Steve Zikman, The Strategic Bar Coach

05/14/2026

If you’ve read the news recently, you’ve probably seen that Kim Kardashian has reportedly put her quest to become an attorney on pause, after blaming ChatGPT for her most recent failure on the California Bar Exam.

In my 20+ years of coaching law students, I’ve never seen a tool seduce test-takers quite like Generative AI. Kim’s experience highlights an important reality: AI is a (sometimes untrustworthy) library, not a coach.

In my latest blog post, I dive into the differences between working with a strategic coach and using an AI tutor, the limits of generative AI, and why you should be cautious about how you incorporate generative AI in your preparation.

Did Kim Kardashian fail the bar exam because of ChatGPT? Learn why relying on AI for California bar prep is dangerous, and why you need a strategic coach.

05/07/2026

Alysa Liu’s recent Olympic Gold medal wasn't just a historic win. It was a masterclass in mental health and peak performance.

At 16, completely burned out, she walked away from figure skating. Two years later, she returned on her own terms, chose her own coaches, skated for the love of the sport, and claimed Gold at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Her journey mirrors the struggles of many bar takers. In my recent blog post, I share lessons you can learn from her comeback, including:

- Why pushing through a 12-hour "grind" actively harms your cognitive abilities.
- How to tune out commercial course progress bars and study on your own terms.
- The key to finding the mental anchor that will pull you through when you hit a wall.

Read my full post below to see what law students can learn from Alysa Liu’s journey.

https://strategicbarcoach.com/the-prodigy-who-walked-awayand-came-back-for-gold-how-alysa-lius-journey-can-inform-a-winning-bar-exam-strategy/

For those of you staring down the barrel of the bar exam, Alysa Liu’s career trajectory is a masterclass in mental health, strategy, and peak performance.

05/01/2026

One of the greatest obstacles to passing the bar exam has nothing to do with knowing the law. It’s exam room panic.

When a candidate's mind freezes up and goes blank, it isn’t a lack of preparation or a sign of weakness. It’s a biological response known as an "Amygdala Hijack." Once it happens, a student can’t simply think their way out of it; they have to act their way out.

In my newest blog post, I share three science-backed strategies to help candidates manage their mindset and stop panic attacks in their tracks.

If you are taking the upcoming CA Bar Exam, or if you know a law student who is currently deep in prep mode, please share this resource with them.

Read the full post here: https://strategicbarcoach.com/bar-exam-anxiety-how-to-stop-panic-attacks-in-the-exam-room/

Conquering bar exam anxiety is key to passing. Learn science-backed techniques like box breathing and grounding to stop panic attacks in the exam room.

04/22/2026

Introducing The SBC Sidebar

If you have a friend, family member, or loved one studying for the California Bar Exam right now, you already know the immense pressure they are under.

I certainly know it well. Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of coaching thousands of students through this grueling journey. Now, I’m thrilled to share some of our winning strategies more broadly.

I’m officially launching my new weekly blog, The SBC Sidebar, dedicated to helping future attorneys conquer the California Bar. We won't just cover black-letter law; we will be tackling the comprehensive strategy of testing, from hacking the Performance Test (PT), to stopping an exam-room panic attack in its tracks.

If you know a law student gearing up for their first attempt, or a repeat test-taker trying to find the strength to face the beast one more time, please tag them in the comments or share this post with them. They are not alone, and they can do this.

You can read my full story and see what's coming next on the blog here: https://strategicbarcoach.com/how-to-slay-a-dragon/

The CA Bar Exam is a dragon that can be slayed. Make this bar exam your last with weekly strategic tips from expert tutor Steve Zikman.

05/05/2025

Congratulations to my students and everyone else who endured the long Feb 2025 bar exam journey and passed!

05/05/2023

Best of luck to my students and everyone else waiting for the results of the February 2023 Bar Exam today!

05/08/2022

Congratulations to my students who passed the February 2022 Bar exam on May 6th!

12/14/2021

Kim is right about this: "Bottom line is don’t ever give up even when you are holding on by a thread, you can do it!!!!! Set your mind to it and get it done because it feels soooooo good once you get to the other side! ⚖️ 📚"

Kim Kardashian has passed a law exam and moved a step closer to being able to practice as an attorney in the state of California.

11/10/2021

Best of luck to my students and anyone else who is waiting for the results of the July Bar exam on November 12th!

08/24/2021

Law is a commitment that can last a lifetime. Imagine: John Morton Finney practiced for 85 years! What an investment he made, and what a legacy he left behind.

The oldest practicing attorney in the US was John Morton Finney (1889-1998). He practiced law for 85 years until he was 107 years old. He had previously been a Buffalo Soldier from 1911-1914.