CA Bar Style

The California Bar is the hardest in the nation, and regular bar preparation courses simply were not cut out to teach you HOW to take the bar; they just bombard you with every law and exception to the exception possible that it really leaves a first time bar taker confused, anxious, and disoriented.
I was one of these. After having failed the bar with Bar Bri, I knew I needed a different game plan and so my hunt for a tutor began. I am glad I shopped around because that is how I found Shana. I read the reviews and saw her video and was convinced she had the right approach to handling the bar. Additionally, unlike other tutors and companies I spoke with, she was down to earth, practical and actually was invested in your success. She really believes in all her students and that counts a lot when you feel the bar is kicking your butt. Also, you don’t need to know everything because there are certain subjects the bar wants you to know inside out and Shana has approaches for all of these subjects. Furthermore, PTs are not as bad as many people make them out to be if you have a method and can learn, apply, and train yourself to cut through all the useless facts and just look for what you need. I am extremely thankful that Shana very clearly spelled this out. Her way made it seem almost too easy. Moreover, when I received my essays, I was very upset to have discovered that Bar Bri did not prepare me how to present my information in the essays properly. Shana pointed this out and through her program I became confident that any subject the bar threw at me, I was going to be able to present it the best way I can.
Shana’s approaches are solid. I cannot stress this enough! She really teaches you how to analyze and connect all the dots. IRAC all day everyday. The program’s graders are tough but their feedback is gold if you listen, learn, and apply it. I feel I am a much stronger writer now than I was graduating from law school and that is saying something huge. Don’t miss your chance to get out of bar prep hell – stick with Shana!

Shana is a blessing for people who have a hard time passing the bar.
I took Barbri, but the information was copious, there was no real understanding of what is commonly tested, there was no approach, and there was virtually no feedback. The Bar repeats itself, however, 98% of what Barbri does is give you substantive information. That is not enough. You must understand the way to take the exam and pass it. I decided to hire an entirely different tutor (someone that isn’t Shana) and all he did was review my exams without actually giving me an approach. That was not helpful at all!
Enter Shana. First of all, even during my initial conversation with her, she was truly interested in me personally and my success. I felt like this was an old friend who is going to help me pass the bar exam. It is what doctors call «good bedside manners». Then she went into detail about how she will coach me to pass the stupid thing. I was thoroughly impressed because it was holistic: she provided the substantive information, told me that she has an APPROACH to passing exam, and that she will do everything in her power for me to pass. I was skeptical, but she under promised, and over delivered!
Throughout the study session, her team was incredibly professional, prompt, and took their job incredibly seriously. When minor issues arose, Shana took it upon herself to ameliorate them and actually went out of her way to make it even better than expected. For example, there was a misunderstanding as to the grading of my Wills essay. I asked her to regrade it. Not only did she do it again, but she went into detail comparing and contrasting the old wills essay and the new one!
Her material is amazing. You follow the material and you will pass, even if you have half a brain and stayed out partying until 2 a.m. the previous night. Extreme? No. I thought I would never pass, but because of her APPROACH to essay writing, her availability to her students (whether it be about the law or about the stress level) is unparalleled. Even after I passed the exam, I received a personalized, hearty congratulatory email from her as well as her availability to help us with any real life practice pointers. I mean c’mon! She is even available after you pass the exam!!!
Don’t cheap out and get a hack of a tutor. Shana is the real deal! You have invested so much, so don’t stop there!
Here is the winning formula: Dreaded Bar Exam + Shana = Pass

