Daniel’s Bar Tutoring

I highly recommend Daniel for both first time bar exam takers and repeat takers like myself. Daniel really knows what the CA bar examiners are looking for and how to focus and direct you to answer the essay questions in an organized manner to get you a passing score. I wish I had gone to Daniel first before using a commercial bar exam prep course where it was easy for me to get lost in the material and feel completely overwhelmed. Daniel provides you with all the tools you need to pass the exam you just need to put in the time and effort. Daniel will create a manageable individualized study schedule for you, provide detailed feedback on your essays, including talking through your essays to figure out why you wrote what you did and what you’re missing both of which are essential in determining how to write a passing essay, he will also point out comprehension issues you are having and make sure you leave the tutoring session with a solid understanding of the law, he provides ideas and methods for learning the bar material better, and he will give you the confidence you need to pass the bar exam. He is also extremely approachable and makes himself available for all of your questions or concerns during the entire process something else you won’t receive using commercial prep courses. I cannot say enough good things about Daniel and I am extremely happy I used him to help me pass the July 2015 bar exam which had a historically low pass rate of 46.6% (and a pass rate of 16% for those like me who were repeating the test and went to an ABA law school out of state) the lowest for a July bar exam since the 1980’s.

I never write Unilocal reviews but this case absolutely warrants one.
I came to Daniel after failing the July 2014 and February 2015 bar. I realized that I needed help, especially with the writing portion of the bar. With Daniel, I reviewed and wrote countless essays and PTs. I hated PTs — absolutely hated them. I even neglected them in the past. Daniel sensed this and provided a lot of guidance and tips. He «forced» me to do a number of them. What was daunting and unbearable before became easy peasy.
Daniel is such a great and nice guy. He genuinely cares about you as a person and your success on the bar. But don’t be fooled, he’s tough! He definitely holds you accountable.
In short, if you want to pass the bar, your best bet is with Daniel’s help.

I’ve never bothered writing a Unilocal review before, so the fact I’m doing so for Daniel should tell you something. The Bar Exam is an ordeal. But when you work with Daniel, he breaks it down for you in manageable pieces. Daniel worked with me in creating a realistic schedule I was able to follow.
Going into the February exam, I felt so much more confident than I did the first time I took it because I wasn’t scared about what essay topics might come up. When you work with Daniel, he’ll provide you with invaluable feedback on where your weaknesses are and how you can correct them. The only way to know those weaknesses is to do practice essays and receive feedback on them. You might be able to state the black letter law, but that doesn’t mean anything if you can’t apply it. Actual essay writing is when you discover the gaps in your knowledge. Daniel helps with this process.
By the time test week came around, many of my weaknesses had become strengths, and low and behold, some of those issues ended up appearing on the exam itself. That feeling of confidence goes a long way to passing. Thanks for everything Daniel!

A friend recommended Daniel to me, and I am forever grateful to both of them. Through Daniel’s thoughtful and attentive guidance, I learned to study in a smarter, and ultimately more successful way.
I had limited time to study for the CA bar the second time around because I was working full time, but Daniel worked with me to create and tailor a realistic study schedule.
Daniel provided a lot of feedback on my essays and taught me how to organize and address certain legal issues that inevitably pop up on the exam.
Daniel was also very patient with me — I was certainly not the most disciplined of students and I made some mistakes over and again. Daniel responded with specific goals for addressing weaknesses, repeated explanations, and some tough love to keep me on task.
Though I had a fair share of anxiety up to and during exam days, I did feel like I walked in the second time with a far better sense of what to do and how to do it, thanks to Daniel.

