WINNIN’ TIME! reflects the meticulous effort put in by Professor Harris to get the rules and the essay writing process to the most efficient and streamlined degree possible.
I must have read through Section I “How to Use this Book” 5-6 times. I thought there was so much valuable insight about the exam in this section. Even though I eventually took detailed notes, I would still go back and reread from the source just to keep all of the advice fresh in my head. I heavily credit my passing with engaging with this section to a high degree.
Professor Harris’ essay philosophy was so key for me doing well on the exam. My essay organization definitely got sloppy over the course of law school. Professor Harris’ method helped whip me back into shape. His philosophy revolves around time management, maximizing points, and good organization which really is the name of the game. I meticulously followed Professor Harris’ essay writing organization regarding clear headings and efficient rule statements for a potential “stoplight grader.” Spoon-feeding your writing to the graders is so smart. Why make them work to understand what you’re trying to say? In that gray area where you maybe fudged the rule a little, or your analysis is just a little weak, I think it makes a lot of sense to present it in such a clear and concise fashion that you actively encourage the grader to want to give you the points.
Indeed, it’s critical that you practice his extremely refined and formulaic approach because it helps you move forward even when you panic on the exam.
In Section II, look for areas where Professor Harris has done the heavy lifting for you and trust in the work he’s put in. Don’t reinvent the wheel. WINNIN’ TIME! becomes more effective the more that you trust in Professor Harris’ method and recommendations. At the beginning I tried to personalize my rule statements or get them to be even more efficient, and eventually I just had to give up! I just couldn’t beat him at his own game. Studying for the bar is a time crunch, and I trusted the method and just memorized what he came up with and it worked great. Honestly, there were times where I was struggling to understand a concept in MBE and I would reference Professor Harris’ book to get a clearer understanding. (Worked great for Evidence!)
Other specific examples of very helpful sections include the intro paragraph blurb for Community Property that you need to drop at the beginning of every essay, or the Evidence Boilerplate. These really helped crack open these topics for me. Professor Harris also gives extremely important advice about Remedies. Don’t be someone who fails to write the basis for a remedy and fails the exam!!!
Lastly, Professor Harris’ writing style is very personable and encouraging. It’s really comforting at a high-stress time like studying for the Bar. You can really tell that when he wrote the book, he was so personally invested in the success of every individual who would ever touch it because that compassion positively oozes off of the page. I also appreciate that he provides very practical advice regarding study plans for a variety of different lifestyles of students. – UC Law SF alum, Esq., passed the July 2024 California Bar Examination