After taking BarBri the first time and being fairly disappointed, my wife found the Unilocal reviews for CA Bar Style, and we soon found ourselves wondering why I hadn’t gone this route in the first place! Shana and her team are professional, responsive, and deeply knowledgeable about not only the bar exam material, but also the entire bar taking experience and how to make it less stressful. I soon realized that there were patterns and procedures that I could memorize and follow, which had little to do with either what I had learned in law school or during my summer internships.
Some of the pros of this program over other options include:
1 on 1 tutoring sessions with Shana.
Not sitting in a lecture hall watching videos of a law professor. I got so much more out of being in a small conference room with a real live person who didn’t care about theory, only passing the exam.
Shana is not afraid to make predictions and tell you what you DON’T need to know, instead of just throwing everything at you and hoping something sticks.
Detailed approach outlines for almost every potential essay. If you find essays the most difficult part, like I did, this is the course for you. Something like 30 essays graded – usually within a day or two, so there isn’t a huge delay in which to forget what you wrote.
Much more doable for people with work/​family/​other commitments.
Barely more money than BarBri or other big companies – and literally the difference between having a full-​time personal trainer and trying to exercise on your own. A supremely worthwhile investment, especially when compared to the financial setback of potentially not passing.
The bar exam is still extremely challenging, but if you had trouble the first time, call Shana immediately, and do everything she says. This way, you will at least know you did everything you could and didn’t leave anything on the table.
As I sat during my second exam, I remember feeling that there was no way I could have written as well as I did without Shana, and I was much more confident that I had passed, having a much deeper understanding of the exam from the graders’ perspective.
FYI, my class met in Beverly Hills – not Sherman Oaks, but a lot of people did it online or met with her in person in the Valley.
This is the best program out there, and I have already recommended half a dozen people to it. As Shana would say, I passed, and so can you!

Thank you SHANA! I recommend Shana to all bar takers.
Her program is efficient and skill based. Rather than making you spend hours drilling in the most obscure facts, Shana focuses on what you really need to know. Most importantly, she teaches strategy and technique. I was very close after the July bar, but needed an approach for the written sections, that is just what Shana provided. Shana also helps build your confidence back up, but provides tough love when you need it.
The first time I studied for the bar I spent 10 – 14 hours a day trying to check off all of the boxes on the Barbri schedule. I was stressed, nervous, and anxious sitting through lectures that made me want to pull my hair out. Nothing that I was doing made any sense for my own needs, I was just going through the motions.
When I studied with Shana I was calm, relaxed, and confident. The main difference is that my time was spent purposefully, rather than filled with busy work. Further, Shana’s essay graders were excellent.
Thank you!

I don’t know how I would have done it without Shana. I started off with Barbri and failed the bar. My friend raved to me about Shana and how she passed with flying colors after taking her course. I knew I had to give it a shot. I knew this course was amazing just by looking at Shana’s materials! Everything was already narrowed and perfectly outlined for you. I no longer had to decipher 100s of pages of useless information like I did in Barbri. The classes were straight to the point and very personal and interactive. Plus, Shana always answers her emails when I bombarded her with millions of questions. I can go on forever about all the benefits but I’ll just end it with … I PASSED! Thanks Shana!

If you want to pass, you take Shana that is the only way.
I failed the first time and Shana did it for me and made me Esquire this february! I am the happiest person on this planet.
The program is efficient, concise, not tiresome, fun at times and she gives you everything you need. Best of all, depending on the package you get, you meet with her 1 on 1 no one, can beat that. She literally kept track of my progress from day 1 until i passed. Shana’s positive attitude and amazing work product will make you a lawyer.
I did barbri the first time and I was putting in 15 hour days and I learned nothing. I was never a cookie cutter student so that didnt change when I wanted to take the bar.
Because CA Bar Style CEO Shana meets with you and her team grades your essays you have a team helping you everyday or I should say carrying you to the finish line. This was the best choice I have ever made. I wish I did this program the first time!
FYI she flew in the adaptibar guy just to lecture us, her team is filled with the best and you will need the best to pass the CA beast!
This was VIP program, only for the people who want to pass. I highly recommend CA Bar Style!

CA Bar Style teaches participants exactly how to write for each subject. They utilize specific approaches for each subject and subsection of each subject. This is extremely useful and allows candidates to feel confidante and ready for the essay portion of the exam.
CA Bar Style also uses a program for practice multiple choice questions that breaks down the practice questions into specific subsections and provides feedback in which sub-​category of a subject a participant should focus their studies. Also a great tool to have when studying for the bar.

Prior to finding CA Bar Style I had tried other Baby Bar prep courses, but I was unable to obtain a passing score. Shana has a different style of teaching which simplifies the exam. CA Bar Style’s study materials are excellent, especially the essay approaches. Shana customized a study schedule which focused on my weaknesses, and provided personalized attention, so I never felt lost. I highly recommend CA Bar Style to anyone taking the CA Bar Exam or the FYLSE.

