MLER Tutor Certification

1. MLER Tutor Certification

2. MISSION • MLER’s purpose is to increase the number of minority attorneys in Illinois. • MLER is committed to providing educational services, professional guidance, and emotional support to minority bar candidates through a supplemental bar preparation program and concomitant endeavors. • MLER employs the highest standards of professional training and integrity. We encourage and expect the same from all participants.

3. MLER HISTORY • Professor Ronald Kennedy began MLER as a supplemental writing program to increase the bar passage rates of minority candidates. • The Honorable Ann Claire Williams incorporated Judge Kennedy’s program, thus creating MLER, in 1977. • MLER is currently operated by a Board of Directors. • Be a part of history! Consider joining the Board!

4. MLER PROGRAM STRUCTURE • The summer program is 7 weeks; the winter program is 6 weeks. • Small group sessions provide focused and specific writing instruction, camaraderie, and encouragement. • Large group sessions provide practice exams, inspirational speakers, and encouragement. • Each week’s exam consists of MBE questions, essays, and MPTs. • Tutors communicate with students on a weekly basis outside of small group sessions.

5. IMPORTANT DATES • MLER Program Dates • May 30, 2019 – July 11, 2019 • *Week of July 4th, class will be held on Wednesday, July 3rd* • Writing and Study Skills Clinic- Sunday, June 2, 2019 • All Day Exam – June 23, 2019 • Simulates the 1st day of the Bar Exam • Tutor Dinner June 27, 2019 7:00pm – 9:00pm: • Small Groups Check-in/Discussion of Student Challenges • Debrief, Next steps to help our students be successful • Boot Camp- Saturday, June 29, 2019

6. TUTOR RESPONSIBILITIES • Attend weekly small group sessions. • Inform Group Leader and Tutor Coordinator of any absences. • Follow MLER curriculum: DIRAC, Scheduling, Active Reading & Time Management. • Provide valuable (specific, concrete) feedback when grading exams. Return all exams in a timely manner. • Follow weekly tutor agenda (provided in folder): wellbeing check, weekly topic, exam review, DIRAC, etc. • Communicate with students weekly. • Understand DIRAC and how to communicate its principles • Minimize personal examples that are unique to you and your talent • Plan weekly sessions BEFORE the group (based upon the MLER Curriculum) • Do not allow high need students to monopolize the group • Release students on time!

7. GROUP LEADER RESPONSIBILITIES • Ensure student attendance sheets are completed and returned to the Tutor Coordinator each week. • Communicate with group tutors on a weekly basis. • Mentor fellow tutors. • Handle any unforeseen circumstances with your group. • Contact your students following the bar exam: bar results, encouragement, celebration.

8. WEEKLY AGENDA Weekly Topics • Schedules: Creating and maintaining an effective schedule • Obligation and Life management: Getting the important matters completed • Active procrastination and Fears : Wasting time and facing the fear of Failure • GUT CHECK!: What are you doing? – Students need to discuss the first four weeks and whether they are completing their obligations • Return of the schedule: Editing the study schedule to reflect outcomes and real work • Shifting for the final laps – Discuss how students must intensify their studying and focus with he final weeks of preparation • ENCOURAGEMENT – Create a positive Atmosphere for the final week Sample Weekly Schedule 6:00pm – 6:05pm : Welcome 6:05- 6:20 : Wellness Check 6:20- 6:35: Weekly Topic 6:35- 6:55- Exam review • Exam Review • Review common challenges and provide solutions • Discuss model answer and why it is right • Review DIRAC methods

9. STUDY SCHEDULES • Time management helps to maximize your accomplishments of the day • Minimize active procrastination • Create a weekly and monthly snapshot of your studying • Students should include a minimum of 8-9 hours of studying per day, 10-12 hours in the last two weeks before the bar exam • Encourage three (3) hour study blocks with locations, subjects, and activities • Must reflect all of the student’s obligations and real life commitments (Jobs & Children)

10. GRADING • Essays are graded on a 6-point scale, which follows the IL bar examiners’ grading rubric. • Effective grading (valuable feedback) takes time. • Read the model answers • Read the student’s answer and provide feedback about the structure and DIRAC • Calculate the score • Grading MPT answers and essay answers follows the same format. • Encourage students to create and follow outlines. • Emphasize the importance of adhering to time constraints. • Weekly Exams/Answers will be uploaded to the tutor portal on the MLER website.

