I am a repeat bar taker. I took a big bar review the first time and was devastated when I didn't pass.  Barwinners Gold program Online was perfect. I loved the EARLY START program and the fact that Sheri and the Barwinners team was available to get students like myself off to an early start and to help get me on the right study path, early. PERSONAL SUPPORT Sheri and the team was always there with support and encouragement when I needed it, and pushed me to stay on schedule and keep up with the course when I needed that too.  So many pieces of advice the Course and my tutor gave me were critical to my passing the bar. I wish I had had Barwinners in law school. What a difference it would have made. APPROACH BOOK The Barwinners Approach Book is the bomb! It did a lot of the work for me.  The book pre-writes the bar exam essays for you. I walked into the bar exam knowing how to start each essay in every subject, what my headings would be, what sub issues and sub headings to write, I had memorized clear rule statements from the Approach Book, and I knew how to tackle whatever the bar threw at me. (What a difference it was from trying to memorize and apply volumes and volumes of substantive materials, and then trying to cull out what I needed for each essay on the exam like I did the first time I took the bar.) Barwinners methods outlines, approaches, were clear and user friendly. The materials and the course schedule, left me time to practice applying to the essays what I learned from the Approach Book. This time, I didn't spend all my time just learning the law. I was able to make good use of my study time. I would recommend Barwinners to anyone who wants a small, personalized program, with caring people, great materials, mentoring along the way, excellent grading and feedback. It made studying for and taking the bar exam this time almost a pleasurable experience! (I hate to admit it). FREQUENT SIMULATED EXAMS Barwinners Simulated Examinations were given on a regular basis with comprehensive feedback, and guidance as to what to do to improve my score. Also, the graders gave me feedback on what I was doing right too. It made sitting for the bar exam less stressful. I walked into the bar feeling from the Barwinners course experience, like I had seen these questions before, knew exactly how to handle them, confident and comfortable. I have Barwinners to thank for that. MULTI-STATE BAR EXAM MBEs have always been an area of weakness for me. Standardized multiple-choice tests are a struggle.  Before taking Barwinners, my MBE score was around 1240 scaled. I was always to narrow the answer choices down to two, but half the time, I ended up picking the wrong answer. Barwinners saved me on the MBE. Barwinners gives you an entire MBE system, each step building on the next step. Their practice MBE questions were so good. I recommend this Course to anyone who has had problems with the MBE. The streaming lectures were clear and showed me the tips, tricks, red herrings, and how to handle the twists and turns of the MBE questions and answers.  I also really liked was that the answer explanations, not only gave me the correct answer, but why the other 3 answers were not as correct. My MBE score improved tremendously. By the end of the Barwinners course, I was scoring 70% or higher on my timed practice MBE simulated exams. PERFORMANCE TEST The performance tests and the sheer volume of information I need to organize, outline, analyze and write, paralyzed me. When given ample time, I can write a strong P & A, Office Memo, etc. However, under the stress of the bar exam, I just didn't have a technique to organize, outline and write a passing performance test under the time constraints of the California bar exam. The Barwinners performance test workshops showed me a system on how to organize, structure, outline and write within the time frame of the bar exam. Barwinners showed me how to "roadmap" my answer to cut down on the content of my outline, to give me more time to write the actual performance test. The Barwinners Performance Workshop was outstanding. These people know what they are doing. For anyone out there like me, take Barwinners. You get what you pay for. Top quality bar review materials, instructors, grading, mentoring, tutoring, and much more. I needed an online program because I live in the San Diego area that combined the best of online with personal attention. I also wanted one-on-one tutoring with real people I could ask questions find out what I wasn't doing right for the bar graders.  I found it in Barwinners Online Gold One-on-One Tutorial program. I PASSED the February 2016 Bar! I'm so grateful. Thank you to Sheri, Leonard and the Barwinners team. read more

Barwinners is changing up the game. I'm not sure why everyone insists that BARBI is the best prep course. I found that Barwinners has phenomenal books that really prepared me for the California Bar. Shari Karney really made the effort to emphasize the important aspects while minimizing exposure to the least tested items. She had one of the best prep books I have seen to date. Shari Karney is very dedicated to her students and gives it her best. I was a first time taker and she really sat down with me to discuss my personal circumstances before I signed up with her and I felt that she was very professional and helpful in making my decision to join with her. There are only two potentials issues to be aware of: (1) Barwinners is more expensive than BARBI but I passed the first time and I feel that it was worth the extra expense (2) I also took the 6 day PMBR online course for my MBEs. I felt Barwinner's MBEs were not as difficult as the PMBR and therefore didn't prepare me as well for that section. I highly recommend Barwinners for anyone prepping for the California Bar. read more

