Don’t worry. More legal jobs are popping up left and right. And, who says you have to be an attorney? I mean, I know you just finished law school and are either right in the middle of your bar exam prep or have just taken the bar exam, but, that doesn’t mean you have to be a lawyer. There are many people who went on the same path as you and then went on to make millions in completely different fields.

Forbes recently released its 2013 list of world’s richest people. I’ve narrowed down for you the top five richest people on that list with a law degree so you can see all the different career paths available to make your millions…or billions! Let’s get inspired!

(5) Heinz Hermann 

Hermann received a master of laws (also known as an L.L.M.) from the University of Munich. He went on to acquire a brake making company in the ‘80s and is now worth $6.4 billion. He was 189th on the Forbes list.

(4) Richard Kinder

Kinder received his law degree from the University of Missouri. He was president and COO of Enron for six years before he quit and founded his own energy company, Kinder Morgan, in 1997. He is ranked as the 112th richest person in the world with a net worth of $9.8 billion.

(3) Roman Abramovich

Abramovich is the fifth richest man in Russia. He earned his law degree at Moscow State Law Academy. He is a business tycoon and owner of the Chelsea Football club. He lands at 107th place on Forbes’ list.

(2) Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken

Carvalho-Heineken is the 13th richest woman in the world. She studied law at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. She is the heiress to the Heineken beer fortune. Forbes ranked her as the 94^th richest person in the world.

(1) Samuel Robson Walton 

Walton is the heir to Walmart. He earned his J.D. from Columbia University and practiced law at Conner & Winters in Oklahoma before joining Walmart as a senior VP.

So, I hope this helps calm your financial worries. I know some of these people were heirs to large thrones, but, they still got their degrees and some even practiced law before they went into business. I’m just trying to say, as I always do, the J.D. is a very versatile degree. You’re not going to get pigeon-holed, and you will have ample opportunity to balance out your debt.

Happy Studying!

The post All About the Benjamins appeared first on BarMax.

I actually thought about becoming a law school professor for a bit of my own law school career. When I had it set in my mind, I was bombarded by a ton of different questions. How do legal scholars get their start in academia? How do they refine their theories? I decided to do what I do best and research. I hounded my professors’ office hours every day and asked them about their own experiences and reasons for getting into academia. Did they always know they wanted to teach or did their lives inexplicably take them down that path?

One of my favorite professors, my 1L contracts professor who simultaneously got her JD and PhD in Economics at Columbia University recommended a book by James Hackney. In his book, Legal Intellectuals in Conversation: Reflections on the Construction of Contemporary American Legal Theory, Hackney, a law professor himself, conducts one-on-one interviews with some of the most prominent legal scholars alive today. He discusses how Richard Posner became interested in a legal career, and how Catharine MacKinnon developed her own path on feminist legal theory.

The book proved very interesting and informative for me. There are ten interviews in total, which include interviews with Austin Sarat, Drucilla Cornell, Jules Coleman and the like. Each interview not only dives deep into the specific legal theories of those being interviewed and the development of said theories, but it also digs into what personal life experiences led these individuals toward a life of legal academia. The scholars talked candidly with Hackney about their own law school professors, their feelings on the other scholars being interviewed for the book, and where they thought the legal profession was heading.

All in all it was a really interesting read and I am very thankful for the recommendation. I encourage you to go to the stacks of your own legal library, pick it up, and give it a flip. Peruse it if you must (for those of you who didn’t know, the actual definition of peruse is to read thoroughly or carefully).  The great thing is that a J.D. is a very versatile degree. You can do many things with your law degree and even more things once you pass the bar. I know many times throughout your grueling bar exam prep adventure you might stop and wonder where the heck you’re going with all of this, and well, I just want you to remember that there are many paths you can choose.

Happy Studying!

The post Beyond the Bar Exam: Life In Legal Academia appeared first on BarMax.

My personal favorite trick of his was his con of a several airlines and car rental businesses. He noticed the location of where these businesses would drop their daily collections of money into a deposit drop box on airport premises. While disguised, he placed a sign over the box that read, “out of service, place deposits with security guard on duty,” and he collected the money in that way. Later in a speech he exclaimed his astonishment of this having worked, “How can a drop box be out of service?”