11. GRADING • Essays: Truth and Compassion • Provide comments for the responses • Do not just read and write comments only based on the model answer! • Give tips for improvement on writing essays • MBE • Tally the right answers and provide score based on total questions asked • MPTs • Give comments on organization, following directions, DIRAC, and clarity • The DIRAC structure should be very clear in the document • Make sure the student answers the question(s) asked in the instructions • Accommodations • Students with extra time will submit their exams on an adjusted schedule • All exams are due Thursday at the following week’s session

12. UBE:Uniform Bar Examination • 1st administration is July 2019 in Illinois!!! • What Is the UBE? • It is a uniformly administered, graded, and scored bar examination that results in a portable score, not a portable status. • Applicants who take the UBE may transfer their scores to seek admission in other UBE jurisdictions within a certain amount of time after the scores were earned

13. UBE:Uniform Bar Examination • Purpose of the UBE • The UBE tests knowledge of general principles of law, legal analysis and reasoning, factual analysis, and communication skills to determine readiness to enter legal practice in any jurisdiction. • New Format Old Format • 2 MPTs 20% 3 Illinois essays 13.3% • 1 MPT 10% • 6 MEE 30% 6 MEE 26.7% • 200 MBE 50% 200 MBE 50% • No Character limits- typers • Can get extra booklets- hand writers

14. ILLINOIS BAR EXAM:GOAL 266 • Exam Components • Essay Subjects • MBE Topics • Day 1 • Session one: Two (2) ninety (90) minute Multi State Performance Tests • Session two: Six (6) thirty (30) minute essays • Day 2 • Session one: One hundred (100) Multistate Bar exam questions • Session two: One hundred (100) Multistate Bar exam questions • Business Associations  • Civil Procedure  • Conflict of Laws  • Constitutional Law  • Contracts  • Criminal Law and Procedure  • Evidence  • Family Law  • Real Property  • Torts  • Trusts and Estates • Article 9 (Secured Transactions) of the Uniform Commercial Code  • Civil Procedure • Constitutional Law • Contracts • Criminal Law and Procedure • Evidence • Real Property • Torts

15. MLER Student Program Guidelines • Create and follow a study schedule • Create your own outline for each subject • Attend MLER every week and take ALL PRACTICE EXAMS • Complete weekly homework assignments • Always outline your answer BEFORE you start to write • DIRAC!!! DIRAC!!! DIRAC!!! DIRAC!!! • DO NOT abbreviate terms in your answer!!! • Use proper legal buzzwords in the proper legal context • Be mindful of your typing • Review model answers!!!!!! • Come back and tutor

16. Student Studying Tips • Outlining: • MLER does not recommend one mode of studying i.e. outlines vs. flash cards. However, learning the verbatim black letter law is required for each subject • Testing • Students must implement practice testing for all portions of the bar exam to understand the legal content in the way they will be assessed by bar examiners. • Reviewing assessments • Please stress the review of ALL exams and revision of outlines • Review content • Students will want to spend too much time in this area. They need a balanced schedule going over each topic that will be tested on the bar

17. DIRAC • Decision, Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion • Students should use DIRAC to outline every essay answer. • Each issue receives a separate DIRAC outline. • DIRAC outlines and mandated formats are compatible! • Draft the Decision, Determine the Issue, Identify the Rule(s), Perform the Analysis, Arrive at the Conclusion.

18. DECISION • A single sentence answering the call of the question. • The decision statement should be direct – no equivocation. • Decision statement restates the conclusion.

19. ISSUE • Single sentence explaining the legal issue to be resolved in order to answer the call of the question. • Issue statements should be clear enough that a paralegal could research the issue. • Issue statements answer the call of the question and refer to an element of the rule. • Should not restate the call of the question, but is usually the legal question causing the controversy. It usually involves a particular element of the applicable law • “At issue is whether…” “The issue is whether…” • Avoid including facts in the issue statement.

20. ISSUE –SUGGESTED COMMENTS • Draft a DIRAC outline for each issue. • Issue Statement Too Broad / Too Narrow • Do not include facts in issue statement. • Wrong subject. (Provide subject at issue.) • Wrong issue. (Identify correct issue.)

21. RULE • Should explain the applicable rule of law • Should be verbatim – exact legal language • Should start with a broad general statement of the law • Should then be narrowed defining important terms • Should include relevant exceptions • Should clearly answer the legal issue presented based on the fact pattern and that you identified in the DIRAC • Rule statement(s) should use legal buzzwords.

22. RULE –SUGGESTED COMMENTS • Wrong subject. (Provide subject at issue.) • Wrong rule. (Identify correct rule(s).) • Use subject-specific buzzwords! • Include relevant exceptions.

23. APPLICATION • Apply each rule statement to the RELEVANT facts at issue. • No fact should be discussed that is not impacted by the rule statement(s). • Facts should not be assumed. • Facts + Rule(s)= Application • “Here…” “In the instant case…”

24. APPLICATION – SUGGESTED COMMENTS • Only discuss rules and exceptions you have mentioned in your RULE statement(s). • Do not discuss immaterial facts. • Do not assume facts. • Analysis too short / too long.

25. CONCLUSION • Conclusion statements should provide a definitive answer to the call of the question. • Each issue will receive its own DIRAC, so each issue should have a conclusion statement. • Conclusion statements may include a brief explanation of how the conclusion was reached. • Conclusion= the decision statement + why • “In conclusion…” “In summary…”

26. CONCLUSION / DECISION –SUGGETED COMMENTS • Do not equivocate. Be direct. Be confident. • Conclusion and Decision statements do not match. • Answer the question presented.

27. CONGRATULATIONS! • You are now certified / recertified. • Go forth and share your knowledge and enthusiasm with your students! • Thank you for tutoring. MLER would be NOTHING without all of you!