Advanced Performance Seminars

PTS are important. Take Professor Holtz and use what he teaches on the bar. He’s a master!

If you’ve taken the exam more than once, John says to focus on writing good essays and PTs, not timing, during your run-​up to the bar exam. It works. He is amazing.

I cannot rave enough about John Holtz. Firstly, he is incredibly caring about his students’ success. He spends 2 LONG days teaching you not only how to nail the performance tests, but also everything and anything he knows about how to pass the bar exam essays and MBE. He even stays well past the time the course ends to talk to whomever wants to ask questions or just discuss their concerns.
As to his method, you will walk out of the two day course feeling like you’re going to possibly die from mental exhaustion and that you may be a little too dense to understand what he just threw at you. Fear not. In the words of my 1L Criminal Law professor, «Take some time to let it ‘gel.’» Don’t look at the work he gives you the next day. Take a day or two to let your brain process what just happened. Then, when you go to practice another PT, make his method your own and do not be concerned that you’re not doing it exactly how he teaches you. In my case, that meant that I was more comfortable getting a rough skeleton of what I wanted to type written on the outlining paper and typing the rest when I was ready to actually write it. This was so much better than my previous method that I was taught in Fundamentals of Bar Writing, a course I took in school that focused solely on the PT (which I highly recommend if your law school offers it. Get all the experience with PT’s you can). I realized that I’m the type of person that likes to outline too many details, which is a huge waste of time, but John’s method helped me figure out how to outline more efficiently.
Concerning my experience with the real thing (yes, I passed and, yes, I actually would contribute a huge amount of my success to John’s course), I feel like I MURDERED the performance tests. I can’t conclusively say I did because I don’t have my scores. But when I was writing my PT’s, I felt the sparks flying from my fingers. I finished early on both and went back to polish what I had written (Caution: not recommended unless you feel like the Lord himself just came down and kissed your PT’s and there’s nothing left to do but polish them). I even picked up some «bonus» points on the second PT (you’ll learn about those and trust me, you want them). At the end of it, the performance tests were the only part of the exam that I felt 100% confident about, which is a great position to be in since they are worth about 2 essays each.
Finally, if you decide to take this course, bring a notebook with blank paper. You will want to write down every tip, hint, and secret he gives you. This guy is the man!

I took John Holtz’s seminar when preparing for my bar exam. The bar prep course I used did not focus much time on the performance test (PT) portion. Instead, emphasis was on the essay topics and multiple choice. It’s a shame because the PTs are easily worth 2 essays each when you look at the weight in the final score.
The real value in this program is in the approach to the PT. We spent very little time actually writing essays. Instead, there were a lot of drills where we could gather a lot of information in a short period of time. Within a few minutes, we could identify all the law (including law hidden within the law), know whether we needed to read the facts or the law first, and be able to outline while reading. Over a couple of weekends, we went through dozens of former PTs and broke them down. I found that applying his methods to my PTs increased the effectiveness and time I spent writing.
Like anything else, his method has to be practiced a few times. You can’t just sit back in the class. Take what he’s teaching and try it at home, especially if you can send the PT into your bar prep course to be graded/​reviewed. I did not use everything that he taught. He had a proprietary system and coding. Some people liked it. I chose to not use it. I approached his system as modular, taking what worked for me and ignoring the rest. I suggest others do the same.
I’ve already recommended him to others who were looking for more help on their PTs.

John Holtz is the best in the business. His review course is first rate and goes where no other bar review course goes in terms of instruction, preparation, mentoring, and guidance as it pertains to the critical portion of the California Bar Exam the Performance Test. Many bar reviews including Bar Bri do not spend sufficient time on this important part of the California Bar Exam. I took John’s course for the California Bar Exam and it was one of the wisest decisions I made in my preparation for the California Bar Exam. You will spend 2 – 3 days with John and he will highlight his extremely valuable and useful tips and approaches to attack the Performance Test. As part of the instruction, John will demonstrate numerous examples of PT’s from previous exams and explain his strategies to attack the problem with confidence and ease. He explain approaches for each PT example that will give you the confidence to tackle the exam. Do not underestimate the importance of the PT. It can make a huge and potent difference as to whether you pass or fail. John will also spend some time advising you on other parts of the bar exam including the MBE and Essays. John has been in the business a long time and many successful applicants have taken his course. I would not have passed the dreaded CBE if it were not for John Holtz. Moreover, the price for John’s price is very reasonable and you will not regret enrolling in this course. Do not trust the commercial bar review courses with the PT. Many do not spend enough time in preparing you for the exam. They simply give you a menu and you have to figure out the rest. John gives you not only the menu but he also helps you cook the meal. I strongly urge all of you to enroll in his course and be prepared to take great notes and absorb thorough examples of PT’s that John will explain to you. I was able to approach the PT with confidence and I thank John Holtz helping me pass the CBE. Make the call and enroll. You will not regret it. Thank you John and because of your guidance and instruction I passed the February 2015 California Bar Exam.