Now did you hear us say he faked his way into being an attorney? Why, yes! He did, indeed. Abagnale forged a Harvard Law School transcript, passed the bar exam of Louisiana and got a job at the Louisiana Attorney General’s office at the age of nineteen! While he was posing as a Pan Am Officer, he told a stewardess he was dating that he was a Harvard Law student, and she introduced him to a lawyer friend. That said attorney mentioned to Abagnale that the bar needed more lawyers, which gave Abagnale the idea to apply. Abagnale forged a transcript from Harvard and applied to take the bar exam. He studied hard and after failing the exam twice, he passed the Louisiana exam on the third try after eight weeks of studying. Now, don’t go jumping off a cliff, just yet. Remember that though Abagnale had no formal law training, the Louisiana bar exam is in no way the most taxing bar exam there is and this was in 1967, so the exam was slightly less grueling. Once he passed the bar exam he was hired as an attorney at the Louisiana Attorney General’s office.

Abagnale was not fond of his job as an attorney. He described his legal job as a “gopher boy” having to fetch coffee and knickknacks for his boss. Eventually Abagnale left because there was a real Harvard Law graduate who worked for the attorney general and he had begun to ask too many questions about Abagnale’s Harvard past. Abagnale didn’t want to be discovered, so after eight months of working as an attorney, he quit.

Interesting, right? Now, we didn’t tell you this story so that you’d try out Abagnale’s unethical path. Remember, Abagnale was eventually caught in France in 1969 and 12 of the countries in which he had committed fraud in sought his extradition. He first served time in Perpignan’s House of Arrest in France for six months where he was held nude in a small, dirty, and pitch-black cell, which he was sequestered in. The cell had no toilet or bed, and his food and water were very sparse. So don’t go getting any ideas!

We just thought it’d be an interesting little anecdote to share with you about someone who might have, for a while, circumvented law school, and started down the path of bar exam prep that you find yourself on now.

Happy Studying!

The post Frank Abagnale Jr. appeared first on BarMax.

You’ve heard these rights over and over again in movies and television shows, but have you ever really thought of their importance? In the wake of the tragic events that occurred in Boston and your recent review of Crimes for bar exam prep, we thought this would be a perfect time to review Miranda rights and the exception that was invoked after Boston Marathon bombing suspect #2 was taken into custody.

You have the right against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment. The Miranda warnings must be given to anyone in police custody before police interrogation. As seen above, these Miranda warnings inform the defendant of his or her right to remain silent and right to counsel. But, remember that the Miranda rights must only be read to those in a custodial interrogation. What should your next question be? What is considered “in custody?”  Well, a person is “in custody” if he or she does not believe that they are free to terminate the interrogation. For any answers given by the defendant during a custodial interrogation to be admitted at trial, the police must have read the Miranda rights and obtained a valid waiver (i.e. knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently) of these rights.

After Boston Marathon bombing suspect #2 was taking into custody, a Justice Department official stated that he would not be read his Miranda rights because the government was invoking the public safety exception.

The public safety exception to the Miranda rights allows the police to conduct an interrogation without reading a suspect their Miranda warnings if there is a reasonable concern for public safety. But, this exception only applies to voluntary statements made by the suspect; as opposed to coerced statements, which are not protected by this exception. Not only does the exception permit police to interrogate without reading the Miranda warnings, but also allows the government to introduce the statements as evidence against the suspect in court.

This exception comes from the 1984 Supreme Court case New York v. Quarles where the police apprehended a rape suspect in a crowded grocery store. During this arrest, the police found an empty gun-holster and before reading the suspect his Miranda rights asked him where the gun was. The suspect nodded in the direction of the gun and said, “The gun is over there.” Only after retrieving the gun did the police read the suspect his Miranda rights. The Supreme Court held that the rule of Miranda is not absolute and can be a bit more elastic where there is a concern for public safety. Under this exception, to be admissible in the government’s direct case at a trial, the questioning must not be “actually compelled by police conduct which overcame his will to resist,” and must be focused and limited, involving a situation “in which police officers ask questions reasonably prompted by a concern for the public safety.”

Alright, so let’s get a little perspective on how all of this related to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Boston bombing suspect #2. The government invoked the public safety exception so Tsarnaev was not read his Miranda rights after he was taken into custody and before the FBI initially questioned him.

This decision sparked debate among advocates, lawyers and legislators as to the appropriateness of this exception in Tsarnaev’s case. The reason for this debate was not whether the Boston bombing and its aftermath were sufficient to invoke the public safety exception. After all, these suspects were alleged not only to have planted bombs at the Boston Marathon but they also engaged in a shoot out with police during which other improvised explosive devices were used. Given these facts, the police could easily invoke the public safety exception to ask Tsarnaev whether or not there were any other undetonated improvised explosive devices that had not been accounted for. Therefore, if the police needed to question Tsarnaev as to the location of other bombs, the public safety exception would definitely apply.

However, since the public safety exception is rooted in the “need for answers to questions in a situation posing a threat to public safety,” it is only temporary. Once it becomes clear that no such threat exists, Tsarnaev must be read his Miranda rights. The issue is that while the government invoked the public safety exception, other statements made by law enforcement officials seemed to contradict the government’s claim that there was an imminent threat to public safety.

