No-Cost Themis Bar Review

Academics

Catalyzed by a significant financial commitment from the Denver-based Sturm Family Foundation, the University of Denver Sturm College of Law has entered into an agreement with Themis Bar Review to provide comprehensive and complimentary new resources for all JD students at DU. This innovative partnership with Themis enhances our students’ ability to succeed in law school and on the bar exam, while addressing the significant costs typically associated with commercial bar review courses.

Themis Bar Review logo


DU entered into this partnership with Themis after a rigorous selection process in which we invited all of the national bar review companies to participate. Among other considerations, we focused on the companies’ performance in preparing graduates for the bar examination, the quality of their teaching materials, and the strength of their support for students. 

To support and harmonize these new offerings with what we already provide to students through our Academic Achievement and Bar Success Programs, we hired Professor Chris Engle-Newman to serve as Assistant Director of Bar Success. Professor Engle-Newman is a nationally recognized expert in the field of bar success and an outstanding instructor and advisor who brings invaluable experience working with third-party bar preparation companies.

The FAQs below provide additional details about the comprehensive resources that Themis will provide to Sturm College of Law students. The FAQs also provide guidance to students who may have already signed up for a bar review course with Themis or with another third-party provider.

We are excited to offer this new set of resources for our students and are grateful for the philanthropic support from the Sturm Family Foundation for making this initiative possible. If you have additional questions about these new offerings or would like to discuss any aspect of the partnership, please reach out to Professor Scott Johns.

Themis Partnership Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is eligible for the proposed program?

    All JD students enrolled at the Sturm College of Law at the outset of the spring 2024 semester will be eligible for the proposed program. Incoming JD students – both 1L and transfer – arriving in fall 2024 will also be eligible. (Master’s students and visiting JD students are not currently eligible.)

  • How much will the proposed program cost students?

    There is no cost for JD students to participate in the proposed program.

  • Why did the Law School choose to partner with a third-party company?

    At the Sturm College of Law, we seek to support students in their transition from legal education to legal practice in a comprehensive, robust, and equitable manner. The following reasons, among others, supported our decision to partner with a third-party company at this juncture. First, students have historically encountered high prices for bar review courses and limited access to data about comparative performance. Second, law students routinely contract with bar review companies relatively late in their legal studies, foregoing beneficial support that might otherwise be available to them earlier in the process. Third, students destined to work for large law firms often have their bar review programs subsidized, while those anticipating work with small firms, governmental employers, and non-profits do not. Fourth, there are considerable changes under way in legal licensure, as jurisdictions transition to the so-called Next Generation bar examination, and third-party companies are expected to be in a strong position to support law students – and law schools – as part of this transition.

  • How did the selection process work?

    In collaboration with campus experts in procurement, the law school issued a Request for Proposals, invited the nation’s leading bar preparation companies to participate, asked each to describe their program and provide samples of their materials, and requested each to furnish their most competitive price. We then elected a limited subset of vendors to participate in follow-up presentations. Members of the Sturm College of Law Administration and the law school’s Bar Success and Academic Achievement Faculty reviewed the companies’ applications, bar success rates, teaching resources, and staff support.

  • Why did the Law School select Themis?

    Themis distinguished itself for its (1) exceptional track record of success amongst graduates of the Sturm College of Law, which has exceeded 90% in recent years in Colorado for graduates who completed at least 75% of the designated coursework; (2) outstanding course materials, backed by cognitive science and educational psychology; (3) capacity to support students across the entirety of their legal studies; (4) ability to prepare students for the bar in 49 U.S jurisdictions; and (5) strong and collaborative staffing presence in Denver.

  • What resources will be available from Themis?

    We anticipate making the entire suite of Themis products available to JD students, including skills modules and diagnostics across all years of legal study, a review course for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE”), and a post-graduation bar preparation course. The post-graduation bar preparation course is Themis’ all-inclusive Full Bar Review Course, which includes the full bar review course and access to UWorld’s Qbank Supplement.

  • How will the Themis program interact with our existing Academic Achievement and Bar Success Programs?

    The offerings provided by Themis will be designed to complement our own Academic Achievement and Bar Success Programs, as well as the work of our faculty more generally. To harmonize the new offerings that we will be providing to students with our existing programs and curricular offerings, we have hired Professor Chris Engle-Newman to serve as Assistant Director of Bar Success. Professor Engle-Newman is a nationally recognized expert in the field of bar success and an outstanding instructor and advisor, who brings invaluable experience working with third-party bar preparation companies.

  • Is participation in the Themis partnership required?

    Although participation in the Themis partnership is not required, participation is strongly recommended based on the caliber of the program and its complimentary nature. If you elect to contract with another company, you will be solely responsible for the costs.

  • If I already paid for a bar preparation course from another company and want to work with that company, how should I proceed?

    We will survey eligible students to determine whether they wish to opt out of the proposed partnership with Themis. Students who elect to opt out will not have access to Themis’ post-graduation bar review course.

  • If I already paid for a bar preparation course with Themis, will Themis issue me a refund?

    Yes.

  • If I already paid for a bar preparation course from another company and want to use Themis instead, will I be issued a refund by Themis or by the Sturm College of Law?

    No. Some bar preparation companies provide opportunities for partial refunds, and you can find further information on their websites.

  • What if I don’t take a Bar exam immediately after graduation but want to take it in a future year. Will I still have access to Themis materials?

    Yes.