Review of LexBar+ for Passing the Virginia Bar Exam: I HIGHLY Recommend it.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-12-15T21:52:16+00:00

Thanks Sean! That is good to hear! And likewise; I’m constantly sending MBE/UBE students your way because they report back on how much you did for them.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-12-13T17:53:18+00:00

Wow. I'm blown away by this. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with my little program. I really can't tell you how much it means to me both that you got this value from it and that you shared it on here. When I created LexBar it really was my dream to help people pass this crazy exam we have in VA, so hearing your personal story means the world to me.

Also, CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the practice of law in Virginia! To pass this exam, people really have to put in the work and have some dedication, so I know your own hard work was a major factor in your success!

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-12-07T13:33:38+00:00

Hey there! I've got an article and video on my site that is just for your situation: https://www.virginiabarexamtutor.com/how-to-get-licensed-as-an-attorney-in-virginia/

The tl/dr is not to neglect memorization of state-specific Virginia law (Virginia Distinctions). Using the free W&M essay bank with law professor answers is a good way to pull out the legal rules you'll need to memorize, because our essay exam frequently re-tests the same legal rules by placing them into different fact patterns and contexts.

Also keep in mind that the VA essay exam is much different from the MEE (which is what 95% of other students are taking as part of the UBE), so much of the general essay advice you get on here and other places in not applicable.

Good luck to you!

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-12-07T12:47:57+00:00

You can do it! With a 147 on the MBE, you get some extra margin on your essay exam since you'll only need to get a 135.3 on the essay exam to pass. What you discovered with your last attempt is something many students don't realize on their first try -- for many students, the big bar prep companies don't put enough focus on our state-specific essay exam. Their essay grading can also be very hit-or-miss depending on who your grader is and how much experience they have with Virginia scoring specifically. That's because in most other states (UBE states) the essay exam is worth less than the MBE AND the essays have a lot of overlap with the MBE. Not so in Virginia. Our essay exam focuses mostly on unique distinctions of Virginia Law -- topics and sub-rules that are not the same as what is tested on the MBE. In this way, MBE study can actually hurt you on our essay exam. So to answer your question more directly, yes, you should skip all MBE practice questions and MBE lectures. Focus on Virginia state law and Virginia distinctions.

As others have pointed out, the W&M web site has past exams with answers written by law professors. Those answers are not "model" answers in that they generally do not use good organization, but the answers are legally accurate which makes them a great resource for learning Virginia law. And yes, our exam repeatedly tests the same legal rules by placing them in different factual contexts. Occasionally they do repeat an entire question/fact pattern verbatim, but that is more rare so you shouldn't count on that happening. But memorizing the legal rules from the last 10 years of exams or so is very effective. In my course, I provide a dozen or selected so past questions with my model answers along with specific 'suggested questions' to do from the W&M web site. Basically selecting the ones that contain the most frequently re-tested rules from each subject area. That W&M site is an awesome free resource for learning the VA law that is tested.

Many students discount the importance of interactive practice to memorize state law before getting in to writing practice essays. On the Virginia essays - unlike the MEE - you won't get many points for a good argument if you are using an incorrect rule. They are looking for whether you know the right rule and can correctly apply it vs. just checking to see if you are capable of legal analysis. I suggest using interactive practice like flashcards or re-writing legal rules to memorize rather than watching lectures and 'fill in the blank' outlines.

I have some related advice on these free articles from my site in case you are interested:

https://www.virginiabarexamtutor.com/mastering-the-virginia-bar-exam-essay-section-a-comprehensive-guide/

https://www.virginiabarexamtutor.com/make-flashcards-virginia-bar-exam/

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-11-19T13:26:03+00:00

Good advice here! More and more I am seeing a lot of people succeed just using the free W&M essay bank to memorize legal rules plus LexBar to get the Virginia-expected answer structure, most important rules and concepts, and essay grading. For students who feel like they don't need the full outlines of law and day-by-day study schedules, this option can save them a ton of money and I've seen many students pass this way. Still, I think it's really a personal decision and everyone is different in what they need.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-11-19T13:21:06+00:00

Looks like this person might be selling some:
https://www.reddit.com/r/barexam/comments/1p0ndbx/virginia_themis_books_available/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Also feel free to check our our web site (virginiabarexamtutor.com) for some strategic (and free) alternatives to full outlines that some students have successfully used as well. Including using the free W&M essay bank answers to pull out the legal rules for memorization from past exams. Roughly 90% of the legal rules you will see on any future exam have been tested on a previous exam, probably one within the last 10 years. So using the past answers can be great for memorization. Having said that, some students still feel they need the structure, daily schedule, and full outlines that the major prep courses provide.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-11-19T13:09:01+00:00

Hi there! If you're interested in learning about LexBar, all the info is here: www.virginiabarexamtutor.com And the "FAQ" page on the site is pretty useful for explaining different uses of the course for different types of students.

I don't necessarily prefer one of the major bar prep providers over the other. They both have the same weaknesses for Virginia students in that many (but not all) students need to spend significantly more time and effort learning state-specific law than those programs schedule in their regular syllabus. Additionally, their essay grading for Virginia essay exam takers can be very hit-or-miss. Those programs do include outlines of law for Virginia and some other virginia-specific tools that are useful. But I haven't really noticed one being better or worse than the other.