This is not surprising, given that the FBI has aggressively applied this public safety exception in terrorism cases. A 2011 FBI memo says agents may delay reading Miranda rights to a suspect in “exceptional cases” when the FBI “conclude[s] that continued unwarned interrogation is necessary to collect valuable and timely intelligence not related to any immediate threat.” This memo is controversial because it extends the public safety exception beyond truly imminent threats to encompass more distant future threats. The FBI’s interpretation of the public safety has yet to be reviewed by the Supreme Court, or any other court for that matter.

One last thing to keep in mind is that law enforcement would only have to read Tsarnaev his Miranda rights if they intend to use his responses against him at trial. If Tsarnaev’s un-Mirandized statements are not used against him at trial, there is nothing wrong with the police interrogating him without first reading him his Miranda rights.

Even more concerning, however, was the recommendation of Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham that Tsarnaev be held as an enemy combatant and tried in a military tribunal. While there has been serious debate regarding what constitutional protections would apply to enemy combatants apprehended abroad, there is no question that a crime committed in the United States must be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with our Constitution.  In fact, Alan Dershowitz, a prominent defense attorney and Harvard Law professor, scoffed at the senators’ suggestion:

“Impossible. There’s no way an American citizen committing a domestic crime in the city of Boston could be tried as an enemy combatant. It could never happen. And that shows absolute ignorance of the law.”

Numerous domestic terrorists, including Timothy McVeigh, have been tried and convicted without abandoning due process. These Senators tried to argue that Tsarnaev should be treated as an enemy combatant because he is Muslim and Chechen. A suspect’s race, ethnicity or religion are completely irrelevant. This is the same type of logic that resulted in the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

The Constitution applies to all of us. The fact that Tsarnaev is Muslim and charged with extremely heinous crimes does not change this fact.

Hope that was helpful! Now get back to your bar exam review. Happy Studying!

“He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.” – Benjamin Franklin

The post Your Miranda Rights appeared first on BarMax.

This contest asks a simple question: Where do you study?

To enter:

(1) “Like” our BarMax Facebook Fan page, and
(2) upload a photo of yourself using BarMax anywhere outside of a classroom to our Facebook page and tag us (i.e. include “@BarMax” in the post)

OR

(1) Follow us on Instagram (@Bar_Max), and
(2) upload a photo of yourself using BarMax anywhere outside of a classroom and mention @Bar_Max in the comment.

There is no purchase required to enter. Every time you post a new picture, it is considered a new entry and there is no limit on the number of entries you can make.

The prizes are as follows:

One (1) Grand Prize: iPad
One (1) 1st Prize: iPad mini
One (1) 2nd Prize: AppleTV

Here are some entries from previous BarMax Photo Contests:

Instagram Example

getting nails done & reading @Bar_Max outlines  

Remember to tag @Bar_Max when posting your photo on Instagram.

Facebook Example

BarMaxin’ it up at the laundromat. Rub a dub dub! @BarMax

Remember to tag @BarMax when posting your photo to Facebook.

One last thing… be creative! We will be choosing three finalists, and you vote for your favorite. The Grand Prize winner (i.e. the new iPad) will be the photo entry that receives the most “Likes” on our Facebook page and on Instagram. The finalists for this contest will appear online Friday, July 26th, and the voting period will end at midnight PST on August 1, 2013.

The deadline for submitting an entry is midnight PST on July 22, 2013. Please visit here for the Official Rules of the BarMax Photo Contest.

Best of luck!

The post Strike a Pose! The BarMax Photo Contest Returns appeared first on BarMax.

(1) Get Angry Sometimes

Remember, serenity now, insanity later! Studies have shown that expressing anger every once in a while increases blood flow to the part of the brain that is involved in feelings of happiness. So the more you get angry, the happier you could be! Kinda makes sense right?

(2) Soak up some rays

Really, the way you should look at it is everything is good for you in moderation. It’s true that too much sun can cause skin cancer, but slather on some SPF 45 and a little sunshine can really go a long way. The sun’s rays can help muscle functioning, decrease chances of arthritis, osteoporosis and different cancers.

(3) Play action video games

Recent studies have shown that playing action video games can improve creativity, decision-making and perception, all things that can benefit you on the bar exam.

(4) Eat chocolate

Cocoa is actually known to contain an anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer element called bioflavonoids. So go ahead and treat yo’self!

(5) Listening to loud music

Studies done at the University of Manchester have found that listening to music at louder than 90 decibels produces loud vibrations that sends a positive message to the brain. This does not apply, however, if you are listening to music using headphones because you will go deaf.

