What I'd Do Differently in Law School (If I Did It Again)

TL;DR

Spend less time preparing for class, start taking practice exams earlier, learn how to write law school final exams, live closer to campus, and trust professors less.

Transcript

• Hindsight is of course 20/20. But now having practiced law for over 10 years, there is so much that I would have done differently in law school if I had known then what I know now. So here's a list of things I would've done differently if I had to do law school all over again. Please, learn from my mistakes. (plucky instrumental music) Okay, so w... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏛️ Preparation for class in law school should be minimal as class participation is generally not weighted heavily in grading.
• 👨‍🏫 Starting to take practice exams early in the semester is crucial for better grades in law school.
• 😫 Learning how to write law school exams is essential as it requires a unique skill set different from other fields.
• 😚 Living closer to campus can save time and energy, enabling more focused studying and reducing stress.
• 👨‍🏫 Relying too heavily on professors can hinder learning, as different professors have different ways of communicating legal concepts.
• 👮 Many subjects in law school seem complicated at first, but they are oversimplified when you begin practicing law.
• 👨‍🏫 Confusion in classroom discussions and contradictions from professors should not be a cause for concern, as settled law can always be found in commercial supplements or through personal research.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is spending excessive time preparing for class not recommended in law school?

Preparing for class in-depth is unnecessary as class participation counts for very little in law school, and professors create questions that cannot possibly be answered comprehensively. It is more efficient to partly rely on flipped-case methods and focus on preparing for final exams.

Q: Why is taking practice tests early essential for success in law school?

Taking practice tests early helps law students develop the unique skills required to write law school exams effectively. It allows them to adapt their writing style to the specific requirements of law school exams and results in better grades.

Q: Why is learning how to write law school final exams important?

Law school final exams differ significantly from exams in other fields, and most law schools do not teach students how to write them. Knowing how to structure and answer issue-spotting exams is critical to achieving high grades in law school.

Q: What are the benefits of living closer to campus during law school?

Living closer to campus saves time, reduces stress, and enables more focused studying. Commuting can be exhausting, prevent studying, and negatively impact overall performance in law school.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Spending excessive time preparing for class is unnecessary as class participation usually counts for very little in law school. Instead, focus on using class time to refine thinking and work on outlines.

• Starting to take practice exams early in the semester is crucial for better grades in law school as writing law school exams requires a unique skill set.

• Taking a course on how to write law school final exams earlier is recommended, as it is essential to learn how to spot issues and apply the law effectively.

• Living closer to campus can save time and energy, enabling more productive studying and reducing stress.

• Trust professors less and rely more on commercial supplements and personal research to grasp the black letter law accurately.