ProfessorTommy.Tips

California has officially adopted the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam, marking a major shift in how the state will license new attorneys. This decision comes at the end of what may become one of the most consequential weeks in the recent history of California’s bar exam. Over the span of just eight days, three major developments—each significant on its own—collectively signaled the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. While details about score portability under the NextG

Civil Procedure is full of concepts that sound alike but answer very different questions. That’s one reason the subject can feel so overwhelming. I regularly see two related mistakes on Civil Procedure essays. Sometimes students use the wrong terminology. Other times, they stop their analysis before it’s complete. The frustrating part is that both mistakes are entirely avoidable once you understand what each concept is actually asking. If you can separate joinder from subject

"Great kid, don't get cocky." — Han Solo, Star Wars: A New Hope It's one of the most memorable lines in Star Wars. Luke Skywalker has just helped Han Solo and others escape the Death Star. Moments later, he excitedly celebrates after shooting down a pursuing TIE fighter. Han Solo offers congratulations but also a reminder. Success is exciting. Success is motivating. But success can also create a false sense of security. That's a lesson every bar examinee should remember this

Bar examinees spend months learning how to think like lawyers. They memorize legal rules, practice hundreds of multiple-choice questions, write essays under timed conditions, and refine their analytical skills. Yet there is one part of exam preparation that almost no one discusses because it seems too ordinary to matter. Posture. It is easy to dismiss posture as something your parents or elementary school teachers reminded you about. But modern research in ergonomics, physiol

July 3 is National Compliment Your Mirror Day, a day that encourages us to practice positive affirmations. Looking in the mirror and reminding yourself, "I've prepared for this," "I can do hard things," or "I belong here," may seem a little awkward at first, but research suggests that positive affirmations can help reduce stress, improve confidence, boost motivation, and encourage more positive thinking. While affirmations are not a magic solution, they can be a helpful part

Yesterday, the United States Men's National Team advanced in the FIFA World Cup. But the victory came at a cost. Forward Folarin Balogun received a red card that many believed was undeserved. Fans questioned the decision. Commentators debated it. The U.S. coaching staff clearly disagreed with the referee's call. But none of that changed the outcome. Under FIFA's rules, the automatic one-match suspension resulting from the red card could not be appealed. Whether the referee go

When you think about preparing for the bar exam, what comes to mind? Probably things like memorizing blackletter law, completing thousands of multiple-choice questions, practicing essays and performance tests, and reviewing outlines until you can recite the elements of adverse possession or the hearsay exceptions from memory. All of those things are essential. But there's another part of bar exam preparation that almost nobody talks about. The chair. Yes, the chair. Over two

If you've followed sports headlines this week, you've probably seen the discussion surrounding Alyssa Thomas' foul on Caitlin Clark and the WNBA's subsequent one-game suspension. This post isn't about whether the officials got the call right, whether the suspension was appropriate, or who was at fault. I'll leave those debates to sports analysts. Instead, the play provides a timely opportunity to revisit one of the classic cases many first-year law students encounter in Torts

One of my former students recently asked a great question that I suspect many Legacy UBE examinees have been wondering: I know that Choice of Law is no longer tested on the Legacy UBE beginning with the July 2026 exam. Does that also mean Erie doctrine is gone? The NCBE outline lists Erie under Conflict of Laws, but [my bar review course] still teaches it in Civil Procedure. Should I keep studying it? My answer is an emphatic "YES." I would absolutely continue studying Erie d

If you've been watching the FIFA World Cup over the past couple of weeks, you've probably noticed something unusual: Mandatory hydration breaks. Traditionally, soccer (or football, depending on where you are) is a sport with very few interruptions. The clock keeps running, and players are expected to continue competing through long stretches of play. Yet FIFA recently decided that player health and performance justify stopping even the world's biggest sporting event so athlet