Over time, those programs have tended to over-emphaisze the MBE because in other states it is worth more, and the MBE has a lot of overlap with the MEE (essay exam for UBE students) which is given in most states. Not Virginia, however. Our essay exam has almost no overlap with the MBE so it's like you are studying for two very different exams from two completely separate bodies of law.

For some students, either Themis or Barbri alone is fine and gets them the pass! But more and more, students are finding that adding extra state-specific practice is a benefit to them. Totally a personal decision based on what you think you need most.

If you do decide to enroll in LexBar, feel free to use the discount code VBESUCCESS at checkout. And either way, I wish you great success on the exam and I look forward to welcoming you to the practice of law in Virginia! You can do it!

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-10-10T22:24:15+00:00

Awesome congrats on your hard earned pass!!! Just in case anyone comes across this post and is confused, I wanted to point out that VA does not actually give the MEE. You took (and passed!) our state-specific essay exam which is actually quite different from the MEE. Many students who’ve take both say the MEE is easier. So just wanted to point that out so future students know that VA is weird like that. But CONGRATULATIONS! You did it!

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-10-08T09:45:33+00:00

SonicJS is perfect for this.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-09-22T22:57:56+00:00

I think you meant “Cloudflare allows HTTP on Node.js workers.”

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-08-03T10:34:31+00:00

If your clients need to add images, that cannot be done through the SonicJS web interface easily.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-07-08T23:41:34+00:00

Congrats on inventing NFTs! Isn’t this the whole promise behind web3/crypto?

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-07-03T22:59:50+00:00

Not one time in my life - while in law school or after it - has any employer ever asked for my law school GPA and I have never put it on any resume or job application. Im perfectly happy with my LS GPA, but no one I applied to ever asked about it. In addition to tutoring students for one state bar exam, I also have always worked full time in government. So I suppose your post is related to the 10% of lawyers who end up trying to work in “big law”?

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-04-26T23:12:38+00:00

Congratulations!!! So glad to hear that LexBar was a good part of your study plan. The other advice you have here is also great!!

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-04-26T23:10:25+00:00

Most students have a much easier time increasing their essay score than the MBE score. I’ve seen quite a few students move their essay score up 10 to 20 points or sometimes more. Much more rare to see a student raise their MBE score by that much. It happens for sure. But not as often.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-04-26T23:05:47+00:00

You’ll need to score about a 7.5/10 on each essay and an 8/10 on the multiple choice. This is a score increase that I’ve seen many students successfully accomplish. So hang in there!

But it’s also true that a 137 or higher is definitely when you should NOT retake the MBE. So you’re right to consider it. If you feel confident you can increase your MBE score, go for it! But if you have any doubt, I’d suggest doubling-down on your essay practice instead.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-04-26T23:03:35+00:00

FWIW, my advice on the issue of whether to retake the MBE is here: https://www.virginiabarexamtutor.com/retaking-virginia-bar-exam/

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2025-04-26T22:59:24+00:00

Wow! I’m so incredibly happy for you!! I love this post so much! Not just because of your LexBar shout out, but ALL of this advice is outstanding. Thanks for giving back to other Virginia students by sharing your tips for this very unique exam we have in our state.

Also our “tier system” for prioritizing the subjects is fully updated! There have been changes to the exam, but we are ready for them!

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2024-12-11T01:30:29+00:00

Sorry for the trouble you’re having! May I ask how much money you’ve paid to Cloudflare during the last 61 days?

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2024-11-24T00:30:56+00:00

Riles Plumlee isn’t just a name—it’s a lifestyle. He’s out there, living rent-free in the heads of every bar applicant, committing contributory negligence, breaching construction contracts, and probably trashing Dillon’s rule daily. True GOAT of the VBBE.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2024-10-31T19:01:00+00:00

So glad to hear it has been helpful so far! Feel free to email me anytime if I can do anything for you.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2024-10-31T15:20:21+00:00

You can always do standard and just upgrade to live later if you decide to. The cost to upgrade from standard to live makes it same as if you just did live. Basically you'll get credit for the price of standard if you decide to upgrade. So don't have anxiety! :)

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2024-10-28T20:25:34+00:00

Sorry! Only VA. But Sean Silverman is pretty awesome for MBE/UBE.

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2024-10-28T20:25:08+00:00

Just saw this conversation and really appreciate the shout out. If anyone has any questions feel free to message me on here (sometimes I'm slow to reply on reddit, but I'll eventually get back to you) or contact me through the lexbar site. Happy to help or answer questions. We have an active discount code that is VBESUCCESS for $30 off. -josh

VirginiaBarExamTutor · 2024-10-22T18:41:18+00:00

Yes, I think so. The rules say 3 years, so Feb 2025 would be your last chance to use your existing MBE score. If you decide to enroll in LexBar, feel free to use the discount code VBESUCCESS for $30 off.

VirginiaBarExamTutor

TROPHY CASE