You worked hard to get into law school. As you begin the notoriously difficult first — or 1L — year, you will need to continue to work hard. Here are some do’s and a don’t to help you maximize your efforts as you adjust to the demands of studying law.
Do be present: During college, you may have gotten away with skipping class and cramming for finals, but that approach won’t serve you well in law school.
Your professors are there to teach you much more than the black letter law. They are trying to teach you to think like a lawyer.
Class formats are often Socratic, meaning that professors engage in a dialogue to challenge students to rigorously analyze cases and defend positions. Your ability to persuasively articulate how you think is essential to practicing law.
[Learn what to expect as a first-year law student.]
Moreover, attending class will also help you identify the legal issues that your professors are likely to test on exams. Part of what makes law school competitive is that exams are typically graded blind — or with no names on them — and on a curve. That means you are being evaluated anonymously against your fellow classmates.
Do more than simply show up to class. Be mentally present.
Avoid distractions that may come with Wi-Fi in the classroom. Take notes on the discussion between your professor and classmates.
Do be prepared: For me, the biggest challenge of my 1L year at Harvard University was learning how to read. As an English major, I thought I understood how to analyze text. But case law requires a very different approach.
You will need to identify important facts, but don’t sweat the details. What’s most important about each case are the legal issues at stake, the rule of law the court used to resolve the issues and the rational e the court used to arrive at its ruling.
[Learn how to read and write like a law school student.]
Professors like to assign landmark cases, which means you will likely see the rules of law evolve from case to case. Be mindful of policy considerations that may have influenced such changes.
One way to prepare for class is to write case briefs that quickly outline the essential information: issues, rules, rational, holding. As you become more comfortable reading case law, you may be able to jot marginal notes in the textbook itself to signpost where to locate this information instead.
This preparatory work will not only help you during class discussion, but your case briefs and class notes will serve as the foundation of the outlines you will need to study for exams.
Do be proactive: Visit professors during office hours. You are learning the new language of law — practice speaking with someone fluent.
Your professors are excellent resources, particularly if you do not understand how a court arrived at a decision or a particularly difficult legal concept, such as the rule against perpetuities.
Your classmates are also important to surviving your 1L year. Set the tone of camaraderie among your peers.
Continue discussions outside the classroom. Consider forming a study group, but don’t feel pressured to join one if you study better on your own.
[Get these three tips for success in law school. ]
Hornbooks — which distill and explain legal concepts by topic — can supplement your casebooks, which present legal concepts through judge’s opinions on cases they adjudicate. While hornbooks present information in a more straightforward manner, they will also contain nuances your professor doesn’t care about. My suggestion is to use hornbooks to clarify a topic that continues to baffle you, rather than read them cover to cover.
Commercial outlines are also available, but I strongly recommend creating your own outlines. M aking your own outline is itself studying.
Don’t procrastinate: Your 1L year can be overwhelming. As you juggle a challenging course load with extracurricular activities and a new social life, it is easy to fall behind.
To stay on track, create a routine. Set aside time each day to read case law, review class notes, and update your outlines. Given the sheer volume of information you’ll be responsible for knowing at the end of the semester, work on your outlines diligently.
But don’t forget to allow yourself time to have fun, relax, and restore. Even though the 1L year is challenging, aspire to enjoy the experience.
Still nervous about starting your 1L year? You can reach me at lawadmissionslowdown@usnews.com.
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How to Prepare for First-Year Law School Classes originally appeared on usnews.com
