The Law Library is open to law students for 105 hours each week!
| Monday | 6:00 am - 12:00 am |
| Tuesday | 6:00 am - 12:00 am |
| Wednesday | 6:00 am - 12:00 am |
| Thursday | 6:00 am - 12:00 am |
| Friday | 6:00 am - 8:00 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am - 7:00 pm |
| Sunday | 2:00 pm - 12:00 am |
The Law Library is a controlled access space. Law students can use their tap cards to access the Law Library during posted hours using the exterior elevator located in the Lobby to the far right of the Library Building Foyer. The Law Library is also accessible from within the University Library. Keep in mind that the two Libraries operate on different schedules.
Each student should tap their keycard on the card reader. Never allow others to "tailgate" into either RU Library.
If your tap card doesn't work, contact the Law Public Services Desk or use the "doorbell" outside the University Library's entrance.
Legal Rules for Law Students by
Every law school course discusses foundational legal rules, but learning the rules is left up to the students. Students must determine their own approaches to encoding, storing, and retrieving these rules for real-time analysis and application. Legal Rules for Law Students provides guidance for students honing this essential skill. The book focuses on organizing rules into components, synthesizing information, and quickly applying it. The tools are designed to help students master their process and use it on the bar exam.
A Short and Happy Guide to Being a Lawyer by
A Short and Happy Guide to Being a Lawyer is a concise and entertaining tour of some basic lawyering skills for law students and new lawyers. The authors - two experienced law professors - use humor and apt quotes to introduce (or refresh) readers in many of the basic competencies that lawyers need to acquire. This short guide offers insights into interviewing, counselling, legal writing, trial preparation, trial skills and other stuff with some "Advice for All Seasons" - all designed to help young lawyers approach the many challenges and rewards of being a lawyer. Some of this is dry stuff. This guide will lighten the load with bad jokes, spiffy quotes, and existential musings. The guide doesn't cover everything a new lawyer needs to know, but it covers a lot.
Expert Learning for Law Students by
The third edition of Expert Learning for Law Students is a reorganization and rethinking of this highly regarded law school success text. It retains the core insights and lessons from prior editions while updating the materials to reflect recent insights such as mindset theory, attribution theory, chunking for use, and interleaving learning. The text includes exercises and step-by-step guides to engage readers in the process of becoming expert learners--including specific strategies for succeeding in law school.
The ABCs of Law School by
Spoiler Alert: Law school can be overwhelming and stressful. The good news? You're not alone. The ABCs of Law School: Diary of a First Year Student shares all of the inside tips and tricks you need to survive and thrive, direct from someone who has been there, done that, and succeeded. The ABCs of Law School: Diary of a First Year Student is the newest book by bestselling, award-winning author, Teresa Power, JD. It offers access into the inner workings of law school, as told by an actual student. This easy to read guidebook provides a concise overview of the major core topics covered, as well as strategies on how to prepare for class, study for exams, and manage stress. Perfect for anyone considering, starting, or in law school! Book jacket.
Critical Reading for Success in Law School and Beyond (with Video) by
New book purchase includes complimentary digital access to the eBook and digital resources.Reading cases and statutes is challenging for students and attorneys. However, everybody can learn critical reading strategies and become effective legal readers and advocates. Critical Reading for Success in Law School and Beyond identifies the reading strategies used by expert legal readers and presents the strategies in a systematic sequence. Critical Reading is written in an easy to read style with lots of examples. Readers will learn:the purpose for reading cases,how to read with focus,case structure and important civil and criminal procedure terms,techniques for understanding complex text,strategies for identifying the parts of a case,how to brief a case,legal analysis skills such as analogical reasoning and case synthesis, andstrategies for reading statutes.The second edition adds chapters that address reading on screens and techniques for reading bar prep materials. The second edition also has a seventeen part video series with PowerPoint slides. Each video introduces a reading strategy, provides helpful tips, includes a short student exercise, and gives students the opportunity to self-assess their proficiency.Critical Reading can be used in law school pre-orientation and orientation programs, academic success courses, bar prep courses, and legal writing and doctrinal classes. It is also useful for legal readers who want to improve their reading efficiency and effectiveness.
