Bar Exam Essay Writing Tips

The framework here does take time and effort to get good at. But, (and I don’t mean to say that this is the only way to write a bar exam essay), it’s the approach I teach to maximize scores.

Spot the legal issue. Let the graders know you’ve spotted it. Clearly and succinctly. Write down the legal rule(s) that will help you to analyze the legal issue. Here’s the part that takes practice. Although you’re writing down the full rule(s), you have to work on seeing the individual components of the rule. Not the engine, each component of the engine. Certain components might need their own definitions. In your mind, that rule has to break up into component parts, because legal analysis requires analyzing each component part of a rule. Might come naturally for some; others might need lots of practice. Analyze each component part of the rule by explaining how both sides will claim that the individual component benefits them. So, for example, “contact” is a component of battery in Torts. If it’s questionable if contact was made, explain what both sides will say about this. It may true that as to a specific component, the argument only runs one way. Don’t force those; that’s fine, too. Once you’ve analyzed each component (when applicable), bring all the components back together to draw a probable conclusion as to how the issue you’ve spotted will likely be resolved.