When I decided to take the July 2014 California bar exam, I had everything going against me. I’m not from California. I didn’t go to law school in California. Worse than that, I grew up in Louisiana, went to law school in New Orleans, and studied civil law rather than common law. The odds were not in my favor. I paid for a Kaplan course anyway, checked off all the little boxes on my daily assignments homepage, and failed the bar miserably. The morning after results came out, I desperately searched for a bar tutor. I knew that if I was going to pass the bar I needed a lot more than an online course.
How lucky I was to find Daniel! He responded to my initial/​desperate email within a day. During our first phone conversation, he provided a detailed outline of his method with an explanation of how each piece of his study plan works. Within a week he had me on a study schedule. It was a true pleasure to work with Daniel. He made the terms of his payment schedule very clear so that there were never any surprises to my bank account. Additionally, he was flexible in crafting a study schedule that worked with my work schedule. By the new year, I had taken time off completely from my job and Daniel adjusted my study load accordingly. One aspect of his method that I appreciated most was the way he held me accountable to the schedule. He was understanding when I fell behind, but he did make sure I understood the cost of a day off.
At first I was unsure how effective long-​distance tutoring by phone would be. However, I quickly learned that when Daniel scheduled a session with me, he was 100% attentive to my needs. During essay and performance test reviews, he walked me through my answers line by line and showed me how to make my writing stronger. He helped me learn to organize my answers so that I could better communicate my understanding of the law to the graders. Even when I had questions about Contracts or Property that were probably obvious to anyone who had attended school in a common law jurisdiction, Daniel patiently talked through the concepts with me so that I could better understand the subject matter.
In the days leading up to the exam, Daniel made himself available for any additional support I needed. He graded every last minute essay and performance test. He even provided excellent test-​taking tips to calm my nerves.
Daniel has great knowledge about the bar exam and what the graders are looking for. I truly am eternally grateful for the service he provides because I passed the February 2015 California bar!

I’ll keep this short. There’s a reason why every single review on here is 5 stars. I co-​sign everything that’s been said, and recommend Daniel to anyone taking the California bar (first-​time or repeater). Working and studying was a daunting task, but Daniel helped guide me to success. Cheers!

A wise friend of mine gave me Daniel’s name after I failed the bar. I called him immediately, and he started tutoring me by phone every 5 – 7 days for about three months. I did this instead of taking BarBri for a second time.
Daniel taught me how to read a question and how to write an answer, which is what it’s all about but I had completely forgotten in 8 or so years of practice. (Honestly, I probably never knew it.) Our first three meetings were about getting down the basics of formatting and organization for essays. In all of our later meetings, he helped me refine the essay-​writing technique and reviewed law that I had completely forgotten.
But Daniel’s best trait as a tutor, as far as I’m concerned, isn’t how clearly he instructs (which he’s great at) – it’s how persistent and consistent he is! I just didn’t study enough when I took the CA bar for the first time and failed. Daniel put me on a rigorous schedule and he didn’t let me forget that there was always more to do.
Finally, he makes you feel like a priority. If you have questions, he responds quickly. He always has your essays graded for your meeting and is ready to explain the law you didn’t understand. Studying for the bar is one of the most awful experiences, but go to him, do it his way, and then you won’t have to do it again.

I highly recommend Daniel for both repeat bar takers and first time bar takers who don’t think they will do well with the one size fits all approach of most bar prep courses.
I failed the July 2014 bar. After two months of tutoring with Daniel I walked into the February 2015 bar with confidence and passed!
Daniel did several things for me:
a) he pointed out areas of law that I thought I understood but that I was actually getting wrong in my essays;
b) he explained that law to me in a way I could easily grasp — this was super helpful with issue spotting;
c) he gave ample feedback on essays. Way more feedback than I got from Themis;
d) organization! I didn’t realize how bad my essay organization was and fixing that was a huge, huge part of passing the bar. The feedback I got from Themis was not helpful for organizatiom at all;
e) he was patient but did not allow me to feel sorry for myself, which is imperative for bar studying, because once you start feeling sorry for yourself you’ve already lost half the battle;
f) finally, and most importantly, he fixed my performance tests. I literally was incapable of doing a full performance test before Daniel tutored me, and after quite a bit of work, I walked out of the 2015 February bar feeling like the PT’s were pretty easy.
I was super happy with Daniel’s tutoring, and if you are serious about passing you should give him a call.