Think Like a Lawyer by 
Nine Steps to Law School Success by
Nine Steps to Law School Success is the first scientifically proven study process for success in law school. Synthesized from the study processes of other successful law students, this book provides a straightforward, linear, and chronological study process for students to follow from the beginning of the semester up to their final examination. Students will learn how to complete each step, how each step leads to a deep understanding of course material, and how each step ultimately leads to success in their courses. Students will also learn how to incorporate Nine Steps into their weekly schedules during the semester. This book is not soaked in academic opinion or war stories of hardened practitioners. Instead, it is the purest form of the collective successful study process as articulated straight from the mouths of other successful law students. Since Nine Steps is the result of a qualitative phenomenological study, it also serves as a template for anyone interested in conducting their own qualitative research in legal education and beyond.
The Gunner's Guide to Law School/by Marc A. Silverman by
This study aid explains that success in law school does not require any special skill or genius. It demonstrates that if students can apply the basic techniques described in this book, they can be in the top 10% of their class. This comprehensive guide provides reliable frameworks (backed by cognitive neuroscience) to navigate everything from the first day of law school to the first year of practicing law. It offers frameworks for handling reading assignments, classes, taking exams, and getting on law review--all the way through succeeding as an associate in a law firm.
Succeeding in Law School by
In the third edition of Succeeding in Law School, Professor Ramy continues his mission of demystifying the law school experience. In addition to essential chapters on topics like course outlining, legal writing, and exam preparation, this edition includes multiple new exercises so that students can self-assess in order to improve their analytical abilities. As the first year of law school comes to a close, students can then use chapters on interviewing techniques, creating a writing sample, and writing a résumé to help market themselves to prospective employers. Whether students are seeking advice in the summer months or are looking for help once the school year has begun, this book is an important tool for helping them get the most out of their abilities.
The Law Library now provides BriefCatch to the entire Regent University community!
This award-winning product, which is widely used by U.S. courts and law firms, is a bit like Grammarly for lawyers. Designed to help users improve legal writing skills, BriefCatch analyzes legal documents and leverages insights from leading legal minds to offer real-time editing suggestions, examples from top lawyers and judges, analytical draft scores, and detailed narrative reports.
Instructions for installing BriefCatch are available here.
Online and print study aids are practical resources that help students prepare for law school classes and exams. The Law Library subscribes to all three major study aid platforms (Aspen Learning Online, LexisNexis Digital Library, and West Academic), and to CALI, which provides over 1,200 interactive online lessons in over 40 legal subject areas. There are multiple links to the various platforms on the Law Library's website. You can locate print study aids using Primo, the Law Library's catalog and discovery tool. Our Study Aids research guide organizes both print and online resources for each law school course, including all first-year classes.
If you have questions about finding or using study aids reach out to Professor Magee!
| Study Aids |
The Law Library provides Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law access. Use is restricted to authorized law school users. New students will receive information about Westlaw and Lexis registration during Orientation and in LARW. Extensive training on both platforms is integrated into LARW.
For Bloomberg Law, all current law school students can register for an academic user account. (Use your law school email address.)
Be sure to look through the training tools, research guides, and other helpful resources on each site's Law School page. The links below are simply a starting point.
The Perfect Practice Exam by
The Perfect Practice Exam: The Skill of Legal Analysis is the ideal study tool because it provides maximum utility to the user. The PPE includes six different subjects in one book and provides nine questions for each subject. This is a total of 54 practice exams. Law students nationwide are usually required to take Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Real Property, and Torts. This book covers it all and eliminates the need for multiple practice-exam books. Students can also comfortably use The PPE throughout the semester because the book strategically pairs commonly tested topics and presents the topics in the order they often appear on the syllabus. Students do not need to wait until reading week to practice their exam-taking skills and can gradually improve their legal analysis. At the same time, this second edition includes new questions that are full-length exams with mixed topics to test the students' issue-spotting and legal analysis skills. These are specifically created for completion during reading week. But more importantly, The PPE provides concrete steps on how to improve legal analysis rather than briefly discussing an array of skills. The book includes legal-analysis templates that incorporate the three-step method of analysis, active-learning worksheets, and sample answers that use IRAC, headers, and paragraphs to mirror what students should strive to achieve on their exams. This second edition also added detailed exercises that require students to identify what facts triggered certain issues, to identify how to improve select legal analysis excerpts, and to deeply reflect on what specific actions they can take to improve their own legal analysis and writing. Legal analysis is one of the most important skills in the legal profession and only improves through ample practice. The PPE teaches students the skill, models the skill, and provides several essay questions for students to practice the skill. The PPE is a great resource because its focused learning objectives can help students reach mastery of legal analysis at a faster rate.