I cannot recommend John Holtz enough for anyone preparing for the beast that is the California Bar Exam, especially if that person tends to struggle on the performance test (PT) portion of the bar. Mr. Holtz has been teaching how to attack the PTs since the committee of bar examiners added the PT portion to the bar exam, back in 1983 (before I was born!) Like so many others, I used Barbri to pass the bar exam and also like so many others, I believe Barbri’s attention to the PT portion of the bar is insufficient (see ChickaPea P.‘s review here.)
Mr. Holtz’s methodology categorizes the PTs into 3 or 4 different types. He then teaches you (a) how to spot which type is in front of you, and (b) how to attack that type. Without giving away his trade secrets, I can tell you Holtz actually has a different strategy depending on what type of PT you’re given and makes the entire thing a game. (Game of Thrones-​style: the committee built the gauntlet, but Holtz will show you how to survive it, and potentially master it.) Many will die. Winter is coming.
His weekend course is exhausting. Get serious with me for a minute. You need to arrive fueled on caffeine, protein and raw determination because he will go 100 miles a minute for 20 hours– Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. There will be a «cap» on your learning, meaning, there’s some fancy jargon that will go over your head — dismiss it, don’t stress over the nuances you didn’t fully grasp. Just check your ego at the door and prepare to live in PT land that weekend. I fully respect and admire Holtz’s comprehensive grasp of this portion of the bar exam. He could easily be charging 4 times his very reasonable rate. You must pay attention and try not to get fatigued or you will miss the gold he’s giving out. I believe the bad review I read here was probably by a student who sat in the back and slipped in and out of consciousness. Holtz is confusing unless you show up prepared from the beginning and stay with him throughout his lectures. As you’ve probably heard a million times, it’s a marathon not a sprint.

I cannot recommend John’s course highly enough. John is smart and will make you smarter, so long as you pay attention. And he will give you the tools to ace the PTs, plus some overall killer strategy on the rest of the exam. Plus he’s funny. I will always remember this course as one of the best I’ve ever taken.

I did 5 hr workshop that probably hurt me more than it helped me. His technique was confusing as sh-​t and impossible to learn and get down 2 weeks before the bar. Unlike us, It seemed like this guy knows every pt there is so he sets them
Up out of his memory. Then he stands there and bs you with fancy words and swag. I would recommend this guy to my worst
Enemy if the bar is coming up soon. Stick to barbri.

Review for: PT workshop led by John Holtz in Orange County, CA (simply clarifying since there seem to be reviews on here for workshops led by other facilitators)
His website:
.
MY REVIEW:
I took John Holtz’s PT workshop and I do think it was helpful but by no means should this be your only «source» of preparation for PT.
I will say this, I sought out a PT workshop because I felt that Barbri is very weak on this component of the exam. However, I also had the luxury of taking a semester course dedicated to PTs at my school, so I know I was ahead of the game in some ways. I primarily used JH’s course as a refresher course since it had been months since I took the PT class at my school.
This workshop is a full 3 days, and what I found a bit disappointing is that you do not work through an entire PT from breakdown to full blown writing, rather his focus is simply on setting up each PT. He really focused on a «matrix’ structure which did not work well for me, but others in the class found it helpful. What I did get out of the class however, was that it forced me for 3 days before barbri even began to just look at and focus on several PT’s and really see how each «type”(objective, persuasive, opinion letter) was formatted and what was expected by the bar. He also provides you with take home material for additional review.
Although I ditched his matrix approach for a structure I found in «nailing the bar –PT book» the piece of advice that he shared which helped me succeed was that he said for every 5 PT’s you write out do an additional 5 – 8 for just set-​up. What I did was I wrote 1 PT exam every week for the first 6 weeks of barbri, then as time became more scarce the last few weeks I simply broke down (just did the set up) for an additional 6 PTs and I felt very prepared! I also really learned from JH how to spot key wording that the bar exam tends to use as signposts for rule statements. This helped me learn to scan a PT looking for these key words, which saved me TONS of time. On my Feb PT-​A I was a bit confused so it took me a while to figure out the set up so I ran out of time to fully read each case, but his scanning tricks helped me identify the pertinent information necessary to complete the test. I firmly believe that these exams more than anything are testing logic –a skill very similar to logic games from LSAT. The writing depth is almost secondary to your ability to identify the «puzzle.»
Sadly, barbri only grades 1 PT so you really are up a creek unless you are very good at self-​critique, and can teach yourself by writing, then learning from model answers. I found the barbri videos on PT only gave me a very basic baseline for success. JH’s workshop may work wonders for you if you like matrices, but sadly I do not. However, the other tricks I learned –like scanning and not having to read every case all the way through, really did help me out. I also recall that he was willing to grade a few PT’s for you, but there was a deadline to get them to him and he charged additional money for that service.
I do not feel that this class was a waste of money or time; it just wasn’t quite what I expected. Also, I was a first time taker and I felt that his course and how he spoke to the class was more geared toward repeaters. JH is a very kind man, and will toss in other random pieces of advice regarding the exam, which is great. I just feel like this workshop could be improved upon in a few key facets to really make it worthwhile. I also think that he needs to hire an admin assistant because his emails and responses are far from timely. If you have any additional questions feel free to message me. (Successful Bar Candidate Round 1– ²⁄₁₄)

