Hi, I’m Lee Burgess, co-founder of the Bar Exam Toolbox and a highly experienced California bar exam tutor. If you’d like help passing the California bar exam, you’ve come to the right place! We are currently accepting students for July 2023 and beyond.
Most first-time bar takers are taking one of the big commercial bar review courses where you may find yourself listening to hours and hours of lectures. After those lectures, you might be doing exercises or other “busy work” to help yourself study. It is important to remember that if you are taking a commercial bar review course — it is one course designed to help thousands of people at a time. Not everything may work for you! And if you need different or additional support, you should ask for help before it’s too late.
When it comes time to actually doing practice questions — writing out that essay, executing the performance test, or doing MBE questions — if you find that you are feeling frustrated and not sure where you are going wrong, we get it. You feel like you are putting in hours of work, but find yourself worried you are going to be unprepared as the exam approaches.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help!
Our experienced bar exam tutors can help guide you through your bar prep and figure out the best way to spend your time as the exam gets much closer.
- Not sure if your writing is up to snuff? We can tell you!
- Not sure how to do better on the MBE? We have suggestions for that, too.
- Can’t do the performance test in 90 minutes? We have time management tips!
Our programming is customized for you so when crunch time comes, you can figure out the best way for you to spend your time to give you the best chance at success.
Want to discuss the best option for you? Drop us a line.
Curious what our students think? Please see our Testimonials for student comments about working with our tutors.
Many students who have disappointing bar experiences know that things aren’t going well during their first bar preparation period (trust us, we talk to a lot of people who fail the bar). If that is you, we can help you work on your exam-taking skills and give you the much-needed feedback that many people feel is missing from a commercial bar review experience.
Our job isn’t just to tell you how to do it — it is to give you the tools to succeed!
We cannot be in the exam room with you. You are the only one who can produce winning results on exam day. We see our role as empowering you by giving you the skills necessary to be the best exam-taker you can be.
- You will feel confident that you know what a good essay looks like.
- You will be confident you know what a good performance exam essay looks like.
- You will have your plan of how to attack an essay or performance exam.
- You will even have a plan if you don’t remember the law!
You will have a new set of tools that you can draw upon to make this bar experience different from the last!
We make sure that your study techniques match your learning style
One of the great things about working with us is that we use different approaches to match your learning style. This process really is about getting you ready for the bar exam, not just some imaginary student.
- Do you learn best from flash cards? Outlining? Flow charts?
- Do you struggle with time management?
- Does your writing style need work?
- Is organization a problem?
The key is to use the study skills you already have and build on them based on the needs of the bar exam.
Want to learn more?
Here’s a bit more about how our programs work.
Studying for the bar exam is tedious enough without searching your email looking for feedback or to figure out what you’re supposed to be working on. You’ll have a personal assignment schedule, developed in consultation with your tutor to focus on your needs. To make things easy, we’ll set up a personal Asana board for you to use for uploads, feedback, and much more.
Here’s what it looks like:
If you have any questions on how things work, just ask!
What do our students have to say about us?
What impressed me most about both Lee and Ariel is how committed they were to finding a way for me to succeed. Instead of insisting that I learn using some “tried and true” method, they not only recognized that I was going to need a customized learning approach, they both worked hard with me to figure out what that approach would look like and adjusted course as needed during my prep. In a world of Bar prep cookie-cutter programs, Bar Exam Toolbox helps you mold and form a Bar prep plan that’s going to work for you.
Thank you both again for all of your guidance!
-LH
I registered to take the February 2016 bar exam. Although I had signed up for a well known commercial bar prep program, I knew I needed one-on-one assistance with my essay writing skills because I had struggled with various subjects during law school. To be specific, I had not done well in Property and had stumbled through Business Organizations and Community Property. Thus, I reached out to Lee at Bar Exam Tool Box and explained my fears to her. In addition, I told her I went to a small CBA law school and in general felt I was at an extreme disadvantage. She understood exactly what I needed and put me in contact with Ariel who turned out to be an amazing tutor! Ariel and I worked well together. She created a study plan for me to compliment the schedule of the bar prep program in which I originally enrolled. That was a definite plus because I did not feel I was following two separate schedules, instead, it all felt very cohesive. Ariel’s main focus with me was to strengthen my writing skills for both essays and PTs. When I received my first graded essay back from Ariel it was full of constructive comments, advice, and tips on how to improve my writing. Ariel was very honest as to whether the essay I turned it would pass or not. It was not an easy process but Ariel was super encouraging and did not let me give up. She pointed out my strengths but also was very honest about my weaknesses. She showed me ways in which I could attack the problem areas in my writing. Ariel also forced me to do all my writing assignments under timed conditions and kept encouraging me to write essays without looking at outlines a month in advance of the bar exam. By the time I got to the bar exam I was comfortable with writing essays completely closed book. Moreover, I especially looked forward to my weekly call with Ariel. These one-on-one conversations were helpful because if I had any questions she would answer them instantly over the phone. During one of our weekly calls we used the time to walk through a fact pattern together and Ariel was able to fully understand how I was thinking through the fact pattern and pointed out where I was going wrong or where I was headed in the right direction. She put me on the spot but that kind of pressure is the kind of on the spot thinking you need in order to be prepared for exam day. I can go on, and on, and on about what a great tutor Ariel is and how much I recommend her to anyone seeking personal attention during their crazy bar prep weeks. It was nice to know I had someone to touch base with who not only held me accountable for my work but also provided very detailed analysis of all the work I turned in. Truly it was a great decision to sign up for Bar Exam Tool Box. They provided great learning tools and Ariel was a wonderful tutor, teacher, coach, and friend. I’m happy to report that all the hard work paid off because I passed the bar exam!
