First, I did some research on the requirements for the case law exam. This is usually done at the law school of the individual’s choice or at another accredited law school. There are also state bar associations that require you to take a case law exam and pass in order to become licensed as a practicing attorney in your state. Most states require that attorneys take a case law exam before they can practice law. I recommend doing your research so you know what the process involves and the various requirements.
Second, I did a few practice tests and reviews to see what questions were going to be on the exam. Most of the review courses provided a mock exam or review that you could take before you took the real thing. This gave me a few scenarios to answer and helped me get some preparation in, but in actuality it was not that much help. You might think that taking an actual case study or review exam would be helpful because it would give you the “feel” of what the case would be like. There are websites out there that offer this type of exam and if you research some case law websites you will find the types of exams available.
Third, I talked to a few lawyers and asked them if they would recommend any books to take before the case law exam. Most attorneys would recommend some case law books and this may not be useful. If your area of the law has developed in a new direction, you might want to read up on that movement. But again, most attorneys probably would not recommend any books for this purpose.
Fourth, I spoke with the Law School Admissions Council and a few other legal professionals. I found that all of them recommended that I take a case study or review course before the exam. They said that this would really help me prepare for the exam. Some even said that it would be a good idea to take a refresher class after the exam. These courses are very affordable and most law schools offer these types of courses.
Fifth, I spoke with several cases in the past that I was able to attend and observe the proceedings before the case law exam. In those instances I learned that there are a number of important case law rules and procedures that must be followed at every conference that is held before a case is filed. Not only do these rules apply to depositions, but they also apply to cross examinations as well. If you don’t follow these procedures, you run the risk of being sanctioned or even penalized.
Sixth, I spoke with several past and present attorneys that have been through the process before. What they shared to me makes sense and can benefit you. One of the things that they said was that you really need to be familiar with the case law before taking the exam. You will have a better chance of having a successful result if you are familiar with the case law prior to taking the actual exam.
Seventh, I spoke with several legal professionals who have taken case study courses in the past. They shared with me that although there are several good courses out there and some good pre-case study programs. Most law students do not take advantage of these courses in their preparation for the case law exam.
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