Tame the Fear: Preparing for the Bar Exam Amidst a Global Pandemic
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • June 04, 2020
Preparing and sitting for the bar exam is no small endeavor and is usually accompanied with high levels of stress. Mix in the challenge of the unique circumstances that COVID-19 has presented to society, leaders, medical professionals, and not to mention, each of us as individuals and there is an amalgamation of factors out of our control. No other collective class of legally trained and educated individuals will experience what you will in late July in either Tampa or Orlando. With that in mind, the below considerations will serve to facilitate your approach and will encourage you to keep your…
Setting Yourself Up for Success on the Bar Exam from Day One
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • December 19, 2019 •Law School, Other Law School Issues
Studying for the bar exam is no small task. Countless hours are spent reading, answering practice questions, reviewing practice questions, and the study cycle continues. At the onset of your designated preparation period, it is always a good idea to consider the following items because, if overlooked, they could result in being detrimental to success and ultimately, bar passage. Environment. How is your study environment? Do you need absolute silence or do you prefer to have background noise? Do you value organization or do you work well with a bit of clutter? Whichever is best for you, be sure to…
Successfully practicing gratitude and law in 2018
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • January 14, 2018 •Careers
In the New Year, resolutions are made, aspirations are high, and we each have the intent to have the best possible coming year. What about making gratitude an integral part of your life this year? So. What is gratitude? And how can I incorporate it into the practice of law? Gratitude is giving thanks, feeling and being thankful and appreciative for what you have, where you are, and what is now - the present. Gratitude makes everything you have enough. Incorporating gratitude in the practice of law can easily be folded into your everyday routine. Consider the following tips and…
Staying in your Natural Beet during trial
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • October 08, 2017
Although the number of civil jury trials in the United States has decreased in recent years, the importance of how a jury case is presented remains constant. The amount of stress lawyers feel or perceive to feel during jury trials remains the same or has even increased. Recently, I was a member of a twenty lawyer trial team in a case that went to jury verdict. During the two week trial, our trial team learned a lot and was challenged both mentally and physically. Not only were we hyper sensitive in our preparation but we were challenged because we were not in…
How to keep your cool while you wait for bar results
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • September 01, 2017 •Features, Bar Exam
There are approximately 1.3 million licensed lawyers in the United States (1). Take a moment and think about the fact that, except in a diploma state, each one of them studied, sat for, and waited for their bar exam results. While this might give you comfort or increase your anxiety, I hope it will give you peace of mind that you are not the only one having gone through this experience. On a personal note, I went through the process three times and each time I had to be patient, know that I did my best, fill my time with activities I…
You have decided to re-take the bar. What next?
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • May 06, 2017 •Features, Bar Exam
The decision has been made. You have signed up and sent in all of the necessary paperwork for the next bar examination. You have marked the date(s) of the exam on your calendar and you know that you need to start studying, again, and soon. Everything outside of these two thoughts might seem blurry and potentially overwhelming but I assure you, you have the tools and y-o-u are capable. Whether this will be your second time or fifth time preparing for the bar, the following is food for thought about how you will position yourself to be in the best…
Four steps to help you cope with bar exam failure
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • April 13, 2017 •Features, Bar Exam
You receive the news that you have been anxiously awaiting the past couple of months - bar results are posted! Your heart is beating so fast that you feel it heavy in your chest. Your palms might be sweaty. You check the results and for you, it did not turn out the way you had hoped. As bar results from the February examination are being revealed across the country, I would like to shed light on what to do when you did not achieve your goal of passing the bar exam. Whatever your initial reaction to the news is, just go…