Don't Just Practice the Law, Practice the Exam
One of the most overlooked aspects of bar preparation is learning how to take the exam in the format in which it will actually be administered. Many students spend hundreds of hours learning substantive law and completing practice questions, but very little time becoming comfortable with the testing environment itself. Yet familiarity with the testing platform and testing procedures can reduce anxiety, prevent avoidable mistakes, and improve efficiency on exam day. The specif
Tommy Sangchompuphen
3 hours ago3 min read
SGA the "Free Throw Merchant" and the U.C.C. Merchant Trap
The NBA Western Conference Finals have delivered plenty of drama. After San Antonio's convincing Game 6 victory over Oklahoma City last night, the series is headed to a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday. One of the biggest storylines continues to be Oklahoma City star and two-time reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has once again found himself at the center of the "free throw merchant" debate. If you've spent any time on NBA social media, you've probably heard the
Tommy Sangchompuphen
3 days ago3 min read
What Spelling Bee Kids Can Teach Future Lawyers
I have always had an appreciation for spelling bees. Part of that comes from personal experience. Years ago, I competed in a spelling bee, and my run ended on the word pneumatography. I can still remember standing there on stage trying to work through the spelling and realizing that I had missed it as I was still saying the letters. And at that moment, my spelling bee journey ended. Picture of me during a middle school spelling bee competition in 1987 (The Dallas Morning News
Tommy Sangchompuphen
6 days ago5 min read
ABA Student Lawyer: "May the Fourth Be With You: What Star Wars Teaches Us About Passing the Bar Exam"
From ABA Law Student Division's Student Lawyer, April 24, 2026: Every year on May 4, fans celebrate Star Wars Day with the familiar phrase, “May the Fourth be with You.” For me, this is more than just a clever pun. I have been a long-time Star Wars fan, and I have found ways to bring that enthusiasm into my teaching. Across the prequels, originals, sequels, and standalone films, Star Wars offers a series of lessons that translate surprisingly well to bar preparation. Each qu
Tommy Sangchompuphen
May 41 min read
Take the Training Wheels Off: Stop Labeling IRAC on the Bar Exam
If you’ve taken one of my classes, you might have seen this comment on your essays: You did a good job of following IRAC, but it's recommended that you don't label the components of each IRAC section. That advice tends to catch students off guard. After all, IRAC is what you’ve been taught from the beginning. So why stop labeling it now? Because at this stage, labeling IRAC does more harm than good. Years ago, I heard a bar exam grader describe a labeled IRAC response like th
Tommy Sangchompuphen
Apr 302 min read