KU Law Blog

KU Law’s Free Bar Prep Program offers simulated bar exam

Bar preparation instructor Glenn Jewell reads instructions to students during a simulated bar exam. — Bar preparation instructor Glenn Jewell reads instructions to students during a simulated bar exam in Green Hall. About 40 students participated in the simulated exam. (Note: Photos were taken on July 6, 2021, before an indoor mask requirement was reinstated at KU.)

For law graduates, passing the bar examination is the final hurdle to clear before starting a legal career. In almost all jurisdictions, the two-day, timed test includes six hours of writing and 200 multiple-choice questions administered under strict conditions.

This summer, KU Law students got a practice run of those conditions during an in-person simulated bar exam at Green Hall. The simulated test is part of KU Law’s Free Bar Prep Program.

Glenn Jewell, bar exam instructor, gives instructions before an afternoon session of a simulated bar exam.

Samantha Natera, L’21, signed up for the simulated exam to practice day-of conditions and work on timing. The event helped Natera get used to limiting her time responding to Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions. The MPT tests lawyering skills in 90-minute segments.

“I wanted to have the experience of taking the simulated exam so I could know how it was to do it under exam conditions, and work on my timing and reading comprehension,” Natera said.

Natera was among about 40 students who took a two-day, simulated bar exam in early July. Spread out over two classrooms and several study rooms, students had a chance to take an exam under similar conditions to what they would face later in the month for the July bar examination.

Free Bar Prep Program resources

Now in its third year, the Free Bar Prep Program offers students a free, post-graduation bar preparation course in partnership with Themis Bar Review. Leading up to graduation, students also have access to a Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination preparation course, an elective course focusing on bar prep, and diagnostic exams starting in their 1L year.

The program aims to enhance students’ ability to succeed in law school and on the bar exam without the adding expense of a post-graduation prep course, said Leah Terranova, KU Law assistant dean for academic and student affairs.

“By removing the financial pressure of paying for a bar prep course, our graduates can focus more squarely on readying themselves for the exam,” Terranova said. “This is especially important for those graduates who have not yet secured post-graduate employment, and who might otherwise forego taking on the large expense of a bar prep program.”

A bar exam study book on a desk in Green Hall — The two-day simulated exam included writing and multiple-choice sections.

Throughout the summer, bar preparation instructor Glenn Jewell is available as a resource and to answer questions. With the law school’s student affairs and career services offices, Jewell hosted coffee meetups at Green Hall this summer to check in with graduates as they worked through their bar prep course.

During the spring semester, Jewell teaches an Extended Bar Exam Preparation elective course. Open to 3Ls, the course is designed to ensure students know what to expect from both the post-graduation Themis bar review course and the bar exam.

Students also take diagnostic exams through the Themis portal during their first year. The multiple-choice exams give students early, formative feedback on their understanding of 1L course materials tested on the bar exam.

Advice for graduating law students

Falling behind in the bar prep course can cause graduates anxiety, Terranova said. Jewell addresses that anxiety by tracking weekly progress for each student and offering support to those who have fallen behind, along with a personalized plan to help bring them back up to speed.

“The best things folks can do for themselves is to put personal plans aside for the summer and dedicate their full time and attention (right from the start!) to preparing for the bar exam,” Terranova said.

Graduates often underestimate the amount of time it takes to study for the bar exam, especially given the amount of memorization required, Terranova said. Themis recommends starting 10 weeks before the exam date and clocking 50 hours of studying each week.

“They should expect this summer to be comprised of the hardest, most exhausting work they’ve done so far in their law school career. If they go in expecting this, they’ll be ready for the challenge,” Terranova said.

Terranova advises third-year law students to trust the Themis program. “Graduates need to know it will be grueling at times; they will be exhausted by the sheer volume of work,” she said. “But, if they follow the study guide that Themis as charted and meet the metrics laid out by Themis, they will set themselves up for success on the exam.”

— By Margaret Hair

Hands-On Learning Q&A: Audrey Nelson, Project for Innocence

Applying classroom learning to real clients and their cases

Third-year law student Audrey Nelson knew she was passionate about public defense work before enrolling in the Paul E. Wilson Project for Innocence & Post-Conviction Remedies at the University of Kansas School of Law.

During two semesters working with the clinic in 2020-21, Nelson was able to gain hands-on experience and apply classroom learning to real clients and their cases.

“I gained a deeper understanding of the injustices ingrained in our criminal system and further solidified my choice to pursue a career in public defense,” Nelson said.

