Some Exam-Taking Advice from Professor Kircher

[Editor’s note:  In this post, Professor John J. Kircher provides the first installment in our new series, “What are your best exam-taking tips for law students?”]

To begin with, always be careful to understand the “call” of the question. That is, what is the professor asking you to do? If he or she casts you in the role of the defense counsel and asks you to evaluate that side, don’t waste your time explaining what a great case the plaintiff has under the circumstances provided!

Also, if the question is jurisdiction-specific (e.g., Wisconsin), don’t waste your time and effort explaining the law of all other jurisdictions.

Finally, if you are uncertain about the answer to a particular question, go on to the other exam questions.  It is better to have one unanswered question than to spin your wheels and waste time trying to figure out its answer only to have inadequate time to properly answer the remaining questions.

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Advice on Appeals from Howard Eisenberg

Just like the prospect of being hanged in the morning, there’s nothing like having fourteen people over to Thanksgiving dinner to concentrate the mind.  In my case, it’s also the galvanizing principle to buckle down and clean house.

This year, the task was truly daunting — the family room had become nearly impassible, swamped by pile after pile of paper and other detritus related to serial family emergencies and funerals of the past few years.  And let’s face it, if the laws of physics dictate a that an object in motion tends to remain in motion, the rules of law and gravity at my house dictate that clutter tends to remain in place, and magnetically attracts more of the same.  Exponentially.

Still, the pool table and foosball tables weren’t going to excavate themselves for company, and so I parked the puppy in “doggie day-care” and rolled up my sleeves.  

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Thank You

The Thanksgiving Holiday brings about the annual reminder to take a moment to reflect and to say thank you. So, be sure to thank those around you!

First, thank you to the MULS community because without all of you I would not be where I am today. To my professors, thank you for challenging me even though there are days when I would prefer you did not! You all have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the law and for Marquette. Sometimes it goes unsaid but thank you for all that you do.

Second, thank you to my classmates. Although some I do not know, I will leave law school in a short while having made friends that I consider family. So, whether we were friends in class, competitors in moot court, or friends for life, thank you!

Third, thank you to the Milwaukee community. You all have provided endless opportunities in legal work, volunteer work, and fun! Thank you to all of the firms, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and others who employ MU law students. The experiences are priceless. I am happy to call Milwaukee home for many years to come!

Last, but definitely not least, thank you to my family. Without your patience, your support, and your love I would not be where I am today.

Thank you and Happy Holidays to everyone!

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