Daniel is fantastic. An alum from my law school (’06) gave me his info and highly recommended him – so you know he has been providing quality services for a while. I hired Daniel to help me pass the bar the FIRST time… and I did! His analysis of my work was in-​depth and VERY thorough. Also, the feedback he provided was easy to understand and practical. You see, Daniel has only one goal when he works with you – to help you get a passing score. There are no teaching gimmicks with Daniel, he customized his instruction to help me target what he assessed were my weaknesses, and then helped me develop those weaknesses into strengths. Additionally, Daniel was helpfully stern (but still extremely pleasant!). It is really nice to have someone keep you in check during your study period and Daniel did just that! His sense of humor also put me at ease. Overall, Daniel is not just a great tutor, he’s also a great guy!
I’ve told all of my friends who did not pass the bar about Daniel and I encourage you to give him a shot. If you are reading this and will be a first-​time exam taker, do not hesitate to contact Daniel so you can make it work the first time and never have to take the CA bar again!

After failing with BarBri I found Daniel on this Unilocal page. I’m glad I did because I passed the July 2014 exam, which has being called one of the toughest exams ever. I benefitted greatly from Daniel’s study technique, scheduling, essay review, explanations of the law, and his general support. I also appreciate the occasional kick in the butt whenever I started to slack off. If you failed with BarBri, I’d recommend passing with Daniel. Don’t even do the free second course offered by BarBri. Trust me, it is not fun to hear you failed a second time. If Daniel could get me into a passing score, I’m sure he can get you there too.
I’m keeping my review brief because everyone else has provided great details already.
Good Luck!

While I’m writing this review after receiving my July 2014 CA Bar results (I passed!), I could have written this same review five months ago. In a word, Daniel is stellar. Here are a few (well, a lot!) more words…
This was my third attempt and on both prior tries my essays received second reads. So I knew that I had to get out of the grey zone and get into the zone of writing a clearly passing answer every single time. By practicing Daniel’s method on the essays and PTs, I was able to do just that.
PROCESS: Daniel is incredibly organized, clear, and methodical in his approach. He knows what he’s doing and sticks to it. It even got to a point in my practice and on the exam where I could actually hear him in my head as I was writing essays. Creepy, but effective. Hire him. Then listen to everything single thing he tells you to do.
TEACHING STYLE: Daniel is much more than a test whiz; he’s a master teacher. He’s always prepared, clear, organized, and focused. He’s also honest about what you’re doing well and areas that need improvement, so every step of the way you’ll know how to best manage your time.
FEEDBACK: Go to Daniel’s website and download one of the examples of how he gives feedback on written essays. It’s true. The level of detailed, line by line, feedback he gives you is worlds apart from the cursory comments that you’ll get from the commercial prep companies. I was able to build on his detailed feedback from one practice essay to the next so that I was making fewer and fewer of the same mistakes and unlearning bad habits.
SCHEDULING: I was managing a congressional campaign while studying for the bar this past summer, so I needed to create a schedule that made sense for me. I wasn’t doing BarBri or any other commercial course, so I had to create my own study plan from scratch. I had taken BarBri before, and while the materials are generally good, big companies just aren’t tailored by nature. With BarBri, I often felt busy, but I wasn’t practicing in a way that was truly moving the ball down the field. Daniel worked with me to create a smart study schedule that was tailored to my strengths and weaknesses.
DEMEANOR: As if all of the above qualities aren’t enough, Daniel truly is a nice guy. His calm and steady demeanor was perfect when I was feeling frazzled or frustrated. He’s also just genuinely interested in helping students succeed. When I was initially looking into potential tutors, he even recommended another tutor just so I could have another option to compare.
I know this was long and thorough, but the Bar is a serious matter and choosing a prep coach is, too. I hope this was helpful. I would recommend Daniel a thousand times over.