CA Bar Style was a life saver for me. Other bar prep programs focus on cramming you full of information. But while I knew the law cold, I didn’t know how to present it to the bar graders; I went to a top-​ten law school, which was great on theory and principles, but short on nitty gritty. CA Bar Style’s course materials, including the flash cards and outlines, broke the information down into easily digestible and organized pieces. The focus on HOW to write for the exam, coupled with practice and personalized grading attention, was key to my success. Thank you, California Bar Style-​I don’t think I would have passed without you!

«Before I learned about CA Bar Style, I felt defeated after a failed attempt at passing the Bar with another course. I didn’t know what to do or how to proceed. I was so fortunate that I found CA Bar Style. The study materials were organized, concise and just made very good sense to me. Concepts finally clicked for the first time since I began studying for the Bar a year and a half ago.
The essay approaches worked really well because they were structured in such a thorough and straight-​forward manner that I knew exactly what the examiners were looking for in my answer. Also, the one-​on-​one performance overviews and feedback of practice essays were invaluable! I walked into the Bar exam with complete confidence. I walked out with a complete smile.
Thank you so much!»

Dear Shana,
I just want to take the time to thank you for all your help and motivation with
passing the bar exam. You helped me feel at ease and not frightened and overwhelmed during the most difficult time in any law student’s life. As a tutor, you were able to pinpoint the relevant
black letter law I should focus on, and more importantly, how I should present
it to the graders. Other programs only focus on cramming and memorizing the law (too much law in fact), and neglect to teach their students how to properly write out an answer and exhibit
their knowledge of the law. Your program really taught me how to spot all the issues, outline my answer and write it out in a way to earn the most points possible. I also enjoyed the fact
that I didn’t feel lost in a sea of students; I received personalized attention with regular feedback on all my assignments and any questions I had would be quickly answered. I feel the only way a person can pass the bar is if they feel confident and prepared. Your program helped me achieve that and I passed! I couldn’t thank you enough. I would highly recommend CA Bar Style
to anyone, whether you’re a first time taker or repeating the exam.

I was given a second chance in law school by our Dean of Students, who weighed all of the work I put into the program (plus circumstances, previous grades, my character, etc). Not many students got this second chance. I then knew I was going to have to step up my game and could not do it alone. I took a nose-​dive in Contracts 2 and had to repeat our school’s Legal Writing and Analysis class, which helps us prepare to take the California Baby Bar, the hardest bar exam in the country. The Bar examiners know that 1 year is not enough time for the concepts of law school to sink in. This guarantees a high failure rate. It also tests on the specificity of subjects, not on the theories and concepts taught to us in class. I knew how hard I was going to have to work and it was certain that I needed extra help…
The Dean and one of my fellow students recommended Shana. I figured that her being an experienced lawyer, whose specific business is helping students to pass the California bar exam, would be able to help me pass the California Baby Bar, for which she has a specialized program. I must say, that even though my school’s program is very good and helpful, I would have never passed the exam if had not been for Shana. From the specified short/​long outlines, flashcards, and memorization techniques, to the personalized schedule, assigments, and feeback on essays, to her spotting any weak areas we may have, plus the 1 on 1 live tutoring (which I greatly needed above all)…in a nutshell, it all came together on game-​day and it worked. I am honestly not a person of gifted aptitude or intellect (I struggled with my LSAT in the 140s trying to get 150, mainly because I tried to do it on my own and never got any help). Law can be very frustrating. There will be areas that people just do not get, and it is true that it may not be for everyone. Nevertheless, Shana helped weak areas make sense to me. This improved my essays and MBE scores well enough to pass. I did not pass by a great margin and had fellow classmates do much better than me but this is a pass/​fail exam, which gives you the door to becoming an attorney. I passed this exam with my heart and with professional help from Shana. Law school is not for some unless they want it bad enough. I was persistant in all that my school and Shana gave me to do. The point is, she gave me the extra edge (an insurance policy if you will, which was worth it). It saved me from 1) repeating the exam in OCT, costing not only more money, 2) losing a semester of 2L classes, 3) plus the previous semester of 2L credit. I am happy everything worked out. My family is proud of me (as well as our Dean). I cannot say enough in a short testimonial. I can only give the facts from a real «Average Joe» in law and give Shana the credit she deserves.