy process, with Steven’s guidance, I felt much more confident that what I was studying would be converted into points on the bar exam. His PR, Evidence, Civ Pro and Property Boilerplates are point generating machines! For me the best part was Steven’s unique approach to the Performance Test. His advice and explanations turned what was once a source of anxiety to me, to the portion of the exam I looked forward to the most.

Plain and simple, Steven’s methods unlock the mystery of the California Bar Exam. When I learned that I had passed the February exam after using Steven’s methods, there was no doubt in my mind that it was his guidance that had given me the edge to pass. — Nick Anderson, Esq., passed the February 2011 California Bar Examination, McGeorge alum

Steven Harris’ The Trigger List is a very high-level study guide that will definitely help you with passing the California Bar. The book alone is very much like a personal tutor because it shows you how to look at the test from a completely different perspective. When I first bought this book I was slightly skeptical but after completing the Essay Review Week I realized what a huge benefit it was. Not only does it teach you to think on a different level about the exam but it forces you to review a huge number of exams so that you understand the entire subject as it has been tested over the past 20 years. You will be amazed at what you find out after reading this book.

MBE Primers And Flowcharts makes taking the MBE much easier. MBE Primers and Flowcharts demystifies the subtle nuances between questions and clearly states what to look for and what will be the right answer. I personally looked at one subject a day for a month before the bar and when I finally got to the test the MBE section was much clearer and I understood what to look for in each question. Steven also gives some great tips as to what to look for and what to be careful of on the MBE section of the bar. This is a great book for MBE section and will improve your score.

From the Himalayas to Houston to California… a point-generating journey like no other.

My Bar passing story is fairly unique and interesting. Had I found Steven Harris earlier it would have been a much shorter route to my eventual success on the California Bar. Right out of law school I, as most people, took the normal course. The whole time I was in class and working through the assignments I could feel an intuitive sense that something was off, it just didn’t seem enough for me to be successful. I kept up with the assignments and turned in all my essays, however when it came time to take the test I definitely was by no means confident. My intuition was correct and failing the bar was a serious challenge mentally, financially, socially, and professionally. I lost a job opportunity that would have paid me a healthy salary and led to the start of a nice legal career. Instead I found myself in a very difficult place in my life in all respects. One thing I knew was that I was going to pass the California Bar – at any cost.

I began to think about the experience of the three days of the test and I remembered at lunch on the third day I ran into one of my old classmates who seemed completely calm, collected and seemed to have the confidence of a person that really knew what to do, and did it. I remember him telling me that he had an amazing tutor who completely changed the way he studied for the bar. I also remember him pulling out a yellow book (WINNIN’ TIME!) and showing me how simple and concise that book made all of the material. I felt a bit jealous and frustrated that I had not been privileged to have the same help on the bar as he did.

Once I was committed to taking the test again I immediately thought of my friend and called him to get the name of the book and the tutor. I decided that I would do research on a bunch of different tutors and find the best one. I told myself that I was going to go on my already planned journey to India to clear my head and get perspective then come back and take the bar.

While in India I began studying my mini review book and started doing research on different tutors for the California Bar. Just to get to an internet connection I had to travel for over an hour, but a few times a week I would make that trek and do research on different tutors which eventually lead me to my original tutor – Steven Harris. I communicated with him from India and set it up so that when I got back to California we could start working together.

Unfortunately, due to factors out of my control at the time I was unable to pay for Steven to tutor me, and I decided to take the test again without a tutor. I studied harder than before and with more determination but to no avail. I took the bar again and did not pass. My MBE score went up a few points however my essays barely moved. Devastated again, all I heard from my family and friends was that I should “give up” or “try another state” or “find another type of career.” None of those options worked for me. I set a goal for myself and I was going to achieve it.

I found a job that would allow me enough time to study in the evenings and paid me enough that I could pay for the tutoring. I had to move to Texas and I worked pretty long hours but I knew that in the end it would all be worth it. A few days later, I hired Steven Harris, which will always be considered one of the best decisions I made my entire life!

The tutoring sessions with Steven were very direct and concise. I was a bit skeptical at first because the entire session was through the phone. He was very nice; however we did not spend time talking too much about unnecessary stuff. I liked this because I was very busy and I realized that almost everything he said was important. I did not have to weed through a bunch of useless stories or real life examples or theory; everything was important for passing the bar. He was very nice and supportive but also very serious when it was time to get down to business.