First-Year Law Students' Exam Success by
Taking the California First Year Law Students Exam (FYLSX)? The book is for you! This is your success companion to passing the FYLSX and getting on with law school! The FYLSX tests criminal law, torts, and contracts, in essay and multiple choice formats. You will find the rules for all three tested subjects (torts, contracts, and criminal law) along with practice essays in West Academic's Step-by-Step Guides to Torts, Contracts, and Criminal Law (sold separately). And, you will find practice multiple choice questions and detailed explanatory answers in the AdaptiBar® FYLSX course (sold separately). This book, along with the Step-by-Step Guides and Adaptibar, gives you everything you need to: 1) learn or review the law, 2) engage with high quality practice tests, and 3) find the motivation and inspiration to study, the strategies to overcome challenges, and the techniques to help you achieve your success goals.The FYLSX is one of the most difficult exams around and you need to do a lot in order to pass. The sooner you understand the rules of this game, the easier it will be. If you are in law school and getting ready to take California's First Year Law Students Exam (FYLSX), this book is written for you and to you. The FYLSX isn't just another test, and it is certain not a "baby" anything, though some call it "baby bar." This book will provide training tips to get you ready for success and push you to do your very best on this tough exam. This book will also help families, friends, spouses, and partners understand just how stressful and time consuming the FYLSX really is and do their part in helping you to pass.Wherever you are in the process, if you are facing your first FYLSX or if you have taken it before, make this your last FYLSX! You can do it. And, FYLSX Success will help get you there!
Getting to Maybe by
Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams has been the best-selling book on law exams since its original publication in 1999. It appears on summer reading lists at countless law schools, and professors often recommend it in first-year courses. What sets it apart from its competitors is its frank recognition that law exams test legal reasoning and that legal reasoning cannot be reduced to any simple "check the boxes" template. Yet law students give it high marks because it avoids abstruse lectures and instead offers a clear, readable, and often humorous guide to how lawyers and judges deploy legal reasoning in real-world disputes and how law professors test such disputes--and the reasoning required to resolve them--on law exams. It's therefore the best resource available for helping students successfully make the transition from undergraduate studies--where exams frequently call for "right answers"--to law school, where exams reward students for "getting to maybe" and mobilizing persuasive arguments on multiple sides of legal problems. Responding to reader feedback, the authors offer a much-anticipated second edition with new material focusing on exam preparation; drafting successful exam answers while avoiding common mistakes; and tackling multiple-choice questions.
Legal Rules for Law Students by
Every law school course discusses foundational legal rules, but learning the rules is left up to the students. Students must determine their own approaches to encoding, storing, and retrieving these rules for real-time analysis and application. Legal Rules for Law Students provides guidance for students honing this essential skill. The book focuses on organizing rules into components, synthesizing information, and quickly applying it. The tools are designed to help students master their process and use it on the bar exam.
Law School Exams by
Law School Exams: A Guide to Better Grades is the complete handbook for students seeking to improve their performance in law school. This book offers a concise and practical strategy that can be applied to almost any law school exam, regardless of topic or level. The new edition offers unique insights by reducing the exam format to a series of repeatable steps. It also teaches students how to "prepare for exams, instead of preparing for class," with proven time-management and outlining techniques. The main focus of the book is on law school exam success, but it also includes comprehensive guidance on reading, note-taking, use of supplements, and common mistakes made by law students. The latest edition adds guidance for in-person and online testing, and three new practice exams with model answers (on the topics of Torts, Property, and Contracts). Law School Exams: A Guide to Better Grades is an impactful resource for students who are beyond the first semester and struggling to improve their grades, as well as for brand new students who want to start strong in law school. Alex Schimel is a longtime professor, university administrator, and a leading subject-matter expert on law school academic success.
Law School Success in a Nutshell by
It answers questions students have as they begin their studies. What is a tort? Hornbook? Should I join a study group? It also explains and gives examples of the best methods for studying and for taking exams. It provides questions and model answers from actual law school exams. The Nutshell also provides information about the types of legal practice that are available to you when you graduate. And it describes the opportunities that will be available to you during your second and third years of law school, such as law journals, law clinics, internships, joint degree programs, and study abroad.
