Hillary Vaillancourt, Author at Bar Exam Toolbox®

About Hillary Vaillancourt

Hillary Vaillancourt is a lawyer and writer at The Vaillancourt Law Firm, LLC. She has experience in a wide variety of matters including food law, education law, real estate law, family law, criminal law, contracts, and estate planning. She earned her JD from New England Law|Boston and is licensed in Virginia.

How To Get Licensed To Practice Law In Multiple Jurisdictions

October 13, 2021 By Hillary Vaillancourt Leave a Comment

When I began my legal career, I never expected to practice law in multiple jurisdictions. I went to law school in Boston, and even though I was madly in love with Boston, I knew right from the start that I would return to Virginia and practice law there. I never had any idea that I would practice in Virginia, New York, and now North Carolina or that I would have a law partner who practices in three additional jurisdictions.

Why would an attorney want to get licensed in multiple jurisdictions? Well, sometimes it’s not so much a matter of wanting to be in multiple jurisdictions but rather a necessity.

For example, despite the fact that I’m already licensed in three jurisdictions, I live right on the border of North Carolina and South Carolina. I live on the North Carolina side, but the state line is just seven minutes away. This means I could draw potential clients from both states. It makes sense that I also get licensed in South Carolina. [Read more…] about How To Get Licensed To Practice Law In Multiple Jurisdictions

Three Fun Activities For Kinesthetic Learners Studying For The Bar Exam

August 18, 2021 By Hillary Vaillancourt Leave a Comment

Auditory learning, visual learning, and kinesthetic learning are different types of learning styles, meaning different ways in which students process information most effectively. Auditory learners understand lessons best when they hear the information. Visual learners learn most effectively by seeing the information. Kinesthetic learners are most successful when they’re able to use their whole body to understand a concept. These learners tend to learn best by “doing” rather than hearing or seeing.

Many of us need a combination of learning styles to really grasp new information. Unfortunately, law school is typically driven by one type of learning style—auditory learning. It makes some sense. After all, law school is meant to prepare us for the practice of law. Litigating a case is an extremely auditory process. For auditory learners, this curriculum is a positive. For others who don’t learn as well by listening, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to incorporate your own style of learning. [Read more…] about Three Fun Activities For Kinesthetic Learners Studying For The Bar Exam

Two Ways Mantras Help You Study For The Bar Exam

July 26, 2021 By Hillary Vaillancourt Leave a Comment

Mantras, words, slogans, or phrases that are repeated, have played an important role in helping me cope with difficult situations. From running half marathons to giving birth to my daughter at home without any medication, mantras have motivated me to do my best, to not give up, and to even enjoy situations that I once dreaded.

The trick to effective mantras is to find ones that motivate you in a specific situation. Some of my mantras for helping me run hills, for example, didn’t necessarily help me have a natural birth. Mantras like, “these hills make my butt look good!” definitely missed the mark during the labor!

Other mantras like “breathe” work in just about every situation. Practicing mantras as part of your preparation for the bar exam will help ensure that the mantras you choose are effective for you on the day of the exam.

But, can mantras actually help you pass the bar exam? Sure! Here’s why.

Do’s And Don’ts For Studying The Night Before The Bar Exam

July 21, 2021 By Hillary Vaillancourt Leave a Comment

The bar exam is scheduled to take place in the morning, and you need to know whether to cram a few more practice questions in? Or, do you brush up on the Rule Against Perpetuities? Do you have your mnemonic for the hearsay exceptions down cold? Also, don’t forget to relax, and breathe, and whatever you do, don’t stress!

Basically, the night before the exam can be a difficult time for many test-takers. The reality that there will be no more opportunities to study, no more practice exams, no more rehearsals, can be daunting. For me, I was fine preparing for most of my practice exams, because I knew full well that these were simply practice.

Arriving to my hotel before the bar exam and realizing this exam was for all the marbles—that was scary.

Here’s what you need to know about making the most of the night before your bar exam.

Confessions of a Bar Examinee: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

June 23, 2021 By Hillary Vaillancourt Leave a Comment

Any good bar exam preparation program will show you how to break down a bar exam essay, how to analyze a multiple choice question, and how to focus your studies on the subjects and areas that matter most. Some programs are better than others (like Bar Exam Toolbox!), however what these programs don’t cover are the hidden issues with taking the bar.

For example, did you know that you will have to travel, sometimes really far away to take the bar exam? The MPRE, the ethics portion of getting licensed to practice law, is often offered in many more locations than the bar exam itself. Other standardized tests like the SAT and LSAT are offered in numerous places giving test takers ample opportunity to take the exams in a place convenient to them. The bar exam? Not so much.

Here is something good, bad, and ugly that may surprise you about taking the bar exam. [Read more…] about Confessions of a Bar Examinee: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Before The Bar: How To Tackle The Bar Application

April 28, 2021 By Hillary Vaillancourt Leave a Comment

Taking the bar exam is no easy feat—an understatement, I know. Sure, you’ve spent three years of law school preparing for this one major exam that stands between you and the career you’ve chosen. You have studied torts, civil procedure, criminal law, contracts, and constitutional law like it was your job. And, you paid a hefty price for a bar review course to ensure you were as equipped to pass the exam as you would ever be.

But, that’s not all there is to getting licensed. Before you can even take the bar exam, you have to apply for the privilege to take the exam. Yes, you heard correctly. And then, when you have taken the bar exam, you still have to apply to your jurisdiction’s bar.

In my experience, quite frankly, applying for the bar was almost as stressful as applying for and taking the bar exam.

Every jurisdiction differs, of course, but I have now applied for three different bars: Virginia, New York, and North Carolina. The process hasn’t gotten any easier. Here are some tips to get prepared for and crush your bar application.

Hillary Vaillancourt

About Hillary Vaillancourt

Need to Pass the Bar Exam?

Footer