His study method was very different from what I was used to, so much so that in the beginning I found it hard to commit to some of what he was telling me to do. However, I can honestly say that his unique method was the reason I passed the bar. Studying and memorizing the way that Steven taught me really changed my confidence going into the test. My ability to access and recall information I had learned for the test was unbelievable. There was actually a moment during the first day when I realized it all worked!!! I was smiling ear to ear because I knew at that moment I was going to pass the bar. I will never forget that moment. His memorization plan worked outstandingly well, so much so that to this day I could probably pass the essays with ease. Not only did I memorize all the information for the bar I also learned about how the brain memorizes in general…. Great stuff.

Steven’s essay approach really simplified and demystified the illusive question of how to structure bar answers. I was always having trouble figuring out how to structure my answers and my rule statements were all over the board. However, once I learned his method I became a machine – I knew how to structure every essay no matter what subject. Most importantly he taught me how to score more points in less words and how to eliminate words to save time on each exam.

To make certain subjects even easier Steven created boilerplates that I memorized and could use no matter what issues came up. For these certain subjects it was just a matter of plugging in the specific facts from the question on the Bar exam. His boilerplates were a huge benefit on the exam and something that were easy to learn. These boilerplates forced me to practice subjects that were definitely going to be on the bar exam and made them very easy when it came down to the test.

Steven’s approach to the Performance Tests was something that was really the toughest thing for me to grasp because it really requires a high level of trust in the method. No doubt he really has unlocked a code for the Performance Test, but it was so different that it took some getting used to. After a few practice PT’s I realized how well his method worked and I was completely blown away at how much easier his method made taking this part of the exam.

The PT’s were always an issue for me and I had previously taken another course on just the PT. The other course was really intricate and involved so much set up that it really was not feasible for me to use. I found that on previous exams my PT scores were always something of a mystery. After learning Steven’s method not only did I feel comfortable taking this part of the test I actually looked at these portions of the test as something that was a strength. His method was clear, simple, and cut out a lot of useless reading. This was really a game changer for me. Going into each PT I had a very specific game plan; I knew what to look for, what to write, how to write it, and most importantly what not to waste my time on.

The Comprehensive package that Steven put together is everything you need to pass the California bar. I could not say more positive things about Steven and his program. My experience from the first time we spoke up to the day I got my results was truly amazing. I have already referred a few of my friends to him that are taking the bar next year. If you are serious about passing The Bar Exam… Steven Harris is The Man.

Thank you again Steven!

Brian J. Yosowitz, Esq. (passed the February 2012 California Bar Examination)

Steven’s Performance Test class is essential for anyone struggling with the Performance Test. After several attempts at taking the California bar, I was becoming discouraged because my Performance Test scores were consistently flat, hindering my ability to pass.

I had tried a couple of other PT prep courses, but their material was redundant and they had little impact on my scores.

However, Steven’s PT class provided an innovative approach in reviewing the PT documents, spotting issues, organizing the information, and having adequate time to write the exam.

After taking Steven’s class, I approached the February 2012 bar exam with renewed confidence and was able to complete two challenging Performance Tests, knowing that I covered all the essential issues.

I highly recommend this class.

Steven,

My husband and I wanted to thank you for working with our two daughters. Both of them passed the California State Bar examination on the first try and both of our daughters say that your guidance helped them prepare and pass the test. Thank you so much and the tutoring money spent was well worth the results. It was a very happy Thanksgiving with the news that Ariel had passed the exam. We will give your name to anyone who needs help with preparation for the California Bar Exam. Have a wonderful Holiday Season. We just wanted you to know that we appreciate the work you put in to your materials that help make preparation for the Bar Exam doable and help ease the tense period of preparation.

Thank you.

Holly Guggenheim

Studying for the Bar Exam can be overwhelming. WINNIN’ TIME! was a lifesaver for me. The book helped me stay focused on the essentials and was pivotal in helping me pass the California Bar Exam! – Babach Lau, Esq., passed July 2008 Cal Bar AND Washington Bar Exams!

If the Bar Exam was a hidden code, The Trigger List is the code breaker. After using this book, my issue-spotting skills improved tenfold. The skills I learned from this book helped me pass both the California Bar Exam and Washington State Bar Exam! – Babach Lau, Esq., passed July 2008 Cal Bar AND Washington Bar Exams!

I recommend Steven Harris and his tutoring program to anyone considering getting a bar exam tutor. I graduated from an out of state law school over 10 years ago but never took the bar exam. I took the California bar for the first time and didn’t pass. I was skeptical about paying for another bar review course (I took Bar/Bri), but I knew I wouldn’t pass if I took the same course again.

Steven showed me exactly how and what to study. His study program taught me how to score essay points by spotting key words (triggers) and how to tackle, and beat, the Performance Test. I passed on my 2nd try, thanks to Steven. It was definitely money well spent. – Tony Ross, Esq., passed the February 2010 California Bar Examination