So, go ahead and take care of yourself. You need to stay as happy and sane as you can throughout your bar exam prep. You can do it. Drink water. Catch some rays. Exercise. Eat chocolate. Treat yo’self!

Happy Studying!

The post Take Care of Yourself appeared first on BarMax.

(1) Get rid of all those distractions

You know what I’m talking about. Turn off your iPods, iPads, televisions, laptops, etc. Basically things that are constantly taunting you to waste your precious sleep time. How often have you finished studying and, instead of getting to bed at a decent hour and getting enough sleep, you turn on Netflix or HBO Go and started watching an entire season of Breaking Bad, hmm? Devices like Kindle aren’t too bad as long as they are not backlit because they are roughly equivalent to reading a book. The backlighting on the devices is evil because it influences your brain to think it should stay awake since it is being exposed to light. If you really just can’t leave these devices in your living room, then stop using them 30 minutes before your target bedtime.

(2) Be physically active during they day

Being physically active helps your body tire itself out so that when it’s finally time for bed, it’s easier to fall asleep. It also increases blood flow to the brain, keeping it healthy. This is important when you are preparing to take such a stressful and strenuous exam. Without adequate sleep, your brain functioning will be lessened, which will make it more difficult to make good decisions quickly, something very crucial to your success on the bar exam.

(3) Keep your mind calm and clear of stress

I know this is something you might scoff at, but there are methods that can help you keep a clear head. For instance, meditating before you start the day and before you go to bed can help you stay Zen and less stressed. By doing exercises to calm your fears and/or visualizing your ability to succeed and pass the bar exam, you will actually have more restful sleep.

Just try it out. There’s no harm in being less distracted, exercising and meditating. If it doesn’t help you on the bar exam, it will at least help you create a healthy and fit lifestyle.

Happy Studying!

The post Sleep, Your Best Friend During Bar Prep appeared first on BarMax.

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1. Eligibility

The BarMax Photo Contest (the Contest) is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry. Employees of TestMax, Inc. and other companies associated with the promotion of the Contest, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates and advertising and promotion agencies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. The Contest is subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations.

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2. Sponsor

The Contest is sponsored by TestMax Inc., located at 920 Santa Monica Blvd. #124, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (the Sponsor).

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3. Agreement to Official Rules

Participation in the Contest constitutes entrants full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and bidding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being complaint with these Official Rules and fulfilling all other requirements set forth herein.

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4. Contest Period

The Contest begins on June 10, 2013 at 12:00am PST and ends on July 22, 2013 at 12:00am PST (the Contest Period). Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified.

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5. How to Enter

Submissions will be accepted for the duration of the Contest using the following methods:

(1) upload a picture showcasing the convenience of BarMax to BarMax’s Facebook fan page (https://www.facebook.com/getbarmax) and tag BarMax in the post (include “@BarMax”) (the Entry).

OR

(2) upload a picture showcasing the convenience of BarMax to Instagram and mention @Bar_Max in the comment (the Entry).

Please note, however, that if you have not already “liked” the BarMax Facebook fan page or “followed” BarMax’s Instagram page, you must “like” the BarMax Facebook fan page or “follow” BarMax’s Instagram page before uploading a photo or that entry will be disqualified.

There is no limit to the number of Entries an entrant can submit during the Contest Period.

6. Selection of Finalists

Three finalists will be selected from the Entries by a member or members of the staff of TestMax, Inc. (the “Judge(s)”). All three finalists’ photos will be published on the Sponsor’s Facebook page and Instagram page on July 25, 2013. All decisions of the Judge(s) in all matters relating to the Contest are final and binding.

7. Selection of Grand Prize Winner 

The Grand Prize winner of the Contest will be the person whose Entry received the greatest number of valid likes (“Votes”) from the public on Facebook and Instagram combined during the period of July 25, 2013 to August 1, 2013 (“the Voting Period”) and who satisfies all of the rules (“Qualified Winner”). Any resident of the United States or Canada (except residents of the province of Quebec), Australia, United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, age eighteen or over can vote, except employees, agents, or representatives of Sponsor or any member of their immediate family. One Vote per person.

The Judge(s) will tabulate the Votes and announce the winner on the BarMax Facebook page and the BarMax Instagram page. Chance plays no part in the determination of the winner.

Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry or voting process, the operation of the Web site, or otherwise in violation of the rules. Use of bots or other automated processes to vote or enter is not allowed and may result in disqualification at Sponsor’s discretion. Sponsor further reserves the right to cancel, terminate, or modify any Contest not capable of completion as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, force majeure, voter fraud or technical failures of any sort. Sponsor is not responsible for errors in the administration or fulfillment of this Contest, including without limitation, mechanical, human, printing, distribution or production errors, and may modify this Contest based upon such error at its sole discretion without liability and where circumstances make this unavoidable.