Nelson shared her experience with the Project for Innocence for a Q&A.

What type of work are you doing?

I worked on client intake and detainers, assisted clients with writing state habeas petitions, and handled several actual innocence claims relating to DNA testing.

What interested you in enrolling in this course?

I was interested in enrolling in the Project for Innocence because I am passionate about criminal defense work and want to be a public defender after I pass the bar.

Are there skills you’ve developed or improved working with the clinic?

Yes, I improved my skills in communicating with clients, reading through discovery efficiently, and spotting issues in a real-world context.

How do you think this experience will impact the rest of your time in law school or the start of your career?

All the Project for Innocence professors are amazing mentors that I can reach out to with questions any time, during law school and beyond.

What has been your favorite part of this experience?

My favorite part of working with the clinic was gaining the important responsibility of taking on clients because as a law student that is a big step in our legal education.

What would you say to law students considering enrolling in this clinic?

If you are considering enrolling in this clinic, my advice would be to go for it! It is a great experience regardless of the area of law you’re interested in because it gives students a chance to improve a variety of important lawyering skills.

— By Margaret Hair

Hands-On Learning Q&A: Donald Pinckney, Judicial Field Placement

‘An enjoyable and educational experience’

This summer, second-year law student Donald Pinckney is working as a clerk for Judge Rhonda K. Mason at the Johnson County Courthouse. The clerkship is part of the Judicial Field Placement program at the University of Kansas School of Law.

Pinckney shared his experience with the Judicial Field Placement for a Q&A.

What type of work are you doing?

I am doing research for Judge Mason and writing the occasional court order. My research has consisted of researching case law to find answers to cases Judge Mason has taken under advisement. I also have written summary judgment orders and memos detailing my research.

What interested you in enrolling in this course?

I enrolled in this course because I was interested in seeing the legal practice in the real world. I wanted to see some of the things that I learned in Civil Procedure and Torts put into practice in the real world.

I also wanted to see different practice areas like divorce and litigation to help determine which practice area I found most interesting. I thought this course would also be helpful to determine which area I did not want to practice.

Are there skills you’ve developed or improved working with the field placement?

I improved my researching skill substantially by working on legal issues for Judge Mason while working on her under advisement docket. I also improved my writing skills especially when it came to clarity. My legal writing improved as I wrote legal orders for Judge Mason and had to make sure my orders were as clear as possible since they would be published and decide the outcome of cases.

How do you think this experience will impact the rest of your time in law school or the start of your career?

This experience will impact the rest of my time in law school by giving me a real-world expectation for how the legal profession operates.

I will now be able to take real-world experience into the classroom and understand more thoroughly how case law interacts with legal practice. It will also be helpful to have established some contacts in a large county for when I practice in the future.

What has been your favorite part of this experience?

Getting the chance to see attorneys practice in person. It has been eye-opening to see how attorneys interact with one another and that the legal field is not so contentious as I assumed. While the system is adversarial by nature, seeing attorneys work with one another to deal with issues, especially when it comes to divorce and scheduling issues, was revealing.

It was also enjoyable to discuss the outcome of the case with Judge Mason and get an understanding of why she ruled a certain way. Discussing the cases with Judge Mason was both the most enjoyable and educational part of the field placement.

What would you say to law students considering enrolling in this field placement?

I would encourage students to enroll in the field placement since it will give you an understanding of why law school is taught a certain way. It is also nice to have a large amount of autonomy over how you conduct your learning experience. It is a nice segue between having the controlled experience of 1L year and the freedom of being an upperclassman in law school.

— By Margaret Hair

Alumni gift establishes new student scholarship

A new scholarship fund at the University of Kansas School of Law will provide support to candidates who contribute to the diversity of the student body.

Julia Gille Anderson and Jett Anderson, both L’82, established the Anderson Family Law Diversity Scholarship with a $75,000 gift commitment to KU Endowment.

Julia Gille Anderson, left, and Jett Anderson, both L'82. — Julia Gille Anderson, left, and Jett Anderson, both L’82. Photo courtesy of Julia Gille Anderson.

The two KU Law graduates have always been appreciative of the education they received at KU Law, Julia Gille Anderson said. They chose to fund a scholarship supporting diversity in the student body because “America’s greatest strength lies in her diversity,” Anderson said.

“We are establishing this scholarship in support of KU Law students continuing to be representative of our society as a whole,” she said.

Make a gift

— By Margaret Hair

Graduate Profile: Blake Saffels, L’21

Blake Saffels, left, with his wife, Hillary, and their children.