How to Write Law Exams by
Written for every law student who ever wondered how to get better grades in law school, How to Write Law Exams: IRAC Perfected provides students of all levels with a detailed, comprehensive, and practical guide to success on law school exams. What's more, How to Write Law Exams applies equally to all subject matters, making this text an ideal supplement for every law school course. Focuses on law school and bar exams rather than the kind of assignments seen in legal writing class. As such, the book helps students improve their grades in all of their substantive courses, not just in their first year legal writing class. Provides readers with a proven and easy-to-implement means of maximizing points on a law school exam. Rather than repeating vague generalities about grammar and style or providing simple bullet-point lists as other writing guides do, this text breaks the well-known IRAC method of legal writing into comprehensible segments and gives students the tools needed to master their law exams. Provides readers with detailed student-written examples of the IRAC method in action. Annotated with line-by-line critiques, these sample essays show readers exactly what can go wrong in a law school exam and how to fix those problems before they appear on a graded paper. Combining in-depth analysis, easy-to-understand writing, and innovative design features, How to Write Law Exams: IRAC Perfected is the answer to every law student's exam questions.
Starting off Right in Law School by
Law school is different from other graduate schools. Students will be confronted by an entirely new vocabulary and unique and demanding educational methods. This book is designed to give these students a head start, both by introducing them to the fundamentals of the legal process and by helping them acquire the study skills necessary for success. The first chapters introduce students to the stages of a lawsuit from the lawyer's initial contact with a client through the filing an appeal. The next chapters include cases that illustrate the different roles the trial court, jury, appellate court, and court of last resort play in a lawsuit, knowledge helpful in doctrinal courses, but crucial in legal writing assignments. The final chapters suggest how students can effectively read and analyze cases, outline, and apply what they have learned on exams and in legal writing assignments. The third edition includes an expanded chapter on note-taking and outlining and how legal writing and doctrinal course demand different approaches to each. More study questions are included with answers to be found in the appendix. This book is the perfect tool for pre-law students to read on their own or for law school orientation required reading.
Letter to a One l Friend by
Letter to a One L Friend teaches students how to rise to the top of their law school class. The book began as a letter the author wrote in his final year of law school to a good friend who was just starting. Weaving in anecdotes from his experience as a student, the author presents a simple, proven system for law students to excel. Many law students study during every waking moment just to stay in the middle of the pack. This is because law school requires a unique method of analysis that is completely different from anything students experience in college. Incoming One Ls assume that the hardest-working, smartest law students earn the highest grades. But what happens when 300 top students with similar LSATs and GPAs try to outwork and outsmart each other? Despite what many students expect, doing well is more about strategy than intelligence. Students who use the correct process excel, while students who use the wrong process don't--regardless of how smart they are. Having a clear strategy when students begin law school is almost as important as working hard once they get there. Letter to a One L Friend teaches students that strategy and empowers them to excel in law school. Click here to listen to the author discuss Letter to a One L Friend on the Lawyer 2 Lawyer podcast.
First-Year Law School Success by
Written for first year law students text explains how to read and brief cases, take notes, study, maintain balance and succeed.
McClurg's 1L of a Ride by
1L of a Ride provides a candid step-by-step roadmap to both academic and emotional success in law school's critical first year. Covered topics in this newly updated, revised, and expanded second edition include: top student fears, the first-year curriculum, effective class participation, types of law students and professors, case-briefing, note-taking, course-outlining, legal research and writing, exam preparation, essay and multiple-choice exam strategies, stress management, the impact of law school on outside relationships, special challenges faced by part-time and nontraditional students, and much more. Shows rather than tells with dozens of anecdotes and comments from real law students, as well as authentic samples of Socratic dialogue, exam questions, student case briefs, class notes, and course outlines. McClurg is an award-winning professor and noted legal humorist with experience teaching at several law schools.
