Ernest Phillips - Thomas Cooley Law School, Lansing, MI

Professor: Ernest Phillips

Department: Law

College: Thomas Cooley Law School, Lansing, MI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: TORTII
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

His final was outrageous- essay was 5 pages of everything wrong that can possibly happen. VERY easy grader. Does socratic method. He had a couple days were he would actually be a good professor, I wouldn't say run away because you can still get an A, but invest in a SBA outline and don't stop briefing! And don't get up during class.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: TORTS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This is the type of professor who will blatently state that if he doesn't teach you a thing, then he has found himself to be successful. He never agrees with the courts rationale; follow the rule, not his opinion. His final was off the charts and very difficult. He is entertaining and interesting though.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: TORTS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Most of the time I didnt understand a sentence that Phillips said. I HIGHLY recommend getting a supplement bc youre going to have to teach torts to yourself. He answers questions with questions, dont bother, he will just confuse you more. He also runs like an olympian out of class so you cant ask him anything on the last day of class. Nice guy tho.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: TORTSI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Dude is ridiculous; I was never lazy/absent but this guy is GOD-AWFUL at preparing students for the exam. TEACH YOURSELF! I think knowing what to expect is fair & he is useless at that. Nice guy and obviously a brilliant lawyer but awful at teaching; rambles & goes TOO deep into the abstract. Might be ok for 3L, but not 1Ls. Final was a nightmare.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: TRT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Taught negligence out of order which is very confusing since it is much more abstract than intentional torts. Make sure you are clear about everything on the syllabus. Structure the course on your own because he won't provide much structure at all. Final exam was extremely difficult for a teacher who never had a clear or definite answer for anything.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: TORTS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is hilarious. The props he brings in are entertaining and give you a visual of what he is talking about. You will need to teach yourself the elements for each area but they are in the book so its not hard to do. Many people dont like his scattered nature but I thought it kept the class interesting. PS Dont get up and leave early, he will freak!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: TORTS105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prof. Phillips is extremely entertaining. He makes you think instead of just reading power point slides. Many people do not appreciate his method of teaching, but this is because they want to be taught as first graders. Great Professor! I enjoyed his class although Torts was not my favorite subject.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: TORTS000
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's a fixture at Cooley, brilliant, but hard for the younger students to understand his method. Socratic all the way. More interested in theory, will answer a question with a question, makes you think. Loves his subject.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: TORTSI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Read the book...KNOW NEGLIGENCE...don't rely on him to do a great job in class...be ready for the dried banana peel and laugh your arse off at how fast he bolts out of that door on the last day of class to evade any questioning about the 14 weeks of material that you paid for but never learned about!!!!!!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: TORT1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Ernie is very entertaining in class, sometimes he tends to jump from one topic to the next so it's really hard to pay attention (drink lots of coffee) just took the final and it was brutal the essays were all negligence, but most of the MC was Intentional Torts; pay close attention to the book!!!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: TORTSI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very pleasant, entertaining, knowledgeable guy, however, not very helpful to students. Doesn't use any slides, TA's, or writing on the board. Always behind schedule. Skips lessons.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: TORTSI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

It is NEVER a good idea to cram in law school... I ended up with a B in his class, the final was not meant to be easy but negligence was clear to me because I didn't rely on him to teach me--- this man will not teach you! he is nice, but don't wait until the last minute to do your work and UNDERSTAND the law and you will make it through!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: TORTSI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Be prepared to cram before finals, because if you want to pass you are going to have to do a ton of work on your own! Entartaining fella, but not much of a teacher imo. If you don't know what negligence is going in, chances are you still won't when you leave his class so do yourself a favor and buy supplements. P.S. Final is nearly impossible!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: TORTS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I laughed when I read the "Watch how fast he runs out of class during the Week 14 review." another student posted because he totally did run out right after. I barely understood anything thanks to him. Get supplements. His exam was horrible even though I thought I knew Torts in & out before taking it. Good luck if you have him. You will need it.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: TORTSI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This man will not teach you a D--- thing about tort law... HE IS A NICE GUY, but be prepared to teach yourself, that's the best lesson you will learn in his course-- how to teach yourself!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: TORTS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I did fine in his class. He explains everything sufficiently and he'll meet with you if you want extra clarity. Very good professor, makes learning fun! DEFINATELY TAKE HIM!!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: TORTS001
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I promised myself not to be too tough on him, for a good fella' he is, but I can't! He's exceptionally disorganized in his teaching, jumps from 1 topic to another back & forth, 0 clarity. What's worse is that he misleads u into believing that his "quiz" will be a fair game, but in reality it's confusing and challenging - u don't know wtf he wants!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: TORTS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This prof will confuse you more than anything in your life. He will teach things in reverse order. I got A-. I had no idea what I did in his class. One of his exam question was jury instruction. I dont see that has something to do with Torts. My IQ dropped to 90 from 100 after I took his class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: TORTSI
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is really funny in class, and keeps you interested, but he's not all that clear about some topics. His final is ALL about negligence so know it inside and out. Use study aids to try to figure stuff out, but he's willing to answer your questions if you ask him one on one-- in class he's a bit of a mystery/puzzle that you have to figure out.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: TORTS1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Phillips is a nice man but can be "clear as mud" on some topics--I'm not sure he knows the difference between Causation in Fact and Proximate Cause. If you get a good supplement and brief your cases you will be fine.