For more than 40 years, AccessLex Institute^® has partnered with its nearly 200 ABA-approved law schools to support the evolving needs of law students. Backed by a $1 billion charitable fund — the largest dedicated resource in legal education — AccessLex is uniquely positioned to improve student success from admission to law school through admission to the bar — and to drive meaningful change across legal education where it matters most.

In 2018, AccessLex identified a troubling reality: law students were paying commercial bar prep providers two to three times the actual cost of delivery. In response, AccessLex began development of Helix Bar Review^® with a clear goal: to reduce the cost of bar preparation while providing a fundamentally better learning experience.

Helix launched in 2021 on a foundation of modern learning science, advanced technology, research-informed instructional design, and personalized support. This approach has been shown to increase retention, deepen engagement, and build confidence — ensuring Helix is not only more affordable but also exceedingly effective.

Five years later, bar prep pricing has declined significantly, generating meaningful savings for students and setting a new standard for the broader market. And importantly, Helix users continue to achieve strong first-time bar passage outcomes.

Helix remains guided by the same mission that inspired our founding: expanding opportunity and advancing student success. With the resources, expertise, and long-term commitment to support both law schools and students, Helix remains steadfast in its promise to deliver exceptional programs at exceptional value — and empower the next generation of lawyers to succeed.

To learn more about our story, hear from Chris Chapman, President and CEO of Helix Bar Review and AccessLex Institute:

AccessLex Institute created Helix Bar Review (Helix) in 2019 to provide high-quality bar preparation at a no-profit price. Helix is organized as a Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt supporting organization of AccessLex Institute and its mission to empower the next generation of lawyers.

University of Arizona Rogers College of Law

Helix was an amazing program for bar prep and I cannot recommend it enough! The materials were not only easily accessible, navigable, and adaptable, but very analogous to the questions on the exam itself. When I needed help, I [...] quickly received a personal response. During a time that can feel incredibly isolating, this alone made me feel like Helix was truly in my corner."

Sarah Goldberg
University of Arizona
James E. Rogers College of Law

Bar prep is not a fun time, it’s stressful, it can be isolating, and it feels never-ending. Helix bar prep made it as positive as it could be. The Helix staff are clearly dedicated to supporting their students, the motivational emails helped put things in perspective, the coaching calls helped with the isolation and overwhelm, and the graded feedback helped focus my studying. I’m so glad I chose Helix; it was still a rough time, but it was as good as it could have been."

Madeline Williams
University of Colorado Law School
Passed the UBE

Helix's bar prep gave me the tools to succeed on the California Bar Exam on my first try thanks to its personalized feedback, carefully paced study schedule, and enjoyable games to reinforce what I learned. I could not have succeeded without Helix."

Christopher Crawford, Esq.
University of San Diego School of Law
Passed the California Bar Exam

The transparent and fair pricing was just the start of my positive experience with Helix ...The Helix program prepared me for what to expect in the exam in regard to both strategy and content. I walked in and out of the exam feeling confident I had adequately prepared! … I really appreciate that Helix remains the same price and does not pressure students to lock in during their 1L and 2L year when they have no idea what they are going to need for bar prep!”

Miranda Rife
Capital University Law School
Passed the UBE

Helix was great for keeping me on track with my bar prep. I felt that it set a good pace that was customizable to my schedule and start date. There were plenty of practice questions and essays, which really helped me get comfortable with tackling the issues that I would face on the bar exam. I also liked the Game Center. Playing the games helped reinforce the information and definitions in a new and fun way."

Elisabeth DeLuc, Esq.
Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law
Passed the UBE

Ellen Torres, Esq., St. Thomas University College of Law, Class of 2021

Prior to using Helix Bar Review^®, I used multiple other commercial bar prep programs, but they were never a good fit for me. As someone with ADHD, I needed a program that would be better tailored to me. Helix breaks down the material into bite sized pieces with frequent little quizzes to re-affirm what you’re studying. After using Helix, I not only passed my Florida Bar Exam, but I surpassed the score I needed."

Ellen Torres, Esq.
St. Thomas University College of Law
Passed the Florida Bar Exam

Learn more about nonprofit AccessLex Institute^® and its research, policy, and student-focused initiatives.

Visit AccessLex.org

Our Story

Helix's bar prep gave me the tools to succeed on the California Bar Exam on my first try thanks to its personalized feedback, carefully paced study schedule, and enjoyable games to reinforce what I learned. I could not have succeeded without Helix."