The Foundations of American Law: A Companion to the 1L Year by
The main objective of this text is to introduce the reader to many of the background assumptions about American law and legal argument that inform how lawyers and judges read decisions and other legal documents, and how they think about legal problems. Lawyers presuppose and use these ideas and intellectual tools without discussing them, while law professors (and the materials they assign) often leave it to students to figure out the assumptions for themselves. The book discusses the relationship between logic and historical experience in the construction of the law, the ways pre-Revolutionary English common law shaped American law, and the 19th and early 20th century developments that led to contemporary American law. The reader will also come away with a clear sense of the ways in which lawyers use "lawtalk" (the characteristic ways lawyers imagine, analyze, and address problems) to make sense of events and issues that require legal attention or decision. While there are a number of books that introduce readers to American legal thought, none are as introductory, accessible, or broad-covering as The Foundations of American Law: A Companion to the 1L Year. This book is primarily intended for first year law students, but will also be interesting to people considering law school or those who are simply interested in how lawyers and judges think and make decisions.
First-Year Law Students' Exam Success by
Although geared towards the California First Year Law Students Exam (FYLSX), this book covers criminal law, torts, and contracts, in essay and multiple choice formats. You will find the rules for all three tested subjects (torts, contracts, and criminal law) along with practice essays in West Academic's Step-by-Step Guides to Torts, Contracts, and Criminal Law (sold separately). And, you will find practice multiple choice questions and detailed explanatory answers in the AdaptiBar® FYLSX course (sold separately). This book, along with the Step-by-Step Guides and Adaptibar, gives you everything you need to: 1) learn or review the law, 2) engage with high quality practice tests, and 3) find the motivation and inspiration to study, the strategies to overcome challenges, and the techniques to help you achieve your success goals.The FYLSX is one of the most difficult exams around and you need to do a lot in order to pass. The sooner you understand the rules of this game, the easier it will be. If you are in law school and getting ready to take California's First Year Law Students Exam (FYLSX), this book is written for you and to you. The FYLSX isn't just another test, and it is certain not a "baby" anything, though some call it "baby bar." This book will provide training tips to get you ready for success and push you to do your very best on this tough exam. This book will also help families, friends, spouses, and partners understand just how stressful and time consuming the FYLSX really is and do their part in helping you to pass.Wherever you are in the process, if you are facing your first FYLSX or if you have taken it before, make this your last FYLSX! You can do it. And, FYLSX Success will help get you there!
A Weekly Guide to Being a Model Law Student by
This book gives law students weekly checklists explaining the skills necessary to successfully navigate their first year of law school. Each chapter provides a checklist of things to do that week, such as briefing cases, going over notes, outlining classes, or doing practice questions. When a new concept is introduced, this book clearly explains the concept and its purpose and provides examples. Instead of merely providing advice, this book lays out a detailed plan for students to follow. It also includes a bank of over 100 short, medium, and long practice questions in six first year subjects.
The Law Library offers a variety of spaces to support both quiet study and collaborative learning.
The Quiet Side is set aside for quiet, individual study. Complete silence is strongly encouraged. Phone calls are not permitted, and devices must be muted. The Collaborative Side is designed for study groups. Quiet conversation is welcome, but please be mindful of others.
The Law Library Reading Balcony is one of the most popular spaces in the Law Library. Please note that noise levels on the Law Reading Balcony can vary, particularly when events are held in the Atrium.
Carrels are individual study desks designed to minimize distraction and provide privacy. The Law Library provides nearly 150 carrels that law students can reserve for the academic year. Most are lighted and equipped with power/USB outlets. Reserved carrels are located on the Quiet Side. New students receive information about Carrel Reservations during Orientation. Returning students can renew or modify existing Carrel Reservations near the end of the Fall semester.
The Law Library has both group study tables and smaller tables ideal for one or two students. Tables are scattered throughout. The large tables near the Virginia state materials are located on the Collaborative Side and are a popular place for small-group study.
The Law Library has a total of twelve individual and small group study rooms, as well as one study room reserved for larger groups (5-10 students), and a 15-seat conference room. Both individual and group study rooms can be checked out for 4 hours, with limited renewals. Visit the Law Public Services Desk for detailed information about study room use.
Happiness and Peak Performance in Law School by
Wouldn't it be amazing if you could enhance your happiness and cognitive firepower? If you could reduce your law school stress and expand your resilience, self-confidence, and overall joyfulness? What if your mind could be clearer, more focused, and flat-out better at learning, reading, outlining, memorizing, public speaking, exam-taking, decision-making, and various other law school competencies? If this interests you, then this book is for you.In this book, law students will learn a wide collection of easy-to-apply, science-based tools for drastically improving their emotional well-being, mental strength, and academic success. Law school can be overwhelming and demoralizing at times, but now law students can feel equipped and empowered to overcome the inevitable challenges of this intense environment. This book provides a roadmap for thriving mentally, emotionally, and cognitively in law school, in the practice of law, and in life.
