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I took CA while working full time in Feb 24 after being licensed in a UBE state for 11 years. I started studying in early November, but in retrospect, I would have started in October for a bit more cushion.
It's doable but it's not the most fun experience. Also, if you've been licensed some where else for 5+ years you can take the attorneys exam which is just the essay day. It made studying easier to just focus on essay questions.
I initially was just going to use the Mary Basick essay book that people recommended but I got a little overwhelmed trying to plot my own study schedule and ended up using Themis. They offer an attorney exam course, so it's slightly cheaper than the normal course. I think it was about $1500.
I have. I didn’t do a class. Did an online bar prep program that I watched the videos and read the books when I could but a bit longer program than someone studying full time. Worked 80+ hours a week at a large firm full of a-hole partners. I don’t have any kids, pets or caretaking responsibilities but it was quite a ride. Glad it’s over. The short of it is you either want it and make time and give it a go or you don’t.
I promised myself I’d give the best of my energy and day to myself and the leftover crumbs to my job. So if you study best in the am try your best to get up early and get that done then. If you’re best in the afternoon work in the morning and take a 2 hour lunch if you can and make it up that evening with work for your job when you’re less exhausted.
If you go into the office and have your own office and the ability to take lunch, please try to find a bar prep program that has a mobile app (I didn’t tell my coworkers I was taking the bar so needed to be able to do it on the sly even during lunch or while waiting for my train). Buy extra resources if you can especially ones you can bring with you to work or to the waiting room of a doctor’s appointment. I recommend if you can taking an entire week or two off for the last week or two before your exams to study and decompress/get out of work mode. As your job will try to probably give you work to do up to the moment you leave to take your exams and that’s stressful.
It’s absolutely doable though if you really want to do it. It’s not impossible.
I am also barred in FL and took CA Feb 25. I started studying in November and then my firm gave me an hours reduction to take it so I took 2 weeks off before the exam. I used Mary Basick’s book and Themis. It was doable but definitely tiring. I also have been practicing for 5+ years so I took the attorneys exam.
I took the CA bar during COVID, working full time and I had a toddler at home. I gave myself 6 months. I waived the MBE and just did essays. Studying for it was horrible. I am a NY licensed attorney. Still waiting on the ROI on that massive undertaking. I did Themis.
I did in MA - transferred from NY before the 5 year waive-in. Started the new job first, and started on demand BarBri about 3 months ahead while working. First child born about 3 weeks before the bar, and wife had complications so was studying in hospital room for a bit. Bar also landed on my birthday as the kicker. Sucked, but doable. Just have to focus and not allow slacking on prep to be an option. Helped that MA bar was pretty easy.
I took my first (and only) bar exam while working full-time. I did the on-demand BARBRI class and passed the exam.
I took Ca bar in 99 out of school then Ut bar in 2009 while working. I treated it just as seriously as the first and I got the classes on an ipod. (They were cassette tapes in 99 Lol) I think I planned 3 months of studying part-time and full time studying for the last two weeks. Ut was much easier than Ca but I'd been out of school for a decade. Good luck. (I passed both bars first time.)
F
Thanks so much everyone! Your advice is very helpful and makes me feel a lot better about the whole thing.