8. Selection of 1st Prize

The 1st Prize winner of the Contest will be the person whose Entry received the second greatest number of valid likes (“Votes”) from the public on Facebook and Instagram combined during the Voting Period and who satisfies all of the rules (“Qualified Winner”). Any resident of the United States or Canada (except residents of the province of Quebec), Australia, United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, age eighteen or over can vote, except employees, agents, or representatives of Sponsor or any member of their immediate family. One Vote per person.

The Judge(s) will tabulate the Votes and announce the winner on the BarMax Facebook page and the BarMax Instagram page. Chance plays no part in the determination of the winner.

Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry or voting process, the operation of the Web site, or otherwise in violation of the rules. Use of bots or other automated processes to vote or enter is not allowed and may result in disqualification at Sponsor’s discretion. Sponsor further reserves the right to cancel, terminate, or modify any Contest not capable of completion as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, force majeure, voter fraud or technical failures of any sort. Sponsor is not responsible for errors in the administration or fulfillment of this Contest, including without limitation, mechanical, human, printing, distribution or production errors, and may modify this Contest based upon such error at its sole discretion without liability and where circumstances make this unavoidable.

9. Selection of 2nd Prize

The 2nd Prize winner of the Contest will be the person whose Entry received the fewest number of valid likes (“Votes”) from the public on Facebook and Instagram combined during the Voting Period and who satisfies all of the rules (“Qualified Winner”). Any resident of the United States or Canada (except residents of the province of Quebec), Australia, United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, age eighteen or over can vote, except employees, agents, or representatives of Sponsor or any member of their immediate family. One Vote per person.

The Judge(s) will tabulate the Votes and announce the winner on the BarMax Facebook page and the BarMax Instagram page. Chance plays no part in the determination of the winner.

Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry or voting process, the operation of the Web site, or otherwise in violation of the rules. Use of bots or other automated processes to vote or enter is not allowed and may result in disqualification at Sponsor’s discretion. Sponsor further reserves the right to cancel, terminate, or modify any Contest not capable of completion as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, force majeure, voter fraud or technical failures of any sort. Sponsor is not responsible for errors in the administration or fulfillment of this Contest, including without limitation, mechanical, human, printing, distribution or production errors, and may modify this Contest based upon such error at its sole discretion without liability and where circumstances make this unavoidable.

10. Winner Notification

The Sponsor will attempt to notify the potential winner via Facebook on or about August 1, 2013. If the potential winner cannot be contacted within ten (10) days after the date of the first attempt to contact him/her the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from the remaining non-winning, eligible entries.

The potential winners will be notified on Facebook or Instagram. Each potential Grand, 1st and 2nd Prize winner (parent/legal guardian if a minor in his/her state of residence) will be required to complete, electronically sign and submit a Declaration of Compliance within ten (10) days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, in order to claim his/her prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, or fails to submit the Declaration of Compliance within the required time period, or prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize. If the potential winner is at least 18 but still considered a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, Sponsor reserves the right to award the prize in the name of his/her parent or legal guardian, who will be required to sign the Declaration of Compliance on the potential winner’s behalf and fulfill any other requirements imposed on winner set forth herein. Potential winners must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner by random drawing from all remaining eligible entries. Only three (3) alternate drawings will be held, after which the prizes will remain un-awarded. Prizes will be fulfilled approximately 8-10 weeks after the conclusion of the Contest.

11. Prizes

One (1) Grand Prizes: new iPad
One (1) 1st Prize: new iPad mini
One (1) 2nd Prize: new AppleTV

12. General Conditions

By participating, each entrant agrees: (a) to abide by these Official Rules and decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding in all respects relating to this Contest; (b) to release, discharge and hold harmless Sponsor and its respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies, and the respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents and representatives of the forgoing (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all injuries, liability, losses and damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or any Contest-related activity or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the awarded prize; (c) to the use of the Contest Entry, his/her name, voice, performance, photograph/video, image and/or likeness for programming, advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in any and all media, now or hereafter known, worldwide and on the Internet, and in perpetuity by Sponsor and its designees, without compensation (unless prohibited by law) or additional consents from entrant or any third party and without prior notice, approval or inspection, and to execute specific consent to such use if asked to do so, and (d) the Contest Entry is the sole property of the Sponsor. By participating, entrant also agrees not to release any publicity or other materials on their own or through someone else regarding their participation in the Contest without the prior consent of the Sponsor, which it may withhold in its sole discretion.-

13. Ownership/Use of Entries

Entrants represent and warrant that their Submission is their original work, it has not been copied from others, and it does not violate the rights of any other person or entity.

All Entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. The copyright in any Submission shall remain the property of the entrant, but entry in this Contest constitutes entrant’s irrevocable, perpetual permission and consent to Sponsor and others authorized by Sponsor, without further compensation or attribution, to use, reproduce, print, publish, transmit, communicate to the public, distribute, sell, perform, adapt, enhance or display the Submission and the entrant’s name and city and state for editorial, advertising, commercial and publicity purposes, in any and all media now in existence or hereinafter created, throughout the world, for the duration of the copyright in the Submission. The entrant also consents to the Sponsor doing (or omitting to do) any acts in respect of the Submission which may otherwise constitute an infringement of the entrant’s moral rights. Sponsor and/or others authorized by the Sponsor shall have the right to edit, adapt, and modify the Submission. -

14. Release & Limitations of Liability

By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the prize, including, but not limited to: (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest, including lost, interrupted or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, network, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographical errors; (d) application downloads; (e) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest or the announcement of the winner; (f) injury, death, losses or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the Contest or acceptance, receipt or misuse of the prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney’s fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages, whatsoever, including, but not limited to punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

15. Disputes

Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connect with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in California. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrants rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than California.-

16. Privacy

Information collected from entrants is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy.

17. Request for Winner’s List

To request the names of the winners send a self-address, stamped envelope to TestMax, Inc., 920 Santa Monica Blvd. #124, Santa Monica, CA 90401.

The post BarMax Photo Contest Rules appeared first on BarMax.

What I planned to do, BarMax was doing.

BarMax to me represents the future of bar review. The materials are first class. The lecturers are first class.

The content is geared to the bar examination, as opposed to teaching substantive law and hoping you learn enough law to pass the exam.

I wish I had started BarMax, but I didn’t. I’m just an advisor to the company… I think you’ve made the right selection.”

- Stan Chess

The post A Message From Barbri’s Former President appeared first on BarMax.

In an effort to help you make an informed decision and to combat the fear-based marketing used by some of the leading bar exam prep companies, we have decided to let our students do our talking.

Several of the students below have agreed to allow prospective students to contact them about their BarMax experience. You can email them directly by using the “Contact” link below the testimonial.

1st Time Takers | Repeaters | Foreign Trained Attorneys

1st Time Takers

Faud Haghighi

Contact Faud about his BarMax experience.

Natalie Rastegari

Contact Natalie about her BarMax experience.

Jim Rogers

Contact Jim about his BarMax experience.

Josh Ehmke

Contact Josh about his BarMax experience.

Dan Zupnick

Contact Dan about his BarMax experience.

Danielle Bailey

Contact Danielle about her BarMax experience.

Dan Terzian

Contact Dan about his BarMax experience.

David Park

Contact David about his BarMax experience.

Kaleen Harris

Contact Kaleen about her BarMax experience.

Nick Larson

Contact Nick about his BarMax experience.

Ryan Kraft

Contact Ryan about his BarMax experience.

“Thank you BarMax for helping me pass the CA bar! I had purchased BarBri back in March because it was embedded in my mind from day one of law school that everyone needs to use BarBri. About three weeks into BarBri, I was freaking out. My MBE score had gone up by a mere 3% when the class average had gone up by 11%. I was overwhelmed by the dense outlines.

Everyone kept telling me I only needed to know 60% of the material in order to pass. Some of those BarBri outlines were +100 pages long! I didn’t know which “60%” I needed to concentrate on and found myself stressing over the tiniest exceptions. The conviser was a better than the huge outlines, but then again, I felt like I wasn’t learning enough.

I just didn’t know how to study and felt like I had too many outlines in front of me. Of course, I would vent to anyone who would listen and I was fortunate enough that a friend told me about BarMax. I was a bit skeptical, but intrigued at the same. A family member saw how much I was stressing over bar prep so they bought me BarMax my third week of bar prep. I couldn’t believe that I had pretty much thrown $4,000 into the garbage with BarBri when I could’ve bought BarMax for a fourth of the price.

I felt like Goldilocks because I had finally found the perfect fit. Everything was “just right.” The outlines were easy to read and get through– they weren’t more than 25-30 pages. The rules were concise and to the point which made memorization that much easier. The MBEs were AMAZING because they were actual questions through the NCBE. I said goodbye to my “fake” BarBri MBE questions and focused on reading the BarMax outlines and doing MBEs as often as I could. I was able to raise my MBE score 20% by the end of the first week. I was ecstatic (obviously) when I received news that I had passed the CA bar.

