I'm taking the Louisiana Bar for the first time in February and trying to allocate my study time between the MBE and the state-specific essay portion. Louisiana civil law adds a whole extra layer compared to common law states and I'm coming from a school that didn't cover it deeply. I've got about 14 weeks and I'm doing bar prep full-time, so I have the hours — I just need to use them right.
The February pass rate has been hovering around 55–60%, lower than the July sitting. My understanding is the essay portion is weighted more heavily here than in UBE states and Louisiana-specific subjects like successions, community property, and lease law can sink you if you don't know them cold. Is that the right way to think about where the risk is?
I'm using Barbri but it feels like it under-covers Louisiana civil law topics. Has anyone supplemented with LSBA materials or other state-specific resources? I don't want to spend 70% of my time on MBE subjects if the essays are actually what most people fail on.
The February sitting is harder historically — smaller cohort, different curve. Don't get too caught up in the pass rate statistic. Your individual prep matters way more. Know your delictual fault vs strict liability distinctions and the civilian property concepts cold.
Barbri is decent for MBE prep but genuinely weak on Louisiana-specific content. I used the BarMax Louisiana add-on plus past LSBA released essays with model answers. Seeing what the graders actually want taught me the format more than any outline did.
I passed on my second attempt after failing February by 7 points. What I did differently the second time was writing full essay answers under timed conditions starting in week 4 instead of week 10. That writing practice is what actually moves the score.
You're right that the essays carry a lot of weight. I'd spend at least 50–55% of your time on Louisiana subjects — successions and matrimonial regimes are almost always tested and they're unlike anything in common law. The LSBA materials are worth getting for those sections specifically.