Icing on the cake

This is an entertaining book with good insights on taking law school exams (I particularly liked Fischl & Paul's hilarious debunking of that stupid old IRAC bromide that professors like to give to all those foolish 1Ls). But some Amazon reviewers seem to think that Getting To Maybe is some sort of magic cure-all. It ain't. Unless you have spent a year or two perfecting your writing and analytical skills through continual practice, merely perusing this book will do nothing for you come exam time. If, however, you are already well versed in basic lawyerly analysis, this book will give you an edge.


Here's what you need to do in order to score well on a law exam:

1. Extricate the key facts from a fact-dense problem. (Watch out for red herrings!)

2. Spot and specify all legal issues that arise from these key facts.

3. Intelligently apply all applicable legal rules to the issues.

4. Interweave key facts into elements of the applicable rules.

5. Insert appropriate policy discussions that support the rules. (Take notes and study up on each prof's particular hobby horse and demonstrate extensive familiarity with it on your essay exams.)

6. Integrate ALL of the above skills with succinct, first-draft legal writing skills within the allotted time (usually about 50 minutes per problem). Think fast, write fast--and do both well.

Getting To Maybe is particularly good at developing point number 5. It is somewhat spotty at most of the others. But what it does, it does very well indeed. And, as far as law-related books go, it's a fun and funny read. So, after you have mastered the basics of black-letter law and learned to think clearly and write well, what this book has to teach you will be yet another arrow in your quiver. Just don't think it's your entire arsenal.

Further recommendations: Pre-law and 1L students should read all the books in the Examples & Explanations series and carefully work through ALL the problems. The single most useful book on exam-taking is John Delaney's How To Do Your Best On Law School Exams, which you can purchase directly from Professor Delaney. And for heaven's sake, don't forget to take Wentworth Miller's LEEWS program early in your first semester.

Lastly--and it's sad to have to say this--learn some friggin' logic and some essay-writing skills before you even think of setting foot on campus. It's amazing and pathetic how few 1Ls can write clear, coherent, grammatical prose. Law school ain't the time to be taking Freshman Comp and Logic 101. Remember, the first year is crucial. Don't blow it.

Alright book

not all its hyped up to be helped a little go get a gilberts or an emanuels if you want to do well don't waste time on this

Great Book! Attend a seminar.

This is a fantastic book - can't say enough about it. Now, the authors are going to start giving seminars. The first is November 20 at NYLS. They have a website at www.cap-press.com/GTM/home.html.