I know, without a doubt, that I would not have passed without the tools BarMax provided. THANKS!!!!!”

– Kiana Khajeh

Contact Kiana about her BarMax experience.

“Wanted to say I had a great experience with this app, and I think it’s a great way to prepare for the bar exam. It was easy to use and struck the right balance between giving me exactly the information I needed to succeed on the bar exam without overloading me with too much content.

My friends taking other classes seemed a bit stressed out because of the overload of materials they had. Loved that I could listen to lectures anywhere, and that I could take multiple choice tests right on the iPad. And because it was all on the iPad, I was able to visit family and friends while still studying, which was a huge plus. You’ve got to learn to set your own pace and be diligent, but the content’s all there.

And most importantly, I passed the California bar on my first try. Using only BarMax, I felt as prepared as I could be come exam day. Don’t get me wrong, bar studying is not fun, but I’d recommend this app highly for anyone who’s studying for the bar.”

– Geoff F.

“I highly recommend this program. I took another bar exam before I sat for the California bar. After taking a bar prep course from the one of the big name bar prep companies and then using this app for the California bar, I can assure you that this app contains all the necessary information in every bit as much detail as the competitors.

I found the lectures to be very detailed and the speakers to be on par with even the best lecturers from the competitors. If I had one suggestion it would be that the skeleton outlines the app provides could be updated to have fill in the blank answers in order to keep the listener engaged during the lecture. But the outlines are excellent review material and are designed to hit the important information and elements so you can have it all memorized for the exam.

As long as you are willing to put in the effort to study and thoroughly review the sample questions and answers this app will get you past the finish line without requiring an additional bar loan on top of your already mountain of student loan debt. I passed the CA bar on the first attempt, while working over 40hrs/week leading right up to the day of the exam. The app really provides you flexibility to study wherever and whenever you can.”

– Shane Larsen

Contact Shane about his BarMax experience.

“BarMax is a great program to study for the California Bar. Its gigantic bank of multiple choice questions, essays, and performance tests gives any test-taker ample opportunity to see everything that the bar can throw at you.

The notes are sufficient, but not overwhelming, enough to prepare you for the test, but not too much to freak you out about not knowing enough (this is coming from a person who did not take any classes on two of the subjects tested on the bar: community property and criminal procedure).

The program was easy to use and the fact that everything was accessed through the iPad made it easy to study anywhere. And obviously, the price is unmatched. You will definitely need to put in your time, but that’s the same with every other program out there.”

– Kelly Kim

Contact Kelly about his BarMax experience.

“BarMax I didn’t feel like I overprepared or wasted a lot of time studying irrelevant matters. The presentation of the matter was very straightforward and basic and the real MBE questions helped a lot.”

– Ester Vanguardia

Contact Ester about her BarMax experience.

Repeaters

Sheila M.

Contact Sheila about her BarMax experience.

Niki G.

Contact Niki about her BarMax experience.

JB Haskett

Contact JB about his BarMax experience.

“I first took the California Bar Exam after taking BarBri and failed. I felt I had been overwhelmed with information, the content was not focused, and the lectures were far too broad and lengthy

After that, I simply used the books from the BarBri course, and a few others, and studied on my own. I felt it would be a waste of time and money to go through the entire BarBri course again, so I didn’t.

After failing again, I knew I needed something different, and BarMax provided it. The program is organized so well and it’s so easy to stay on task because the program is portable and put into an electronic calendar. I used my iPod touch for the program, and took notes on my iPad. I could study almost anywhere where concentration was possible.

Also, there’s a stark contrast in the substantive material as presented by BarMax vs BarBri. BarMax provides tightly focused, specific information and the tools they give you to help you remember the broader points are invaluable. It’s not overwhelming.

When I finally passed the exam using BarMax, During the exam, for every essay question, I wrote down the exact sentences provided in the outline for triggering my memory of the broader points. I really felt prepared for that exam for the first time. Afterward, to everyone that asked, I said, I can’t be absolutely sure that I passed, but I know I nailed those essay questions. It was a very good feeling.

You really can’t go wrong if you stick with the method they give you. It’s uncanny how much better this program is both in efficiency and substance, then any other source I used.”

- Tony G.

Contact Tony about his BarMax experience.

“About a month ago I found out that I passed the New York Bar Exam. WOOOHOOO! Just a quick note of thanks for the BarMax product. In the past I’d used BarBri, Emmanuel’s, Kaplan…you name it for Bar and MPRE exam studying. I squeaked out a passing score in Massachusetts on the second try after using BarBri but it wasn’t pretty. A few years later I moved to NY and needed to pass the bar again. I took the February 2012 exam (self study using BarBri notes/books) and failed.