-G.M.
I highly recommend Ariel for bar tutoring. Ariel was instrumental in helping craft a personalized bar study schedule during the Spring of my 3L year and frequently followed up to help keep me on task. She is highly organized and was able to accommodate the schedule of my bar prep program. Not only did Ariel pinpoint my writing weaknesses and provide timely constructive criticism, she offered support and encouragement throughout bar study and I was fortunate to pass the California bar on my first attempt.
-K.J.
Thank you all so much for all the work and effort you’ve put in to help me achieve my years long dream of practicing law. You guys are fantastic.
Ariel is a great tutor and a relentless optimist. It’s clear she cares about her students, knows the material like the back of her hand, and the time she puts into providing feedback on submitted sample essays is obvious. Thanks, Ariel, for keeping me calm when all I wanted to do is freak out (also for the pre-exam Starbucks card). Haha!
-M.C.
I am writing cause I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your help. I know for a fact that I would not have passed without all of your help preparing me for the essay portion and for your willingness to get on the phone with me late at night during the actual bar exam to help me put together an emergency regroup and game plan for the second Performance Test. The quick system you helped me put together to tackle the second PT allowed me to get through all the material thoroughly, structure my answer eloquently, and complete my answer on time and without another panic attack. In addition, your encouragement to keep going and finish the test helped provide me with the energy and strength to give it my all and finish strong despite the long odds.
Thank you again so much Ariel!
-Andrew
From the moment I communicated with Lee Burgess, I knew that I was in good hands. After taking the July California Bar Exam, I found relief waiting for results within the blogs created by Lee and her team. Since, I was a subscriber to her emails, when I failed, I received an email about working past the failure to overcome the beast that the bar exam is.
I immediately emailed Lee, and received a response about how to proceed. When I spoke with Lee on the phone, I knew the Bar Exam Toolbox team was the right fit. I was lost and had no idea what to do next, but that was only momentarily because Lee had a plan. After signing up for a tutoring session, I was put into contact with Ariel Salazar.
Not only did Ariel find and develop the writer within myself, but she became much more than a tutor, she became a confidant during a very difficult time. We worked diligently together for 8 weeks and even after the test, Lee and Ariel were a sounding board for the wave of emotions waiting for results. I cannot speak highly enough about Ariel’s ability to help me tackle any obstacle that arose during bar prep. She made it simple, clear and cut and dry. I was able to work with a focus towards a goal that I did not have when I used a commercial bar prep company the first time.
When I checked results, and passed, not only was I overjoyed but I knew it was only because I picked up the phone and called Lee. Her team took care of me and I will always remember as being a monumental part of my journey post law school through the bar and on. Not only did they help me pass the bar but I feel that they cared more than just about me passing, they cared about me as a person. They will always be at the top of the list of those that I will be indebted too.
– J.G.
I am a practicing attorney at BigLaw firm with a demanding schedule – at the end of the day, I could only take two weeks off to prepare for the California bar. The team at Bar Exam Toolbox was incredibly supportive, thoughtful, and flexible – and is without a doubt the only reason I was prepared enough to take and pass the bar. While I doubt they would recommend my study schedule to any potential student, I cannot recommend them more highly for their precise and helpful feedback, which allowed me to make steady progress towards writing a successful examination.
– V.M.
I called the Bar Exam Toolbox in a panic about five weeks before the February 2014 California bar exam. It was my first time taking the exam, and I knew that BarBri was not working for me. Although I was studying full-time, I was unable to keep up with the Paced Program. I was completely overwhelmed by the volume of course materials. I didn’t know where to focus my time or efforts, and I felt like I was spinning my wheels.
Working with Ariel, who takes a holistic approach to bar exam tutoring, was the key to my success on the exam. She was patient and compassionate, but never short on tough love — she kept me on track and motivated to pass the exam. Ariel helped me identify my weaknesses and pushed me to work on the subjects I needed to address most. Her feedback on my practice essays and performance tests was very thorough, and she always gave me concrete tips on how to improve my writing.
I cannot recommend Ariel highly enough. My investment in her services is one I will never regret. She helped me pass the exam on the first try, and for that I am forever grateful.
— Natalie
What impressed me most about both Lee and Ariel is how committed they were to finding a way for me to succeed. Instead of insisting that I learn using some “tried and true” method, they not only recognized that I was going to need a customized learning approach, they both worked hard with me to figure out what that approach would look like and adjusted course as needed during my prep. In a world of Bar prep cookie-cutter programs, Bar Exam Toolbox helps you mold and form a Bar prep plan that’s going to work for you.
Thank you both again for all of your guidance!
-LH
Do you have another question? Contact us and we will get right back to you.
We look forward to helping you find bar exam success!
