I received copies of Steven Harris’ WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List as part of my enrollment in his California Bar tutoring program. I highly recommend both books to Bar exam applicants, as well as law students.

WINNIN’ TIME! contains substantive outlines that condense an admittedly daunting amount of law into clear, concise rule statements that are easy to apply on exam day. Furthermore, WINNIN’ TIME! contains guidance on how to write a clear, lawyerly response to every type of legal fact pattern a professor or the Bar Examiners can conceivably throw your way. Steven’s “requires” and “because” style of answering exam fact patterns provides a clear writing structure that allows you to focus your energy on what you’re saying rather than how you’re saying it. WINNIN’ TIME! also contains other writing tips that, in my opinion, can be the difference between a passing and failing exam answer. This book not only helped me with writing for the California Bar exam, but also provided me with writing techniques that I currently use as a post-Bar law clerk and will continue to use as I begin practicing as an attorney.

The Trigger List, like WINNIN’ TIME!, was immensely helpful to me while preparing for the Bar exam. It helped familiarize me with key words used by the Bar Examiners that typically always implicate particular issues. Learning these triggers was the foundation for an issue spotting structure that was reliable and easy to use during the Bar exam. I found myself spotting issues during the California Bar that I know I would’ve otherwise completely overlooked, and I attribute that ability to The Trigger List.

Both books are easy to use and, as mentioned above, applicable to both the Bar exam and law school exams. I wish I had known about these books during my time as a student at UC Hastings, and if I had to do the Bar exam again, I wouldn’t want to be without WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List. — Adam McConney, Esq., passed the July 2013 California Bar Examination

Steve,

I am happy to tell you that I have FINALLY passed the February 2014 Bar Exam on my 12th attempt! It has been a very long six year journey for me and I am so glad that I found out about your PT Review Course! In this class, not only did I learn what I was doing wrong but I learned valuable tips to help me generate crucial points that I know allowed me to pass this exam. The format of your class allowed me to focus on the test even though I was working full time and had a family! Had I known about this class, I would have taken it directly after law school! You gave me the motivation that I needed despite my many failed attempts at this exam! I also credit my success with my bar essays to your WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List books. I can’t believe how I had wasted time in the past taking this exam without the aid of these two books. I am going to tell everyone I know taking the Bar about you and your course because I could not have passed this exam without it! Now I can move forward with my life. Thank you!! –Tanya Brown, Esq., passed February 2014 California Bar Examination

I’m an attorney applicant who passed the NY bar exam 20 years ago.  I had a non-legal career for the majority of the time since. I tried to study for the CA Attorneys’ Exam on my own but wasn’t able to pass in February 2020.  Without Steven’s tutoring, I’m certain I would’ve failed October’s exam as well.  His teaching method is unique and doesn’t focus on memorization, which was the most intimidating part of the whole process for me since I was so far out from law school.  I felt like there was just an insurmountable amount of information to relearn and that I might not ever pass.  However, I found Steven’s innovative approach, which focuses on issue spotting and writing technique, easily digestible.  In fact, there is zero memorization involved until the last two weeks of the study schedule.

Steven’s WINNIN’ TIME! and Trigger List books were unlike any other study aids I found online.  His essay writing approach, boilerplate templates and PT approach were easy to apply and anxiety-reducing, in part, because of their simplicity.  His one-to-one tutoring sessions were engaging and informative.  As a person, he was extremely direct and did not sugarcoat anything but was also encouraging and understanding.  He was accommodating and adjusted my schedule multiple times, as I was dealing with some unexpected medical problems.  Also, he is hilarious.

Since I can’t speak to his MBE tutoring, my advice to any attorney applicant is, if you are more than three years out of law school, take a full 10-12 weeks off from work and hire Steve.  If you can’t hire him, I think that his books alone can help you pass.  I know I would not have passed without them.  – Attorney Applicant, Esq., passed the October 2020 Cal Bar Examination

Steven was recommended to me after I failed the California Bar Exam as an attorney applicant on my first attempt.  As an attorney barred in another jurisdiction that had been practicing for 7 years, clerked for two judges at my home state’s supreme court, and had served in the USAF JAG Corps, I figured I wouldn’t have any problems passing the California Bar exam.  I largely used the system I had used the first time I took the bar exam 7 years ago, and felt I had prepared well for the test.  My score told a different story—I failed with a score in the 1360s.

Enter Steven.
At the outset, Steven did a fantastic job of creating a schedule and system around my needs and life.  I was working full time for a firm as a law clerk mostly doing law and motion work.  As a result, there were times where work would get in the way.  Steven prepared for life’s interruptions and built enough flexibility into the schedule to allow for life to get in the way.  When unforeseen issues would knock me off schedule, Steven was quick with a plan and a response to make sure I was still on track.

