If I could do my first semester over again... Forum

[sarahs5]

oooh, thanks!

[bowandarrow20]

Yeah man. The author of PLS runs a website where 0L's run hypos and write model answers over the summer. I find the whole thing a tad ridiculous. I did like his recommendation of supplements, though. I'm pretty much a E&E guy though and through.

Anybody got a good recommendation for a property supplement I can read over break? I've got Glannon's for Civpro.

Where is this website? I'm curious to check it out haha.

[underdawg]

I definitely plan on getting commercial outlines or E&Es for my first year classes, but I'm not sure which ones to buy. Which ones do you recommend for each subject?

gunnerrrrrrrrr

[optimusbjork]

Mainly by doing online training sessions. If you ask me, it is a waste of time. You have to get a ton of points for any worthwhile prizes. I think people's time is worth more than that.

I'd love some people who do this religiously to chime in and let us know if they feel like the training sessions have actually helped their internet research methods.

*sheepishly raises hand*

Paul knows I'm a librarian, so I hope I don't come off as totally pathetic to all of you when I admit this, but...

I religiously collect Lexis points by doing tutorials and going to training sessions. There! I said it! I actually like our Lexis rep, though. And I have an unholy addiction to Starbucks, and that's where all of my Lexis points go.

The Lexis tutorials were incredibly valuable to me in doing research for my law review case note. I would also recommend the CALI tutorials as well. There are some tips and tricks I learned that actually came in handy. I think there's a Lexis tutorial about "cost-effective" research that may be useful for those of you who are working at firms this summer. I recommend that one for anyone trying to learn to navigate Lexis without driving up a huge Lexis bill at your firm.

[markakis]

Yeah man. The author of PLS runs a website where 0L's run hypos and write model answers over the summer. I find the whole thing a tad ridiculous. I did like his recommendation of supplements, though. I'm pretty much a E&E guy though and through.

Anybody got a good recommendation for a property supplement I can read over break? I've got Glannon's for Civpro.

Sorry, but what is this E&E of which you speak of and how can it be obtained?

[goldengirl11]

I wouldn't drop out...then work for 6 months in a firm and decide to go back (only this time on a full scholarship)!

[RTR10]

After 2nd semester I've learned 11 things...well I've narrowed it down to 11:

1 ) The subject matter is much tougher.
2 ) You don't have much time to recover from first semester finals.
3 ) I wish I would have done some sort of Property and Con Law prep before the semester started.
4 ) OCI takes up a LOT of time...almost a month of after class study time.
5 ) The semester seems MUCH shorter.
6 ) Personal things affect you way more than you think they do.
7 ) Second semester grades can erase everything good you did first semester, or can redeem you.
8 ) Briefs suck much more than memos, but BriefCheck is AWESOME
9 ) The bluebook is your friend, not your enemy.
10) You REALLY don't have the time to take a full spring break trip.
11) Grades do not determine your worth as a human being or your potential for being an amazing attorney.

After working at a firm, these are some things I've learned:
1 ) Everyone gets projects that they don't understand...even 6th year associates.
2 ) My writing has improved dramatically.
3 ) Everyone has the grades, so your confidence and ability to get along with people (and not make a total ass out of yourself) is key.
4 ) Once you have the initial SA position, it's yours to lose.
5 ) There are firms out there that pay you well, give you good work, but still allow a wonderful quality of life.
6 ) RAP really doesn't come up very much in real life.

[suite1718]

After 2nd semester I've learned 11 things...well I've narrowed it down to 11:

5 ) There are firms out there that pay you well, give you good work, but still allow a wonderful quality of life.

Do tell! What firms?

[Profit]

LOL, it's like everyone's ignoring the "what are the E&Es?" posts.

I'll try one more time...

Ahem...

Would anyone be so kind as to elighten some of us as to what in the world the E&E's are?

Thanks

[Alexandria]

Examples and Explanations. It's a series of books. amazon.com

[06072010]

bump, yw

[mikeymike]

I would log into Westlaw once per day and run some pointless search, just so I could have more than 150 of those reward points.

reward points?!

[mikeymike]

OOoooo. Awesome thread.

I wouldn't read the casebooks so hard.

I'd put away those 10 highlighters.

I'd stop sweating the exams so much.

I'd buy cruchtime / high court cases.

I'd read the E&E's before the semester, just as an overview.