Once burned, twice shy, but luckily no «charmed» third time needed with Daniel’s help.***
I recently (February 2014) passed the CA Bar on the second try. Sitting for the morning essays on the first day, I was (cautiously) confident all the tutoring sessions had paid off.
My biggest problem the first time through was discipline (or the lack thereof) – BarBri provided all the tools I needed, but I never bothered to use them. This time, I knew I needed someone to hold me accountable for assignments while staying attuned to my personal quirks and difficulties in studying.
Daniel did just that: after an initial meeting in person, I had weekly Skype/​phone meetings with him during which we set a workable timeline and broke my bad habits in the eight weeks before the exam.
Setting day and even hour requirements kicked my butt into gear. I distinctly remember making some vague promise to study during an overseas vacation. Daniel: «Will you actually study, or are you just saying that to make me happy?» Guilty as charged.
Overall, I liked that Daniel kept it simple. He showed me how (and how necessary it was) to play the Bar «game» in a way that did not require test-​taking games or gimmicks. As someone with a tendency to rebel and insist on doing things my own way, I appreciated how Daniel adapted lesson plans to those natural tendencies while forcing me to confront shortcomings that had become apparent after last July. His feedback on essays struck the right balance of substantive detail and «big picture» strategy.
All the while, Daniel was personable and easy to talk to, even through a computer screen. I absolutely recommend his services and can only wish in hindsight that I had known about them from the start.
***I noted a previous reviewer’s comment on the importance of pre-​results review. I admit it is much easier for me to say all this now, but, either way, I remember feeling 1000x better walking into the exam room the second time. I recognized that Daniel had given me all the things I needed to be able to pass (at least all the things he could short of rewiring my brain, haha) and that a bad result would be no fault of his. Indeed, what I found most valuable was that Daniel showed me *how* to study, an approach that could carry me through a third try if it came to that.

Took the California Bar for a second time this past February and happy to report that I finally passed. The difference this time around? Daniel.
Like most others, I signed up with BarBri during the first go-​around and was left feeling pretty unsatisfied. While the substantive materials (e.g., State/​MBE subject books and the Conviser Mini Review) is generally thorough and well-​organized, BarBri’s one-​size-​fits-​all approach doesn’t do a great job of identifying and improving personal key weaknesses.
This is precisely why Daniel’s tutoring was as effective as it was. He started by understanding my unique circumstances, and, in my case a re-​taker, what held me back from passing the first time around. From there we worked together during our first meeting to chart out a plan given the little time I had (in my case, I had to work on a reduced schedule due to work). He ordered and grouped topics in a logical manner and budgeted just the right amount of time for each. Daniel carefully tracked my progress along the way and adjusted accordingly, shifting around time to strengthen weak subjects while managing to squeeze in time to cover all topics adequately. BarBri, by contrast, relies solely on the diligence of its students to identify their own weakness, and expects them to manage their time accordingly — while keeping pace with the sometimes unreasonably rigorous schedule — to make up for those deficiencies. This isn’t to say that Daniel’s scheduling wasn’t rigorous in itself, but it’s far less stressful when you have someone constantly tracking your progress, and to know that if you fall a little behind for whatever reason (e.g., difficulty in digesting a particular subject, unexpected medical emergencies, important social events, etc.), there are ways to properly catch up.
Most importantly, Daniel’s one-​on-​one feedback on essays and performance tests was invaluable. In my opinion, BarBri sample essays, while good for identifying issues and arguments, offered poor guidance in the way of effective writing. In my case, improving in the essay category meant trimming down my verbiage substantially, as I often included unnecessary language that took time away form identifying additional issues or more fully developing key arguments. In this regard, Daniel’s feedback was enormously helpful. But just as important, Daniel helped me understand how to best structure my answers for each topic/​sub-​topic, and how to efficiently prioritize the relevant issues and analyses. He also helped to identify and contrast weak arguments from the strong ones, and was upfront, but not condescending, when there was clearly an answer that needed work or concept that needed to be better understood.
Daniel’s consistent professionalism is also worth noting. He always made himself available, and was prompt with his feedback and responding to questions (through an already stressful experience, having an unresponsive tutor is the last thing you need).
All in all, my only regret is not having sought Daniel’s services my first time around. I’m confident that had I done so, bad habits would not have been formed and my likelihood of success would have been much higher. Still, it’s better late than never, and I’m just grateful I came across Daniel when I did. I just hope others take something away from my experience, and consider the value of having a tutor like Daniel through what is unquestionably one of life’s most painful experiences.

When I found out that I didn’t pass the bar and would have to re-​take it, I knew that I was only going to try one more time and whatever happened happened. Even before I got my scores I knew that the MBE wasn’t going to be the issue but that my writing could do with some serious improvement. I chose Daniel as a Tutor because of previous reviews and agree that he is an excellent choice.
The first time we met I drove to his home to meet with him but then we met over Skype the remainder of the time. Working with him was incredibly helpful both for time management purposes (he helped me schedule out what to study when and for how long) and those Skype dates on my calendar kept me more motivated to stay on track that just about anything else. The help and advice he gave me about the written sections of the bar exam (both the PTs and essays) were absolutely what enabled me to pass the bar on the second go-​round.
If you are looking for a tutor either as a first time CA bar taker or a repeater, I would highly recommend working with Daniel.