I also cannot say enough about Steven’s system for not only learning the substantive material necessary to succeed on the bar exam, but also his methodology on how to approach the exam.  His system cuts to the chase and is laser focused on one thing: teaching you how to collect the points necessary to pass the exam.  The information provided in his books, I must admit, was overwhelming at first.  But his system has you work through all the skills necessary to successfully handle the California Bar Exam.  He has meticulously analyzed the different types of questions that may present themselves on the exam, and he will teach you how to approach each issue as the graders expect and in a way that will maximize your points.

To that point, Steven’s system of how to address issues and elements makes the exam manageable and accessible.  He teaches you how to identify and address each of the elements necessary to achieve a passing score on each essay question.  Steven’s system will ensure that come exam day, maximizing your points is second nature, even if the question makes no sense to you at first blush.  He, in essence, provides you a formula to follow that makes it nearly impossible to get tripped up by a question.  By the time you complete his course, the myriad of question forms that you encounter will be easily accessible and simply make sense—you won’t even have to think about it, you just know what you need to do with any type of question.

Case in point: during the exam I encountered a question that completely caught me off guard, and I wasn’t sure where to begin.  However, I had a system in place, and I knew conceptually how I needed to answer the question.  So, I started putting headings, issues, and elements down on my outline that I knew needed to be addressed based on the type and topic of the question (including an issue that the call of the question doesn’t expressly implicate, but the graders expect to appear). Once I had those, I moved onto plugging in facts for each element.  Next, I just started writing out each issue and element as I had been taught.  By the time I was done, I had a complete answer when at the beginning, I felt like I didn’t know where I was going.  By simply following what I had learned regarding how to approach the question, the question essentially answered itself.

I also cannot speak highly enough of Steven’s guidance regarding the Performance Test.  The first time I took the exam, I figured that the performance test would be a breeze—after all, it is supposed to be essentially what I had been doing as a practicing attorney for years.  Again, I was wrong.  Steven teaches a fool-proof system for learning how to answer each type of performance test question, how to identify the required issues, and how to find the information from the library that must be included for a passing score.  He teaches what you need to pay attention to and what you can ignore and will help you maximize your time so that you have more than enough time to write a passing answer.

Finally, I strongly recommend Steven’s books WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List.  WINNIN’ TIME! is the Bible to answer any questions that the California Bar Exam throws at you.  It does an especially good job of breaking down the not-so-obvious issues that may be hidden in each question.  It will teach to find all the elements necessary in the questions that seem overly simple so that you are never left feeling like “that can’t be enough.”  The outline in WINNIN’ TIME! is created with the rule statements already formulated so you don’t have to make that additional mental step.  It masterfully walks the line of including everything that you need to know while somehow also including only what you need to know.  Of all the outlines I have seen, it is the best attack outline for preparing for the exam.  The Trigger List is also essential if you have ever wondered “how did they get that issue out of that question.”  It teaches you to read questions with your real goal in mind: issue spotting.  In conjunction, WINNIN’ TIME! and The Trigger List will make sure that you don’t miss any of the “hidden” issues that will serve as a bar to a passing score.

Working with Steven was a pleasure, and I know that he was critical to my success on the exam.  I am certain that Steven can lead anyone to a passing score on the California Bar Exam so long as he or she has faith in the system and is willing to put in the necessary work and time.  I cannot express how strongly I recommend Steven’s services. – Joel Knaack, Esq., passed the October 2020 Cal Bar Examination

I felt lost with my commercial Bar prep course.  I thought I would be on the right track as long as I studied for a ridiculous amount of hours and checked off all my assignments for the day.  This system works great for some people, but I learned I wasn’t one of those people.  I knew that in order to be successful on this exam I would have to find someone to hold me accountable and provide me feedback tailored to my needs.  Steve was recommended to me by a few friends and I reached out shortly after I found out I failed the exam.

Steven created a calendar for me that detailed exactly what I needed to do that day and every day until the day of the exam.  Most importantly, the schedule allowed me to continue working full-time and incorporated necessary “breaks” to avoid burning out.  I was nervous about the breaks at first but Steven taught me that it’s more important to “study smarter not harder.”  The calendar provided the accountability that I felt was missing from my commercial course – because if I fell behind, I’d have to answer to Steven.

Steven helped me see the issues I was missing and how to organize, break down each element, and come up with analysis even when I didn’t know what to talk about.  The Trigger List showed me how words trigger specific issues in essays.  More importantly, I became able to spot patterns and see how certain issues are tied together.  WINNIN’ TIME! provided concise, straightforward rule statements that made memorizing manageable.

During our weekly meetings we’d thoroughly discuss the essays, PTs, and multiple choice assigned that week.  Steven provided consistent feedback, highlighting my areas of strength and noting what I needed to work on.  However, the greatest thing I got out of our meetings was constant encouragement that my hard work would pay off in the end, and of course he was right.  – Hastings Alumna, Esq., passed the October 2020 Cal Bar Examination

Our son had taken the California Bar twice and barely missed passing the second time.  He was quite disappointed and considered moving on to a career with his JD and maybe take the Bar sometime in the future.  I heard about Steven from a friend who’s daughter had gone through his program after failing the first exam.  She passed the second time she took the exam after taking Steven’s program.