I knew my brain just didn’t work with the traditional study courses and that I had to do something different for July 2012. I found BarMax and it finally worked! I improved my MBE score more than 15 points. The app wasn’t perfect and there were some kinks to work out but I was very happy with the product and would recommend it to students anywhere.”

– Lindsay Jansen

Contact Lindsay about her BarMax experience.

“My name is Marsha. I am a woman who graduated from am unaccredited law school in 2009 and am now in my mid-fifties.

I am not the type of person who passes the California Bar…ever! Not because I am not smart enough…I am a registered nurse [RN] with a thirty-year career in ICU nursing. I studied hard and graduated top of my class. However, I am older, did not go to an ABA or CA accredited law school, and did not pass the first time, which places me in the repeater category. Statistically speaking, I had an eleven percent chance of passing the bar in California. I spent more money on various bar review courses, including a one-on-one tutor than my entire legal education. I failed the CA Bar five times using five different methods of bar review.

BarMax came into my life when I got the failing bar results after my fifth attempt taking the CA Bar. Trust me, I had a lot of bar review methods to compare to BarMax. BarMax simplifies and organizes the material in a way to make what you already know about the law accessible when crunch time hits during the exam. The flash cards are easy to memorize and remember while taking the bar exam. The comments on practice essays submitted to the BarMax graders are relevant and I believe made a difference when I did pass the bar. The lectures succinctly cover the material and there are plenty of real MBE questions, along with explanations, to practice on. There is also no need to lose any sleep worrying about how to organize study time…BarMax gives guidance in this area as well.

I believe BarMax made the difference when I passed the CA Bar Exam on my sixth attempt. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to the BarMax team. I knew from the moment I signed up for BarMax that there were people who were there to ensure my success, believed in me as an individual, and taught me in a way that I, personally, could understand.

Thank you BarMax team, from the fullness of my heart.”

- Marsha Teasely

Contact Marsha about her BarMax experience.

Foreign Trained Attorneys

“I used BarMax’s California and MBE courses for the July 2012 California bar exam, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. In the Spring of 2012, I was in the process of wrapping up a busy practice in Canada and relocating to the Bay Area. I did not have time to attend full-day lectures. I needed a flexible, compact study solution that would allow me to work on my own time. BarMax was perfect. I listened to lectures on my iPhone while jogging/at the gym, while running errands, and while traveling. I did practice MBE questions and reviewed flashcards on my iPad in a variety of locations – in a hotel room, on airplanes, and in cafes and libraries. The portability was a huge benefit for me.

BarMax also does a terrific job of condensing materials and focusing on the content that is truly needed to pass the bar exam. There was far, far less reading material in the BarMax outlines than in other course offerings, which allowed me to really focus on learning the key information. After completing the course, I found that I was pleased to find on exam day that I was comfortably familiar with all of the material tested on the California bar exam and MBE.

Finally, I really appreciated that BarMax uses real MBE and essay questions they have acquired from the NCBX and State Bar. I had the opportunity to look at material from other courses while I was studying, and I found the essay and multiple choice questions developed by other bar prep programs were very different from the actual questions I faced on exam day.

A lot of people praise BarMax for offering a more cose effective bar prep course than Barbri and others. The cost savings are great, but in my opinion, the real advantage is that the BarMax course itself is simply better than the competition.”

– Susan Brown

Contact Susan about her BarMax experience.

“I am a foreign educated lawyer, completing my LLB in Canada. Prior to purchasing the BarMax app I had no background in US law… I should note was my first attempt at writing any US bar exam.

I believe that the fact that I, with no background in US law, was able to pass the bar solely on the basis of your program is a testament to the thoroughness of your product. It was all I needed.

I would recommend this product to anyone, including foreign educated lawyers, interested in preparing to write the NY bar exam.”

– Kristy Williams

“I am a foreign attorney who was educated and practiced only in Europe. Prior taking the California bar exam I had no experience with US law whatsoever. I was preparing myself for the exam solely based on BarMax and I passed the bar exam on the first attempt. I can only highly recommend this prep course for anyone – it apparently includes all you need to know to pass the exam.

The outlines are very well prepared and if you learn them well and practice essay writing, you have a good chance to pass. And I really appreciated the sample multiple choice questions. I have also very good experience with communication with BarMax people – whenever any bugs occurred and I reported them, they answered immediately and tried to help. I just needed more time than recommended by the app (about 3 months), but maybe I would succeed even with less time.

All in all, I was really happy with the app and think it was definitely well invested money. Thank you!”

– Helena Kastlova

Contact Helena about her BarMax experience.

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