It is very hard to get someone to answer the phone. The same goes with their e-​mail. I am looking forward to attend the June 21 – 23 performance review, but I can’t get any information of their schedule.
SORRY, THE REVIEW STINKS, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS!
FRUSTRATED IN SIMI VALLEY

I emailed twice and called twice to sign up = no response = This place is a joke.

Professor Holtz is amazing and his workshop on the performance test is incredible! I am an LL.M. student, English is not my first language and I failed the first time I took the California Bar. I then attended Professor Holtz’s seminar and I felt like the performance test, the most difficult part of the exam, just became very easy and doable for me. I successfully passed the California bar exam and I think I owe it all to Professor Holtz. Super highly recommended!

I highly recommend this course. John really cares about the students on top of having the background, experience, and intelligence to teach so much in 3 days.
I passed the first time and felt confident about the PT section.

i took the July 2011 bar, and just found out I passed. I did not feel confident walking out of any part of the bar except for the two PTs.
I strongly recommend people to take this course early in their bar prep.
It was grueling for me because its 3 full days but it was worth every penny. I can’t say the same for other prep courses I took. I am very happy that I took the class.
The 6 of my friends that took this course all passed.

I took the Fleming’s Fundamentals of Law Performance Workshop with Sue Sneidmiller, and it was crucial to my success and passing the CA bar.
Sue Sneidmiller provides a fail-​safe, step by step method for handling a Performance answer.
As a law student, who had not previously engaged in many different writing tasks, the process of learning the four areas of analysis tested on the Performance Exam was invaluable.
The course teaches you how to effectively outline, and most importantly, how to manage your time and write a succinct passing answer.
Model outlines and answers are provided for over 16 Performance exams. I had the opportunity to write 8 exams which were hand graded and critiqued on audio CD. This really did provide me with the personal evaluation that I was in desperate need of!
I would definitely recommend taking the Performance Workshop with Sue Sneidmiller. I thought so highly of her class, I even scheduled several individual tutorial sessions with Ms. Sneidmiller. She has taken every Performance Exam tested on the CA bar, under timed conditions, and could find the perfect exam to help me with my specific needs.
I credit my success to Sue Sneidmiller, and her excellent program!

I took J Holtz class and thought it was an excellent class. I also Sue’s class and found it to be an excellent class as well. Both offer a unique approach to the performance exam and I recommend both.
As for the first review, bitter bar candidates are everywhere. I’ve heard it all. Barbri sucks, PMBR sucks and etc. One thing they got in common? They all failed and are trying to shift the blame onto the bar review companies.