It was late in the sign-up cycle and Steven had only one slot left.  He graciously offered to hold the space while we talked it over with our son.  Our son reached out to Steven and they immediately hit it off and developed a strong and supportive relationship that benefited him greatly in his preparation and in building his confidence for the next exam.  We just found out that he passed the October 2020 exam and we are so grateful to Steven for his support and guidance throughout the prep process for our son.  Our son had used one of the major programs the first two times and he felt that Steven’s program was more practical and relevant to the his style of learning and test taking.  We will forever be grateful for Steven’s support and guidance through this stressful process and we unequivocally recommend him to anyone looking for California Bar Exam prep.  – Brenda M.

I’m an attorney applicant who passed the NY bar exam 20 years ago.  I had a non-legal career for the majority of the time since. I tried to study for the CA Attorneys’ Exam on my own but wasn’t able to pass in February 2020.  Without Steven’s tutoring, I’m certain I would’ve failed October’s exam as well.  His teaching method is unique and doesn’t focus on memorization, which was the most intimidating part of the whole process for me since I was so far out from law school.  I felt like there was just an insurmountable amount of information to relearn and that I might not ever pass.  However, I found Steven’s innovative approach, which focuses on issue spotting and writing technique, easily digestible.  In fact, there is zero memorization involved until the last two weeks of the study schedule.

Steven’s WINNIN’ TIME! and Trigger List books were unlike any other study aids I found online.  His essay writing approach, boilerplate templates and PT approach were easy to apply and anxiety-reducing, in part, because of their simplicity.  His one-to-one tutoring sessions were engaging and informative.  As a person, he was extremely direct and did not sugarcoat anything but was also encouraging and understanding.  He was accommodating and adjusted my schedule multiple times, as I was dealing with some unexpected medical problems.  Also, he is hilarious.

Since I can’t speak to his MBE tutoring, my advice to any attorney applicant is, if you are more than three years out of law school, take a full 10-12 weeks off from work and hire Steve.  If you can’t hire him, I think that his books alone can help you pass.  I know I would not have passed without them.  – Attorney Applicant, Esq., passed the October 2020 Cal Bar Examination

I took the California Bar exam for the first time in July … sorry, no, September … wait, my bad, October 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While I probably would have been just fine studying independently with Bar/Bri materials alone, I knew that I wanted more accountability and personalized attention throughout this process, particularly given the ever-shifting landscape comprising this (very first online) administration of the bar exam.

Steven prepared multiple personalized calendars for me along the way as the State Bar continually revised the exam date. He was on top of every nuanced communication that was being released in order to keep me apprised of the latest developments during our weekly one-to-one calls, which allowed me to focus on my main priority: studying for the exam.

The tutoring materials comprising this program are excellent. Steven’s essay review week, comprising a forensic analysis of bar exams past, was eye opening in terms of understanding what examiners look for in a passing essay. The memorization plan is worth its weight in gold. You will simultaneously love him and hate him as you work through this process because it is exhaustingly rigorous and it WORKS. I experienced the equivalent of an open book exam because of this technique.

My investment in this tutoring program was totally worthwhile, and I wholeheartedly recommend Steven Harris as a California Bar Exam tutor. — JFK Law Grad, Esq., passed the October 2020 Cal Bar Examination

While no one wants to have to take the Bar 3 times, I could not imagine doing this process without the Steven’s help. Having previously used Bar/Bri for my first two attempts, I knew that I needed a more guided and personal approach for my third attempt. Within the first week of contacting Steven and signing up with the program, he sent a personalized calendar alongside instructions and materials that would prove to be indispensable for the upcoming Bar.

Steven’s methods and materials are exactly what I wish I had known the first two times I took the Bar as they help break down the daunting task of memorizing and applying hundreds of different issues across multiple different subjects. Steven’s memorization plan allowed me to worry less on trying to memorize every small detail and instead focus on actually learning the material. Steven’s knowledge regarding everything related to the Bar exam is second to none and the information he provides was integral in my ability to pass.

I am both excited and relieved to have passed the Bar and I know that Steven provided me with everything possible to allow me to do so. I hope that this testimonial can shed light upon the type of program Steven runs and I encourage anyone reading this to use Steven Harris’ tutoring program. – Santa Clara alum, Esq., passed the October 2020 Cal Bar Examination

WINNIN’ TIME! helped me study for Wills & Trusts during my final year at UC Hastings College of the Law. I considered Wills & Trusts to be my hardest class of the semester, and the material was overwhelming. However, WINNIN’ TIME! saved me when exam time came. The outlines contain ready-to-use legal definitions, which make writing IRAC style law school essays much easier. Ultimately, using WINNIN’ TIME!, I learned how rack up points on my final exam—I ended up receiving an ‘A’ grade, and I could not be more grateful.  — UC Hastings 3L