It was a privilege to enroll in Barwinners as a first time taker! I got to know all of the tutors, instructors and grader and Alan and Sara definitely do not work for Barwinners. OUTLINES: The approach book that Shari created is worth its weight in gold. A lot of my friends who took the bar twice told me that they spent too much time memorizing the law and not enough time practicing. The approach book lays out each topic the way it should be approached on the bar exam and takes away the anxiety of wondering how to approach a subject. During my 3L year, I received two other outline books from bar prep courses and while they also list the law, they do not provide an approach to follow. The way other courses present the law is overwhelming to say the least so I understand why my friends taking other courses had so much anxiety over the summer. Memorizing a Con Law outline doesn't do any good if you don't know how to approach a Con Law essay question. MBE: My initial diagnostic score was low, but by following Shari's advice and doing everything the MBE course set out, I drastically improved my score. Doing MBEs for hours will not improve your score, which is what I was doing before the MBE course began. Shari and her team read me like an open book and during our first one-on-one session together, identified what I needed to change in order to improve my scores. PERFORMANCE EXAMS: I completed eight full PT exams and received individualized feedback on each of them. There are many approaches for scoring well on a PT, but without customized feedback and corrections, it's difficult to receive a high score. The PT Professor was one of my favorites - she was so clear in way she broke down the explanations. TUTORING: Seeing Shari and my tutor each week was the best part of bar prep. Each week, new concerns, anxiety and issues would arise, but my tutor simplified everything. By the end of each weekly session, I left feeling confident. These tutoring sessions were key in not letting anxiety build up as the summer went on. I graduated from a great law school, but ranked in the middle of my law school class. Thanks to the individual attention I received from my tutor, my legal writing skills improved. Bar prep is a tremendous amount of work and it's not easy, but having an entire team of people (Shari, Leonard, my tutor, instructors, graders) to hold me accountable and constantly encourage me made a huge difference. My friends that took other bar prep courses were full of anxiety and constantly worried that they were not improving because they did not receive any individualized feedback on their essays. Two of my friends received the same "canned answers" on their essays. I am so grateful to my friends for recommending Barwinners, but I am even more grateful to Shari and the entire Barwinners team. read more

This is a great bar prep program and truly a hidden gem! Many people walk out of law school thinking the bar exam is just like any other law exam. Boy, was I wrong! The way the information is to be conveyed is truly different and a learning experience. The feedback from individual instructors and all their help really helped me master the material. In fact, we had covered the same types of essays that were tested on the actual exam. This is a must for all bar exam takers! Highly recommend. read more

When you absolutely, positively have to pass the hardest Bar examination in the United States of America Barwinners and Shari Karney are where you need to go! No nonsense and practical approach with scholarly essay and multistate reviews make this course AWESOME!!! read more

I just passed the July 2015 Bar Exam after failed attempts. I struggled through BarBri and BarMax unsuccessfully. Finally, I found Barwinners. I did exactly what you all are doing now, I read reviews, I scoured the internet for information, and talked to previous students. The bottom-line is, if you buy in to their methods, you'll pass. The goal for repeaters is to change what you're doing. My problem was the essays and PTs. I thought I would eventually pass if I just kept expanding my grasp of the law. Wrong. I didn't realize that to pass the Bar, you must play the Bar's game. That's what Barwinners will teach you, how to play the Bar's game. Their is an extremely specific structure to writing for the Bar and if you haven't figured it out in Law School you won't, magically, figure it out prepping in BarBri. I had knowledge of the law, my MBE's showed that as I always tested in the 65% range. It was obviously my essays and PT. Those to sections have less to do with the actual law and more to do with your ability to analyze and organize. Barbri won't do that, they can't, their courses are too big and their tutors are spread too thin. BarBri may work for those of you that figured out how to really handle an essay in Law School, but for those of you who were like me and just trying to stay afloat you're going to have to learn the skill of handling the essays for the Bar. Again, that's what you get from Barwinners. By the time I finished Barwinners I was routinely getting 70s and I felt like I had turned the PTs from a weakness to a strength. I felt like I was attacking, dare I say enjoying, the PTs by the end. That's confidence Barwinners will give you. However, If you think Barwinners is just some program that you sign up for and it will do the work for you, it won't work. Nothing works with that approach. But, if you apply the things they teach, learn from the feedback, you'll pass. Barwinners is great about giving you a few tasks for each section of the Bar, and if you can committ to those small tasks, they'll make all the difference. You'll see what I mean when you get into the program. If you're considering the Platinum Package, do what you can to make it happen. My Tutor, Joseph, was invaluable to me. He stayed on top of me, Identified my issues, and got me over that fear I spoke of above by putting me on the right track mentally. Per Shari's and my tutor's recommendations, I minimized my time spent on MBEs and focused almost entirely on Essays. Prior to Barwinners, I would avoid writing practice exams. I did this almost entirely out of fear, fear of not knowing how to handle an essay and fear that comes with that realization. Barwinners will get you over that fear. Don't get me wrong, the tutoring sessions can be extraordinarily uncomfortable. During a session you'll have your tutor, Leonard, and Shari all there. At time you'll feel very beaten up, because they will bring your weaknesses to your attention. But, to really make any type of change, you have to be made to feel uncomfortable and you have to have someone else's perspective. If you keep doing what you've been doing as a repeater, you're never going to pass. If you can toughen up enough to face your shortcomings and repair them, you will pass. For most repeaters that's the biggest hurdle breaking the comfort zone, acknowledging your weaknesses, and repairing them. As far as the cost, what's six more months of lost income or no income worth to you? Yeah, it's expensive, especially if you go the tutoring route (Platinum package) like I did. But, put the cost into perspective, If you fail twice and have to pay for BarBri twice (BarBri gives one free retake) that's $9-10K (Last I checked BarBri was $4.5K, but it's not getting cheaper). If you go the tutoring route with Barwinners, you're going to pass. If you're like me and have been fortunate to have a job in a firm that wants you to stay on as an attorney once you pass, then I can tell you that you're looking at making at least twice what you're making as a clerk. So the $12,000 for the Platinum Package will quite literally pay for itself in a matter of months once you pass. If the cost is the only hold up, and you want to take the class, take on some more debt (god knows its a drop in the bucket compared to the student loans), hit up family members, skip starbucks, sell your bimmer (you can justify buying a new one after you pass), and find the money. That's my speech. Good luck to any of you cursed with having to pass this exam. But, it is do-able. Barwinners, for me, was the difference maker. read more