The Best Lawyer You Can Be by
It's no secret that individual lawyers are under siege in a profession with a high incidence of stress, divorce, substance abuse, and suicide. In this groundbreaking multi-dimensional collection, you can find tools and information that enable you to have both a successful career and a happy, satisfied life. These tools will teach you how to harness the transformative power of being more relational and less transactional. The earmark of happy lawyers is the development of emotional intelligence, resilience, and mindfulness practice. The book provides the keys to the kingdom, what is essential to thrive in the competitive environment of lawyering. The material comes from recognized experts who provide step-by-step behavioral guidance of what you need to do. The material is easily accessible. Each chapter has a summary and conclusion. Follow the wisdom and it's guaranteed to change your life and career.
How to Be Sort of Happy in Law School by
Each year, over 40,000 new students enter America's law schools. Each new crop experiences startlingly high rates of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and dissatisfaction. Kathryne M. Young was one of those disgruntled law students. After finishing law school (and a PhD), she set out to learn more about the law school experience and how to improve it for future students. Young conducted one of the most ambitious studies of law students ever undertaken, charting the experiences of over 1000 law students from over 100 different law schools, along with hundreds of alumni, dropouts, law professors, and more. How to Be Sort of Happy in Law School is smart, compelling, and highly readable. Combining her own observations and experiences with the results of her study and the latest sociological research on law schools, Young offers a very different take from previous books about law school survival. Instead of assuming her readers should all aspire to law-review-and-big-firm notions of success, Young teaches students how to approach law school on their own terms: how to tune out the drumbeat of oppressive expectations and conventional wisdom to create a new breed of law school experience altogether. Young provides readers with practical tools for finding focus, happiness, and a sense of purpose while facing the seemingly endless onslaught of problems law school presents daily. This book is an indispensable companion for today's law students, prospective law students, and anyone who cares about making law students' lives better. Bursting with warmth, realism, and a touch of firebrand wit, How to Be Sort of Happy in Law School equips law students with much-needed wisdom for thriving during those three crucial years.
A Short and Happy Guide to Being a Lawyer by
A Short and Happy Guide to Being a Lawyer is a concise and entertaining tour of some basic lawyering skills for law students and new lawyers. The authors - two experienced law professors - use humor and apt quotes to introduce (or refresh) readers in many of the basic competencies that lawyers need to acquire. This short guide offers insights into interviewing, counselling, legal writing, trial preparation, trial skills and other stuff with some "Advice for All Seasons" - all designed to help young lawyers approach the many challenges and rewards of being a lawyer.Some of this is dry stuff. This guide will lighten the load with bad jokes, spiffy quotes, and existential musings. The guide doesn't cover everything a new lawyer needs to know, but it covers a lot.
Lawyering from the Inside Out by
Law is a varied, powerful, and highly rewarding profession. Studies show, however, that lawyers have higher rates of alcoholism, divorce, and even suicide than the general population. Stress creates these poor outcomes, including the stress of dealing with other people's problems all day, the stress of spending excessive amounts of time at work, and the stress of being disconnected to what is most meaningful in life. Through mindfulness and emotional intelligence training, lawyers can improve focus, get more work done in less time, improve their interpersonal skills, and seek and find work that will make their lives more meaningful. This book is designed to help law students and lawyers of all experience levels find a sustainable and meaningful life in the field of law. This book includes journaling and other interactive exercises that can help lawyers find peace, focus, meaning, and happiness over a lifetime of practicing law.
Essential Qualities of the Professional Lawyer by
Addresses a widely observed gap in legal education and professionalism materials on professional development in a practice-focused context.
Becoming a Lawyer by
Becoming a Lawyer: Discovering and Defining Your Professional Persona addresses a range of attitudes and behaviors required to succeed--and flourish--in the legal profession. The book covers foundations of a robust and sustainable professional persona (achieving competence, habits, intelligence, and leadership); self-management--professionalism from the inside (mindset and dispositions, time management and organization, and wellbeing); and relationships - professionalism with the outside (working with others, talent management, and effective communication). With greater intentionality, each of us can become better and happier professionals.This book is a perfect complement to law school efforts to comply with the American Bar Association's recent revision to Standard 303 requiring that law schools provide ample opportunities for students to develop their professional identity.