I am a repeater who couldn’t really believe/​accept I had to take the bar again. I think I could the most out of my commercial bar prep course that a person can get so I knew the second time around I need more help.
In comes Daniel! He was great at diagnosing my deficiencies (there were a lot) and helped me work through them. Everybody has different weak areas and getting individual attention for mine was the key to my bar success!
I was out of the country and he made it easy to meet via Skype.
I wish I had a few sessions with Daniel during my first go around because I think I wouldn’t have been taking it a second time.
Worth the extra money if you’re already signed up for a course and definitely worth it if you are not because he can get you through the whole process!

I truly hated every minute of having to restudy for the bar exam. The anxiety mixed with the slight embarrassment which was a total mind game is a lot to handle when you first hear back. I took that fear and worry and used it to motivate me to work harder.
I knew that I would need to reach out for help for peace of mind — so that I could focus on knowing I was doing all I could to pass. I found Daniel on Unilocal and am so glad I did. He works with you to figure out a reasonable study schedule. At first I was working while studying, and then I wasn’t. In both situations, he was able to adjust a study schedule to fit my needs. Furthermore, he can meet with you online so you are studying instead of spending time in traffic and wasting money on gas! I loved the fact that his essay turn around was so quick. He goes over key concepts with you if you ask. I loved the fact that he was essentially a law school teacher who actually taught you what you needed to know to pass.
If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. Stick with Daniel, put in the work and you will pass. Daniel is not an easy teacher by any means and will not tire of pointing out the same mistakes to you make again and again, but it is what I needed to pass the bar exam. Thank you, Daniel! And to you, the Unilocaler, sending you hope and a hug!

As a Unilocaler, the first thing I noticed when I read this page was that all of the reviews were written by people who had already passed the bar. So naturally, I was skeptical about these posts. Since my past two months with Daniel were exceptional, I thought I would write a review before my results are released to help dispel other readers’ skepticism.
SCHEDULING: Daniel and I went through my study schedule each time we met. This gave some me leeway so that I could schedule in that one important birthday and make time for my hair appointments. He made sure my hours were consistent so that I spread my concentration across all 12 subjects appropriately. Daniel was practical with all the activities he assigned to me. He assigned enough work to keep me busy, but not to the extent that I could burn out. In fact, he prevented me from burning out by cutting out some of the work that I was assigning myself. Even though I went through each subject multiple times I did not feel rushed.
ESSAY FEEDBACK: When I first decided to use Daniel’s services, I promised myself that I would only send him a few essays here and there because, let’s be honest, he wasn’t cheap. However, Daniel’s handwritten notes and corrections accompanied with our meetings were so tremendously helpful that I ended up sending him 35 essays (7 were PTs). On each essay he would give me a cover sheet that outlined what was good and what needed improvement. The essay practice helped me hone in and stay focused on the issues and facts. After the first few essays my bad habits became more apparent, and Daniel helped me tackle them head on.
MULTIPLE CHOICE: The material I used for the MCs were taken from various bar prep companies. When I did not understand a MC explanation, I would email Daniel. He got back to me in less than 6 hours when the question (and the frustration) was still fresh in my head. His insight and explanations short, on point, and memorable.
MEETINGS: The meetings to discuss my essays were the most valuable part of my time with Daniel. Talking things through, reviewing my errors, and consistently trying to correct bad habits were essential in my bar prep. We went through each issue and necessary fact on every essay, and he was extremely patient with my non-​stop questions. When I would struggle with an issue /​fact, he would ask me a hypo that would help clarify the issue. Truth be told, it would make me feel pretty dumb, but it was a perfect way to call me out on all the bs putting into my essays. In a really strange way it helped drill these issues in my head. The meetings were more helpful than just written feedback alone, which is the only feedback that most bar prep companies provide.
LOCATION (wherever I wanted): All of my meetings took place via google hangouts. Google hangouts was ideal for me because I could sharescreen easily and update my calendar as needed.
ABOUT ME: All in all, I am very happy with Daniel and I would recommend him to everyone who is taking the CA bar. I am a huge penny pincher and I spend money on quality, not quantity (except for tacos). I also hate wasting time so I don’t write reviews unless I feel it’s necessary. Daniel’s total fees were still less than traditional bar prep costs, and in considering the individualized nature of the instruction, it’s worth it.
UPDATE 5÷16÷14
I passed. boom. contact DS.