I'm not sure I would have passed without taking Barwlinners. I was working full-time and just weeks away from giving birth when I took the exam. Needless to say, I had very little time -- or energy -- to devote to studying. Barwinners somehow made studying manageable. Each subject is set forth in the Approach Book - all you need to do is learn and memorize that approach. Several practice exams were administered under real testing conditions and (substantive) feedback was given in a timely manner. I was also able to email my graders with questions, which helped tremendously. Overall, I highly recommend Barwinners. read more

I love Barwinners! It is the perfect course to help keep you focused, learn all the subjects covered on the Bar Exam, and really will prepare you for what is on the Bar Exam! From the personalized attention to the simulated bar exam sessions - everything prepares you so you can walk in completely at ease! read more

"I recently took the CA State Bar attorney's exam, after having been in practice in another state for a little under ten years, far removed from my first exam experience. I chose the BarWinner's prep course because of it's great reviews and because it appeared to be the only quality program with a specific focus on the attorney's exam. I took the BarWinners Early Smart Start Course and the Full Attorney's Course that follows, both highly recommended. The materials were excellent. They are tailored to the attorney's exam, and helped me learn the concepts needed, identifying those that were more likely to appear than others and a recommended way to tackle each type of question. Daniel was also a great help. He helped me develop strategies that worked for me and tailored them to fit my schedule, as I was also working full-time while studying. He was always available for questions and help, and always followed up with me to check my progress. In my opinion, the exam is one of the more difficult state licensing exams with a heavy focus on analysis. I passed the exam on my first attempt, thankfully, but couldn't have done it without Daniel and BarWinners. Thanks, Daniel!" - Andrea (Attorney Exam Taker) read more

I am a recent transplant from the east coast and have been a practicing attorney for over 27 years. Taking the California bar exam 30 years after law school was daunting to say the least. With the Barwinners program I passed on my first try. The amount of information that you need to review and more importantly, knowing how they want you to answer the essays and handle the practice tests, is not something that you can just wing. Shari Karney with her Barwinners program has distilled the information down into a program that focuses on the needed information and teaching you to answer the questions quickly (timing is incredibly important) and in a manner formulated to get you maximum points. I also highly recommend that you take advantage of the option to have one on one tutoring. My tutor Joseph was invaluable to me. I was facing a lot of obstacles with the cross country move and other issues and Shari personally crafted a personalized approach for me, with the tutoring, and the results are worth every penny! read more

Barwinners is the best prep course for the California bar! Trust me, i had tried most of the other ones before i finally turned to Shari & Leonard for help (including Barbri twice and kaplan). I had graduated with straight A's from law school, a secure job, and was used to being an overachiever. I could not understand how and why I then could not pass the CA bar. On my first phone call with Shari she was able to diagnose every problem! I was over thinking it, trying to hard to be a perfectionist, instead of understanding that the bar exam is formulaic and you just need to learn and understand the structure the graders are looking for in order to pass. Shari has been helping people pass the bar for years and she is a pro at what she does. She is especially amazing with repeaters, who usually are the group of people who have the hardest time taking the bar. Leonard is great at identifying the psychological blocks that are keeping you from passing and how to face and overcome those blocks. Thanks to Barwinners I not only passed the bar, but also met my future business partner with whom I co-founded a firm after becoming an attorney. Thank you so much Shari & Leonard! read more