1L Success: Becoming a Lawyer by
Starting law school? Midway through 1L and trying to make sense of "legal-ease" and get a head start on what professors will want on exams? The book is for you! This is your 1L success companion.Law school is hard but so worth it. You will be earning a degree that opens doors for a lifetime. You will be earning a license that allows you to change lives and better the world.The book will help as you move along your success journey. This path is different from academic achievements in the past; law professors teach and test differently than in other academic settings. Law school is a place where you will learn to think more logically and problem solve within the guidelines of law and ethics. The better sense you have of what's really going on and how to maximize your own potential beginning in 1L, the better off you will be.Yes, you will be learning law, in subjects such as criminal law, torts, and contracts and many others. But in addition to learning rules of law, you want to learn rules of the game and skills that will make you a great lawyer. And, you want to be confident that you are on track. Your mindset and your approach are key.Take a moment now to think about what kind of a person you would want to hire if you had a legal problem today--if you got arrested or were sued and needed help. Now take another moment and ask what kind of lawyer you will be?1L Success: Becoming a Lawyer, a Professional Identity Formation Workbook takes you through the entire 1L year, providing solid and invaluable tips, along with reflections so that you can take a deeper look and find deeper meaning (and greater rewards!) from all the effort you are putting in.The book also talks about how to find the motivation and inspiration to study when you are not feeling it (and you won't every day). We'll look at proven strategies to overcome challenges and techniques to help you achieve your success goals.Wherever you are in the process, if you are thinking about applying to law school, are about to start, or are well into your first year, this book will help you be the best first year law student you can be --and enjoy the process along the way!The book is also a great gift for a friend or family member who is about to start or has started law school.
Roadmap by
The Roadmap process transforms the question of "what value do you bring?" into an opportunity to differentiate oneself from other students. You will not need to wait for a specific question about the value you bring beyond technical legal skills to help legal employers and clients. Instead, you will understand what skills legal employers and clients need and will be able to explain how your strongest skills can help them succeed. You will be prepared with your best stories to demonstrate persuasive evidence of your strongest skills. The book encourages you to use your time in law school to develop the competencies important to your future, and helps the reader form a conscious plan to demonstrate these self-development experiences.
Beyond One L by
Beyond One L: Stories About Finding Meaning and Making a Difference in Law is inspired by Scott Turow''s One L, the classic account of a first year law student''s experience at Harvard Law School. With an introduction by Turow, Beyond One L explores first, second, and third year experiences in the decades since One L was published. It then moves beyond law school to tell the stories of taking the bar, searching for judicial clerkships, practicing law, and leaving law practice to become a teacher or judge. Story authors include lawyer Gerry Spence; Above the Law editor David Lat; professors Ian Ayres, Stephen Carter, Deborah Waire Post, and Adrienne Wing; and judges Marilyn Skoglund, Donn Kessler, and Michael Zimmerman. The stories are about the moments in life that were game-changers--ones that changed the course of the authors'' careers or brought them extraordinary meaning. "I have always been a believer in the power of narrative and Beyond One L did not disappoint! I had a hard time putting this book down. I loved the way the authors framed their stories to illustrate how the first year of law school was instrumental in forming their personal or professional identities. I laughed at some of the stories, and cried at others. I was inspired by the "kaleidoscope of experiences" that were shared. I would highly recommend this book, particularly if you have gone to law school, are planning to go to law school, or just want to read a meaningful book." -- Christine Coughlin, Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research, Wake Forest University School of Law "Law students and lawyers all too quickly forget why they went to law school. Inside each attorney is some passion that does not involve billing hours. Beyond One L is a reminder to find that passion. From stories of questioning the Torah, to a federal judge''s journey through racial segregation, to a professor''s admission during his 1L year at HLS that "I''m not sure exactly where I''m lost...but I am", I was reminded of the real world of law. Law school can be funny, affirming and sometimes even enjoyable. The profession is a challenge, but clients are inspiring, the justice system valuable and law school provides lifelong advice like "never turn down free food," "do not sleep with that person." Regardless of where you are on your legal path- just considering law school or Buddhist monk-this collection of stories will bring a smile to your face and may just rekindle that passion."