Following his first year of law school, Blake Saffels took a field placement with the Missouri State Public Defender’s office in Kansas City, Missouri. The experience put him on a path that will continue after his graduation from the University of Kansas School of Law.

“It provided great practical experience from working with some excellent attorneys and from getting hands-on experience interacting with clients. That experience also reaffirmed my desire to go into criminal defense,” Saffels said.

In addition to the Field Placement Program, Saffels prepared for a career in criminal law by participating in the Judicial Field Placement Program, Expert Witness Skills Workshop and Deposition Skills Workshop.

Saffels will start his legal career as an associate attorney focusing on criminal defense at Berkowitz Oliver in Kansas City, Missouri.

“At some point in my career, I will hopefully get to witness the end of the death penalty, mass incarceration, and many of the other problems in our country’s criminal system,” Saffels said.

Professor Emeritus Ellen Sward was one of Saffels’ favorite instructors at KU Law. Sward “kept things fun with her unique sense of humor” and was committed to her students’ success, Saffels said.

“I would not necessarily say that her infamous 9-hour Civil Procedure final was my favorite experience ever. But both classes I took from Professor Sward were challenging without being overwhelming, and she made complex material easy to understand,” he said.

Saffels earned a nickname – “Justice Saffels” – during his first year of law school. Friends had joked that his objective and thoughtful speaking would make him a great judge. When a professor asked during class if he was related to Judge Saffels – Blake’s grandfather was a judge – the name stuck.

“I could not tell you why because I do not plan on trying to become a judge, but some friends decided to call me Justice Saffels almost exclusively for the next two and a half years,” Saffels said.

Originally from Overland Park, Saffels earned his undergraduate degree in accounting and finance from KU in 2013. He and his wife, Hillary, had their son, Emerson, one month into Saffels’ first semester of law school. Their daughter, Lillian, was born last summer.

During his time at KU Law, Saffels helped mentor first-year students as a member of the Dean’s Fellows, served as business manager for the Kansas Law Review and participated in moot court.

— By Margaret Hair

This post is the eighth in a series highlighting a few of the exceptional members of KU Law’s Class of 2021. Check out previous stories about Aidan Graybill, Howard Mahan, Zachary Kelsay, Marisol Garcia, Leah Lewsader, Samantha Natera and Delaney Hiegert.

Recent graduate wins business law essay contest

A 2020 KU Law graduate’s article was recently featured in the spring 2021 edition of The Business Lawyer, the flagship journal of the ABA Business Law Section. Tara Mollhagen Shepherd’s piece won her first place in the 2020 Mendes Hershman Student Writing Contest.

A highly regarded legal writing competition sponsored by the ABA Business Law Section, the Mendes Hershman Student Writing Contest encourages and rewards students for outstanding writing on business law topics.

Mollhagen Shepherd’s article, “Lien This Way or That: The Trouble with Categorizing a Lien as Judicial or Statutory,” was published in the Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy in 2019.

Winning the contest was “a wonderful surprise,” Mollhagen Shepherd said.

“Of course, with something as prestigious as The Business Lawyer, I was thrilled. The reward for the amount of work that went into my article was so fulfilling,” she said.

Mollhagen Shepherd selected her article topic while she was serving as an extern for Hon. Robert D. Berger, of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas, through KU Law’s Judicial Field Placement Program.

“I’m so thankful to Jessica Rebel and Judge Berger over at the United States Bankruptcy Court: District of Kansas and the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy for answering writing and research questions and helping me along the way,” Mollhagen Shepherd said.

Professor Virginia Harper Ho, who serves as director of the Polsinelli Transactional Law Center at KU, said Mollhagen Shepherd is the first KU Law student to win the national writing contest.

“For Tara’s article to be selected as the winner this year is a big honor, and one that Tara very much deserves,” Harper Ho said.

Working as an associate attorney at Bever Dye, LC in Wichita, Mollhagen Shepherd practices in areas including estate planning, taxation, trusts and estates, and business law.

During law school, she served as president of the Business and Tax Law Society; volunteer and co-coordinator of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Clinic (VITA); and staff editor and business manager of the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy. She also competed in national transactional law competitions, placing as a runner-up in the elite invitation-only “The Closer” National Transactional Law Competition at Baylor Law School in 2020.

Mollhagen Shepherd received the 2020 Robert E. Edmonds Prize in Corporation & Securities Law from KU Law.

— By Margaret Hair

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