BBS-LAW 228A and 228B - Course Syllabus and Assignments - Fall 2024

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Theodora

BASIC BAR STUDIES for Fall 2024 provides course structure and grading-facing assignments for students preparing for the California Bar Examination. The syllabus defines objectives and study skills for Essay, MBE, and Performance Test components, including template creation, issue checklists, issue/important facts identification, performance-exam organization, and self-assessment through practice. It specifies weekly study methodology, fourteen-week coverage, class participation requirements, office hours, and required materials across Themis and U-World, plus workbook and handouts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Course Overview

Course Objectives

Course Methodology

Course Subjects

Essay Course

MBE Course

Performance Test

Course Materials and Participation

Required Materials

Class Participation and Requirements

BASIC BAR STUDIES Fall 2024 Western State College of Law at Westcliff University COURSE SYLLABUS AND ASSIGNMENTS Professors: Professor Tania Shah [tshah@wsulaw.edu](tshah@wsulaw.edu) Professor Kathleen Bolus [kathleenbolus@wsulaw.edu](kathleenbolus@wsulaw.edu) Semester: Fall 2024 Course Website: Please sign up for the FALL 2024 BBS (Essay and MBE) TWEN Course. Most of your materials will be posted there. Office Hours: Tuesdays 4-6 In Person/Zoom and Wednesdays 4-6 In Person/Zoom; Professor Bolus: Wednesdays (12:00pm-2:00pm-In Person/On Zoom), Thursdays (2:00pm-4:00pm-In-Person/On Zoom), and By Appointment Course Objectives: The goals of Basic Bar Studies (“BBS”) are to introduce students to the skills necessary to succeed on the Essay, Multi-State Bar Exam (“MBE”), and Performance Test sections of the California Bar Examination. These skills, however, are applicable across jurisdictions. By the end of the course, successful students will have: (1) created essay templates for a variety of topics and sub-topics for the bar exam; (2) developed the ability to use issues checklists to write well-organized and thorough essay answers within the one hour allotted by the California Bar Examiners for each essay; (3) developed the ability to identify legal issues on essay and MBE questions; (4) developed the ability to identify and analyze legally significant facts; (5) developed a strategy for organizing an answer to a performance exam; (6) practiced writing answers to essay and performance exams; (7) practiced doing and reviewing MBE questions; and (8) developed the ability to self-assess their performance on essay, multi-state and performance exam practice questions. Course Methodology: This course has been designed as a significant departure from traditional law school instruction and course work because it teaches a set of study skills that are unique to the Bar Exam—and because it begins your preparation for that exam. Using materials from Western State, U-World, Themis Bar Review and Mary Basick/Tina Schindler’s Essay Book, you will follow a rigorous weekly program and Professor Shah: Other availabilities by appointment on Zoom become proficient in employing the following skills: (1) viewing substantive lecture, filling in workbooks and doing assessment questions; (2) creating essay templates; (3) Completing writing assignments and self-assessments; (4) using a method to identify key facts/issues and outline an essay answer; (5) writing and assessing essay exams through graded assignments taking and assessing MBE questions; (6) developing a strategy for organizing the file and library of a 90-minute performance exam; and (7) writing and assessing performance exams through graded assignments, in-class work and out-ofclass work. (8) developing skills and strategy for taking MBE Questions During the fourteen-week semester, this course will cover the three components of the California Bar Exam: The Essay Portion; the Performance Test, and the MBE. If you are taking the Uniform Bar Exam, these three components are also present, though are tested slightly differently than the California Bar Exam (please talk to Professor Shah so she can get you additional material) . Course Subjects: You will cover the following in the respective courses: The Essay Course: ▪ Torts ▪ Contracts ▪ Constitutional Law ▪ Professional Responsibility ▪ The Performance Test (Persuasive, Objective, and Wild Card) The MBE Course: ▪ Torts ▪ Contracts ▪ Civil Procedure ▪ Criminal Law ▪ Criminal Procedure ▪ Constitutional Law ▪ Property ▪ Evidence Following the conclusion of the course, and leading up to the bar exam, you will then follow the same approach for each of the remaining subjects, as well as engage in additional practice and review of each testable subject, the Performance Test, and the MBE, as you study with the Custom Course Schedule from Themis (or your selec

FAQs

What skills does the Basic Bar Studies course aim to build by the end of the term?

The course focuses on essay template creation, using issue checklists to write organized answers within time limits, identifying and analyzing legally significant facts, and practicing performance-test organization. It also emphasizes MBE issue identification and self-assessment through practice.

How does the course methodology support preparation for the bar exam?

Students follow a rigorous weekly program designed to teach bar-exam-specific study skills. The syllabus combines substantive lecture viewing, workbook completion and assessment questions, writing assignments with self-assessments, and graded work for both MBE and performance exams.

What are the required materials and where are MBE questions assigned?

Required materials are provided by Themis, along with a professor-issued BBS workbook. MBE questions for the BBS MBE course are assigned on the U-World platform, and additional practice beyond assigned questions is recommended.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Theodora