Contrary to review left by Jeff J. I personally found the Flemings Fundamentals of Law Performance Program taught by Sue Sneidmiller to be one of the best programs available on the market.
I passed the bar and was consistently writing PT exams that were in the 75 – 80 range prior to sitting for the bar exam. I passed on the second try so with the first failure I got to see my scores and was rather happy with my PT performance.
Sue is a very professional and polished professor and lecturer. Her style is very firm and her delivery is complete. Her candor and ability to cut right to the core of what I needed and her coaching on my practice exams was dead right on and her method was over the top exactly what I needed.
I currently practice law and I also teach law and tutor for the california state bar exam. Everyone of my students have taken FFOL and have loved Sue and all of them have passed. Why reinvent the wheel!!! Sue has the best program on the market for diligent and committed students who know the game and who are hungry to pass.
In fairness, I have met Mr. Holtz and find him incredibly warm and captivating. I have not personally sat through his lectures but I have heard nothing but good things from his program and would not be afraid to have a student inquire into both programs.
Please do not be mislead by negative ratings of one program over the other. Both the Flemings and John Hotlz have been in business for many years and their programs are very successful. Each program has its unique style of presentation and organization and theory.
There is something for everyone out there and the wise law student should sample and interview and research completely every program before just plunking down their money based on the online comments of others.
The best policy I share with my students is to take full responsibility of your own learning. Own your successes and your failures and do not try to pin or blame them on anyone else. Studying and Passing our Bar Exam is a full time job and there is NO cookie cutter approach because we all learn differently and approach life differently. As an example, some students do well with home study self guided programs, others need structure and to be required to attend classes and participate. Some can do a little of both. Personally, I did home study on my MBE, I did classroom and private tutoring on my PT exams and I did Essay Stylist Classes for my Essay Exams. A very ala carte approach but it worked.
I give Sue Sneidmiller 5 stars from personal experience and my success and the countless hours she spends with students both in the classroom and one-​on-​one.
I do not view Flemings and Holtz as competitors, I view them as market participants who encourage the students to work their hardest in applying the multiple methods and passing the bar. Both programs are extremely supportive and passionate in what they do!
Dont be swayed by negative comments but investigate yourself, take control of your education and learning and thereby take control of your success and destiny!

Law students and bar candidates studying for the PT exam on the bar…
John Holtz is well known and respected in the bar prep industry for his excellent seminars on the Performance Test section of the CA bar exam. I took the CA bar exam and passed on my third attempt, much like many well-​respected attorneys and politicians in California. Had it not been for John’s seminar on PT’s, I don’t know that I could have ever passed the bar exam.
I also took the Fleming’s course taught by Sue Sneidmiller, wife of Jeff Flemings, for my first bar attempt. I do NOT recommend taking their course as it taught me less about how to outline and organize my answer, made less sense to me, cost me more, and I walked away with less study material than John’s Advanced Performance Seminars. Mr. Holtz offers a far better value for the money.
John also offers a special no-​pass, no-​pay type system, but I was not eligible since I took John’s three day course for the first time as a repeater. Even still, the course fee was less than Flemings, offered more substance, and gave me what I needed to eventually pass the CA bar exam. I appreciated the fact that John discounted his fee by $ 25 if you brought a fellow student with you to class, which saved us money and shared the wealth of knowledge amongst my peers.
I learned of John’s seminars only days before my first bar attempt, so I was able to attend only John’s one day seminar, which was tantamount to drinking from a fire hose! Nonetheless, I was able to at least come close (only 4 raw points away from passing) on my first bar attempt. Without John’s one day course, that would not have been possible to even get close.
John’s website is
. Don’t hesitate to call for up-​to-​date class meeting schedules as he sets his schedules according to the BarBri schedules in CA to be the most accommodating as possible. Consequently, there might be more classes offered than is reflected on his website. Technology isn’t John’s focus, but my passing the bar is. I guess I can accept that as a fair trade. ;-)
I count John as my PT savior. I have complete and total faith in his methods and owe my success on the PT portion of this bar exam to John and John alone.
John once spent two hours with me after I got my first bar exams back for review. I was crushed to get so close and yet no cigar. My study buddy passed and I was now all alone. Law school was over and my support system was gone… totally absent.
John spent those two hours with me that night after teaching all day and before driving home 8 long hours through the night to care for his special needs children by the next morning. Because he spent that time with me, John gave up dinner and any hopes of sleep that night in order to be there for me when I needed him.
You think I’m a strong supporter of Mr. Holtz? You damned right I am!
I owe my success to John, who totally rocks in my book!
I will be eternally grateful and appreciative to John for my passing the CA bar exam. I wholeheartedly endorse John’s course and hope you’ll enjoy the same overwhelming excitement when it’s your turn to see your name on that congratulatory letter from the State Bar. There’s nothing else like it in the world.
John, I thank you with my entire being and that little thing we call a bar card!