The Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast: Pass the Bar Exam with Less Stress
The Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast: Pass the Bar Exam with Less Stress

The Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast: Pass the Bar Exam with Less Stress

Bar Exam Toolbox

Overview
Episodes

Details

The Bar Exam Toolbox podcast helps bar takers pass with less stress and anxiety. Hosted by bar exam experts Lee Burgess and Alison Monahan, the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast covers a wide variety of topics, ranging from how to learn and memorize all the law you need to know for the bar exam, to how to write a passing essay, to how to get bar exam accommodations. If you're struggling with the bar exam, or work with students who are, tune in for practical strategies for bar exam success!

Recent Episodes

337: Listen and Learn -- Will Revocation
DEC 8, 2025
337: Listen and Learn -- Will Revocation
Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! In this episode, we explain the ways in which a validly executed will can be revoked (by a subsequent document, by a physical act, and by operation of law), and analyze examples illustrating these concepts. In this episode, we discuss: The requirements for a valid will Revocation by a subsequent document Revocation by a physical act Revocation by operation of law Doctrine of dependent relative revocation A few hypotheticals and examples Resources: "Listen and Learn" series (https://barexamtoolbox.com/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-archive-by-topic/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-explaining-individual-mee-and-california-bar-essay-questions/#listen-learn) California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2021 (https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Examinations/July-2021-CBX-Essay-Qs-and-Selected-Answers.pdf) California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2012 (https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Examinations/CBXJuly2012_Selected_Answers_Essays_R.pdf) Podcast Episode 27: Tackling and MEE Question: Wills and Trusts (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-27-tackling-an-mee-question-wills-and-trusts/) Podcast Episode 326: Listen and Learn – Intestate Distribution (Wills and Trusts) (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-326-listen-and-learn-intestate-distribution-wills-and-trusts/) Podcast Episode 336: Listen and Learn – Will Formation and Execution (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-336-listen-and-learn-will-formation-and-execution/) SpacedRepetition.com (https://spacedrepetition.com/) Download the Transcript (https://barexamtoolbox.com/episode-337-listen-and-learn-will-revocation/) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-pass-bar-exam-less-stress/id1370651486) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Bar Exam Toolbox website (https://barexamtoolbox.com/contact-us/). Finally, if you don't want to miss anything, you can sign up for podcast updates (https://barexamtoolbox.com/get-bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-updates/)! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee
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18 MIN
336: Listen and Learn -- Will Formation and Execution
DEC 1, 2025
336: Listen and Learn -- Will Formation and Execution
Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! In this episode, we explain the five requirements for a valid will, and analyze two hypotheticals to illustrate how courts determine validity. In this episode, we discuss: The basics of will formation The five elements of a valid will What is a holographic will? The "harmless error" rule Two hypotheticals from previous California bar exams Resources: "Listen and Learn" series (https://barexamtoolbox.com/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-archive-by-topic/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-explaining-individual-mee-and-california-bar-essay-questions/#listen-learn) California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2021 (https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Examinations/July-2021-CBX-Essay-Qs-and-Selected-Answers.pdf) California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2006 (https://nwculaw.edu/pdf/bar/July%202006%20Essays%20and%20Sample%20Answers.pdf) Podcast Episode 27: Tackling and MEE Question: Wills and Trusts (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-27-tackling-an-mee-question-wills-and-trusts/) Podcast Episode 326: Listen and Learn – Intestate Distribution (Wills and Trusts) (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-326-listen-and-learn-intestate-distribution-wills-and-trusts/) SpacedRepetition.com (https://spacedrepetition.com/) Download the Transcript (https://barexamtoolbox.com/episode-336-listen-and-learn-will-formation-and-execution/) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-pass-bar-exam-less-stress/id1370651486) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Bar Exam Toolbox website (https://barexamtoolbox.com/contact-us/). Finally, if you don't want to miss anything, you can sign up for podcast updates (https://barexamtoolbox.com/get-bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-updates/)! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee
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17 MIN
335: How Is the NextGen Changing the Legacy UBE?
NOV 24, 2025
335: How Is the NextGen Changing the Legacy UBE?
Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! Today we're discussing how the rollout of the NextGen UBE in July 2026 will also bring significant changes to the Legacy UBE, including the removal of certain subjects from the MEE and a shift in focus for the MPT. In this episode, we discuss: Timeline for the NextGen UBE and Legacy UBE Major changes in the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) Preparing for the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) Potential changes in the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) Deciding when to take the bar exam Resources: NCBE: Preparing for the MEE (https://www.ncbex.org/exams/mee/preparing-mee) The Brainy Bar Bank: Streamlining Bar Study (https://barexamtoolbox.com/brainy-bar-bank/) "Listen and Learn" series (https://barexamtoolbox.com/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-archive-by-topic/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-explaining-individual-mee-and-california-bar-essay-questions/#listen-learn) Download the Transcript (https://barexamtoolbox.com/episode-335-how-is-the-nextgen-changing-the-legacy-ube/) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-pass-bar-exam-less-stress/id1370651486) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Bar Exam Toolbox website (https://barexamtoolbox.com/contact-us/). Finally, if you don't want to miss anything, you can sign up for podcast updates (https://barexamtoolbox.com/get-bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-updates/)! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee
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30 MIN
334: Listen and Learn -- Strict Liability: Animals and Dangerous Activities (Part 2)
NOV 17, 2025
334: Listen and Learn -- Strict Liability: Animals and Dangerous Activities (Part 2)
Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! This is Part 2 of a two-part series on strict liability as it relates to animals (both wild and domestic), as well as certain super dangerous activities. In this episode, we discuss: Strict liability for abnormally dangerous activities Strict liability for keeping wild and domestic animals Two hypothetical scenarios illustrating the above concepts Resources: "Listen and Learn" series (https://barexamtoolbox.com/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-archive-by-topic/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-explaining-individual-mee-and-california-bar-essay-questions/#listen-learn) California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2009 (https://nwculaw.edu/pdf/bar/July%202009%20Essays%20and%20Sample%20Answers.pdf) Foster v. Preston Mill Co. (https://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/torts/torts-keyed-to-prosser/strict-liability/foster-v-preston-mill-co/) Podcast Episode 131: Listen and Learn – Strict Products Liability (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-131-listen-and-learn-strict-products-liability/) Podcast Episode 316: Spotlight on Torts (Part 1 – Negligence) (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-316-spotlight-on-torts-part-1-negligence/) Podcast Episode 319: Spotlight on Torts (Part 3 – Strict and Vicarious Liability) (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-319-spotlight-on-torts-part-3-strict-and-vicarious-liability/) Podcast Episode 333: Listen and Learn – Strict Liability: Animals and Dangerous Activities (Part 1) (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-333-listen-and-learn-strict-liability-animals-and-dangerous-activities-part-1/) Download the Transcript (https://barexamtoolbox.com/episode-334-listen-and-learn-strict-liability-animals-and-dangerous-activities-part-2/) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-pass-bar-exam-less-stress/id1370651486) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Bar Exam Toolbox website (https://barexamtoolbox.com/contact-us/). Finally, if you don't want to miss anything, you can sign up for podcast updates (https://barexamtoolbox.com/get-bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-updates/)! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee
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13 MIN
333: Listen and Learn -- Strict Liability: Animals and Dangerous Activities (Part 1)
NOV 10, 2025
333: Listen and Learn -- Strict Liability: Animals and Dangerous Activities (Part 1)
Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! This is Part 1 of a two-part series on strict liability as it relates to animals (both wild and domestic), as well as certain super dangerous activities. Join us next week for the second episode on this topic. In this episode, we discuss: Overview of strict liability in torts What activities are considered abnormally dangerous? Strict liability as it relates to keeping wild and domestic animals A fact pattern from the February 2008 California bar exam Resources: "Listen and Learn" series (https://barexamtoolbox.com/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-archive-by-topic/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-explaining-individual-mee-and-california-bar-essay-questions/#listen-learn) California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, February 2008 (https://nwculaw.edu/pdf/bar/February%202008%20Essays%20and%20Sample%20Answers.pdf) Foster v. Preston Mill Co. (https://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/torts/torts-keyed-to-prosser/strict-liability/foster-v-preston-mill-co/) Podcast Episode 319: Spotlight on Torts (Part 3 – Strict and Vicarious Liability) (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-319-spotlight-on-torts-part-3-strict-and-vicarious-liability/) Download the Transcript (https://barexamtoolbox.com/episode-333-listen-and-learn-strict-liability-animals-and-dangerous-activities-part-1/) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-pass-bar-exam-less-stress/id1370651486) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Bar Exam Toolbox website (https://barexamtoolbox.com/contact-us/). Finally, if you don't want to miss anything, you can sign up for podcast updates (https://barexamtoolbox.com/get-bar-exam-toolbox-podcast-updates/)! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee
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16 MIN