-- Judge Stephen Bough "What a wonderful way to gain perspective on law students, law school, and law practice! The stories in Beyond One L give great insight into the process of becoming a lawyer, starting even before the decision to apply to law school and continuing long beyond law school. Some authors give guidance: David Lat, the founding editor of Above the Law, offers three recommendations on what he would do differently as a law student, including "calm down" (easier to give than follow, he concedes), while Wanda Temm, author of Clearing the Last Hurdle, a best-selling bar prep book, provides practical advice on bar exam prep. Others explore how law school changed them, empowering them to speak and advocate. And others discuss how they have made their lives in the law. Reading each story reminds me of why I became a lawyer!"-- Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, George Washington University "Beyond One L reads like a novel. Whether you are thinking of going to law school or reliving decades-old experiences, the stories will captivate you. They capture the hopes, stresses, challenges and adjustments that indelibly mark those who make it through law school, and they do so with humor and insight. The volume salts the personal stories with useful tips on not just surviving the first year, but applying for clerkships, passing the bar, starting your own practice, entering the academy and following your dreams as a lawyer wherever they take you."-- June Carbone, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota
Get a Running Start by
The first of its kind, this book offers a global overview of the first-year curriculum in a single volume. In short, accessible lessons, Get a Running Start covers all the major concepts taught in each of the courses most commonly offered in the first year of law school: criminal law, torts, civil procedure, constitutional law, property, and contracts. (See also a companion volume, Stay Ahead of the Pack: Your Comprehensive Guide to the Upper Level Curriculum, which covers the most common 2L and 3L courses: administrative law, business associations, criminal procedure, evidence, personal income tax, and professional responsibility.) Each of the courses comprising this book is written by a specialist in the field who is a decorated teacher with years of experience in the classroom. In this volume, they have distilled that experience and expertise to produce the tool they wish they had when they first were thinking about and then actually began law school: a clear, concise introduction to the entire first-year curriculum. Get a Running Start is a valuable tool for first-year law students, giving them a running start on their law school careers and putting them in the best position to enter the profession. By reading through all the lessons for a course, first-year students will get a complete overview of each course early in the semester. As the semester goes forward, students can accelerate their learning and comprehension by reviewing individual lessons when preparing for class. As the semester comes to a close, the lessons in this book provide an invaluable framework for outlining and exam preparation. Get a Running Start is also the ideal introduction for undergraduate students. For formal pre-law or Introduction to American Law courses, this book will provide students with a comprehensive overview broken into concise, digestible chunks that are ideal for further development in lecture or discussion sections. Outside the classroom, Get a Running Start offers a stimulating introduction to fundamental legal concepts that will engage those who might be thinking about going to law school and citizens who simply want to know more about the law as a central feature of public life. Among the many features of this book readers will find useful and attractive are: An introductory chapter offering advice on how to structure a successful preparation and study process starting with the summer before law school and running straight through exams. Insiders' advice from successful law students and recent graduates on class preparation, course selection, career development, and managing the stress of law school. Short lessons that provide readers with an introduction to the major concepts for a day or week of law school classes in 10-15 minutes. Complete course coverage that will allow readers to get a global overview of a first-year law course in the span of an afternoon. Frequent use of examples and hypotheticals to illustrate major points in an available way. Short "Takeaway" summaries at the end of each lesson that highlight the main points and provide a quick reference or refresher. "Bonus" lessons offering quick primers on topics such as legal reasoning and statutory interpretation.
Swimming Lessons for Baby Sharks by
The go-to book for new lawyer success at leading firms and schools, Swimming Lessons for Baby Sharks contains critical advice new graduates need to thrive. Completely revised and updated, the Third Edition includes vital new information on navigating a hybrid work environment. The new edition also includes expanded guidance on networking, client service, business development, time and project management, and many other topics. The goal is simple: to help new lawyers start strong, because experience is the most effective way to learn. With an easily readable style, Swimming Lessons for Baby Sharks helps new lawyers finesse unwritten rules and stay afloat in a challenging profession. The book contains hundreds of tips with inside information from successful lawyers nationwide. Humorous, real-life examples illustrate the lessons along with checklists to provide comprehensive advice quickly. The book has been called a "game changer" and partners at firms nationwide recommend it for associates.