Barwinners is THE BEST PROGRAM FOR BAR PREP! After finishing a different prep course, I was left with stacks of materials and tons of anxiety. I sought out private tutoring with Barwinners - and it is AMAZING. Not only do I finally feel like I have direction, but I am calm, and feel better prepared just after one session. The feedback I received is unbelievable and has taught me how to prepare for this exam. Shari Karney is fabulous and Barwinners is the only prep course I recommend. read more

I am a practicing 20 year lawyer at an AmLaw100 law firm and repeat taker. I first started with a private tutor from another service and then used two other services that you typically see advertised, but still found myself answering questions like a practicing lawyer and not a law student. I finally found Shari and Barwinners and with the help of Shari and my awesome tutor Joseph, I finally passed the 2-day Attorneys exam. Shari and Joseph dissected and diagnosed my issues in properly responding to the questions asked and prepared me for responding in a way that the bar graders wanted to see. For those of you who also are practicing lawyers and think you know how to win over the bar graders . . . well, I thought the same and Shari and Joseph showed me otherwise. It was quite the humbling experience but once I decided to follow their methods (a key point in the process), I was able to successfully pass the bar. The Barwinners approach, practice exams (make sure you take them) and overall strategy work really well, but to be successful you have to be ready and willing . . . Shari and team will then make you "able" to pass the test. They really care about you as a person and work very hard to help you overcome the obstacles that inhibit (or for you first time takers, may inhibit) your ability to be "ready and willing" and ultimately pass the CA bar. I highly recommend the Barwinners team. Good luck! read more

When I originally took the Bar exam, I truly intended to remain on the east coast permanently. But, of course, life had other plans for me, and now, I am faced with sitting for the California Attorney's Bar exam after eight years of being in practice. After reviewing the State Bar of California website, I quickly realized that the "attorney's exam" isn't going to be any easier than the regular California Bar. It was obvious, I needed to find a preparation course that was not only high quality, but realistic, given my fulltime work schedule. The minute you search the terms "California Attorney Bar Exam" you pretty much want to forget everything and become a dog-walker. It takes no time at all to remember how studying and sitting for your first Bar exam made you feel half dead for a couple months. As I browsed through all of the options, BarWinners easily stood out as the program for me. Although the price was a little daunting, the truth is, quality costs and this is no time to skimp. And, after talking to Shari Karney about my interest in her program, I was sold. Talk about someone who gets it. Shari knows exactly what an attorney needs to be able to return to "student-mode", in the most streamlined and efficient way possible. Now that I've got my plan, I intend to chronical my progress through this journey...to ease my own anxiety...and to help encourage anyone else who is considering a similar move. I am now on my way to preparing for a huge challenge, but I feel I've enlisted the best possible tools to succeed. read more

I took Barwinners and passed the California Bar and the experience was life changing. As a repeater, I felt incredible anxiety and pressure to pass the exam. Living in fear of the experience, I avoided the responsibility and commitment that preparation for the exam requires. The owner, Shari Karney taught me that in order to confront my anxiety towards the exam I would have to address the root cause. With their guidance and support, I learned to take responsibility for my actions. As the exam date approached, I became increasingly focused and confident. What began, as a dreaded experience became one of the most personally satisfying and happy periods of my life. Armed with new coping tools, I overcame years of fear, anxiety and self-doubt and took the bar exam with determination and passed. For anyone who struggles with the pressures of the bar exam, this course really will change your life. Also, the materials are excellent. Shari has developed detailed outlines, that are to the point and help you issue spot and organize your answers. I highly recommend Barwinners. Good luck! read more

Shari Karney's BarWinners bar study program is great. It starts with Shari, who offers her students personal encouragement and support, spirit and enthusiasm, hard work and, especially, great materials. I needed to take only the Attorney's exam since I am a NY lawyer. I registered for the bar exam on the last possible date, and signed up for the BarWinners course several weeks after it had already begun. So I had just 6 weeks to work with the materials on my own without attending the in-class meetings (actually only 5 since I had to take a long-planned vacation with my daughters). I studied everything the materials told me I had to learn, and I did not spend a minute learning anything they said was rarely tested. And I used the practice materials and wrote practice essays using BarWinners approaches. And it worked -- I passed the California Bar Exam! I doubt I could have done it with a less focussed, less thoughtful set of materials. Thank you Shari, thank you! read more