The only thing worse than taking the bar is having to take it again, so when I found out I was unsuccessful on the July 2012 California Bar Exam I knew I needed to change my approach. After Googling around and talking to a few different tutors, I ultimately decided on Daniel and am so glad I did.
What really sets Daniel apart is his help with time management skills. He created a personalized schedule that kept me on track and focused. I was able to work harder and more efficiently than the first time, which is a direct result of working with Daniel.
Also, his feedback was invaluable. He really dug deep into my writing and provided much more detailed and ultimately better feedback than the traditional bar prep program I had used first time around. It took time and hard work, but after a month and a half I really started to notice changes in my essays and PTs. I used Adaptibar for MBE studies, but Daniel would also help me with questions regarding those as well.
I was thrilled to find out I passed the February 2013 bar! I have Daniel to thank, as he provided the structure, feedback, and individualized attention I needed. Only wish I had found him earlier!

I attribute my passing the California Bar to Daniel.
As many of you know (or are about to find out), the Bar isn’t necessarily an aptitude test — it’s better stated as a focus and discipline test, and that’s exactly what Daniel helps with.
He helped me create an effective study schedule, which was tailored towards my strengths and weaknesses. He has a lot of suggestions in regards to study habits and techniques as a result of his extensive tutoring experience, but he also let me go at my own pace when necessary.
He was the perfect blend of a kick in the ass and a supportive ear. Frankly, if he leaned a tiny bit towards the former, that was welcome because that’s what 99% of us need in studying for this thing. I didn’t need someone else to listen to my excuses.
I wrote out around 20 full essays and 3 – 4 full PTs with great feedback, grading and reviewing. Barbri, by contrast, only grades about 4 – 5 essays and 1 – 2 PTs.
Some of you might be wondering how this translates to the MBE portion, as he doesn’t directly work with you on that. The simple answer is that the greater mastery you have over the material, the better your MBEs will be.
Finally, Daniel is also one of the most cost-​effective tutors out there. Though it is still an investment, his rates are more reasonable than most, and it’s a drop in the bucket as compared to 3 years of law school.
I wholeheartedly recommend Daniel as a Bar tutor.

It’s still with a bit of disbelief, several days after the results came out, that I can say that I passed the CA Bar exam. With Daniel’s help, I raised my score by 243+ points from my first try.
Daniel will help you create a day-​by-​day study plan so that every day you know what you have to accomplish. It is not overwhelming or tedious like the schedules provided by Bar prep courses, but rather personally tailored so that you can attend that birthday party, wedding etc. and not feel like you’ve fallen behind. This allowed for much lower-​stress studying as I never felt guilty for resting or taking time (or the occasional day) off. If I met the hard deadlines, I felt OK with my progress. He even was flexible enough to accommodate a 16 hour time difference as I was studying abroad.
Furthermore, Daniel offers great feedback on essays and PTs. It was incredibly helpful to be able to have someone tell me how i was developing and what I still needed to work on instead of receiving only a grade and some red markings. He will help you focus your writing, organize it, and do it enough times that the rules will stick in your head.
One reason I know for certain that I failed the first time around was that I ran out of time. Daniel is also effective in making sure that you work on communicating to the graders what they want to hear and only that. Without even knowing it, I had a tendency of wasting time trying to write a perfect rule statement, or repeating analysis for the sake of readability. Daniel spotted these tendencies and eliminated them.
In sum, I couldn’t be happier with my choice to work with Daniel. It sucks to have to put your life on hold for another 6 months. I was dreading that it could be another 9. I’m so glad that didn’t turn out to be. It will be a long time before this feeling of relief leaves me & I have Daniel to thank for that.