I'd stay out of the library.

I'd play more soccer.

I'd steal more treats from the Westlaw / Lexis table.

Why would you stay out of the library? Treats from the W/L Table?!

[06072010]

reward points are points you earn doing westlaw / lexis stuff you can spend to buy CD's / Books / Flat-screen TV's / homeless people.

Why would you stay out of the library?

At my 1L school, I found the library tense near finals time. It's much chiller at U of M. Plus, the reading room is just p-i-m-p.

[mikeymike]

reward points are points you earn doing westlaw / lexis stuff you can spend to buy CD's / Books / Flat-screen TV's / homeless people.

What can you do to earn those points?

[mikeymike]

reward points are points you earn doing westlaw / lexis stuff you can spend to buy CD's / Books / Flat-screen TV's / homeless people.

Why would you stay out of the library?

At my 1L school, I found the library tense near finals time. It's much chiller at U of M. Plus, the reading room is just p-i-m-p.

You mean the U of M Law library?

[snotrocket]

After 2nd semester I've learned 11 things...well I've narrowed it down to 11:
2 ) You don't have much time to recover from first semester finals.
8 ) Briefs suck much more than memos, but BriefCheck is AWESOME
9 ) The bluebook is your friend, not your enemy.
10) You REALLY don't have the time to take a full spring break trip.

Just a minor point for those who still think after first semester that they'll want / have a shot at law review: over the break or early in second semester is a good time to read Volokh's Academic Legal Writing (just the part about law review write-ons -- half the book is about writing for publication, which you can ignore). He gives great advice on how to deal with the writing competition, which usually comes the week after spring finals. You won't have a chance to read anything at that point, or to do any of the things he suggests in order to not screw the pooch on the blue booking exercise. So if you want to do anything to get a grip on this whole other species of first-year ordeal, then you should try to do it before second semester ramps up.

[06072010]

over the break or early in second semester is a good time to read Volokh's Academic Legal Writing

TOTALLY TOTALLY CREDITED. This is an excellent book - read it all the way though.

[orangeswarm]

I bought it and never got around to reading. I've heard it is good though.

[06072010]

Sup, Paul?!

[silver11]

Which E&Es specifically do you suggest reading before 1L?

[uvalaw4l]

I would log into Westlaw once per day and run some pointless search, just so I could have more than 150 of those reward points.

If I could do my LAST semester over again, I WOULD F'ING REMEMBER TO CASH IN ALL OF THOSE WESTLAW POINTS THAT I EARNED DOING POINTLESS SEARCHES EVERY DAMN DAY OF 1L AND 2L YEAR.

For future reference, that carry-over account they let you have the summer after 3L year - you can't cash in during that period. Do it before you graduate.

[silver11]

I would log into Westlaw once per day and run some pointless search, just so I could have more than 150 of those reward points.

If I could do my LAST semester over again, I WOULD F'ING REMEMBER TO CASH IN ALL OF THOSE WESTLAW POINTS THAT I EARNED DOING POINTLESS SEARCHES EVERY DAMN DAY OF 1L AND 2L YEAR.

For future reference, that carry-over account they let you have the summer after 3L year - you can't cash in during that period. Do it before you graduate.

What are these points and how do you get them?

[uvalaw4l]

I would log into Westlaw once per day and run some pointless search, just so I could have more than 150 of those reward points.

If I could do my LAST semester over again, I WOULD F'ING REMEMBER TO CASH IN ALL OF THOSE WESTLAW POINTS THAT I EARNED DOING POINTLESS SEARCHES EVERY DAMN DAY OF 1L AND 2L YEAR.

For future reference, that carry-over account they let you have the summer after 3L year - you can't cash in during that period. Do it before you graduate.

What are these points and how do you get them?

Westlaw and Lexis are the two big online legal research companies. Pretty much all appellate cases, statutes, rules, legal articles and more are available through those sites, instead of searching by hand through books. Those companies are very expensive when you're out in the real world but they're free while you're a student, so you can practice and get used to them (with the hopes you'll continue to do so when you're a lawyer). Both companies offer various points for different things: doing a search is so many, attending tutorials, using various features, etc. All three years, you can keep adding points and cash them in for different items - from DVDs to camping gear to an XBOX360.

[mikeymike]

I would log into Westlaw once per day and run some pointless search, just so I could have more than 150 of those reward points.

If I could do my LAST semester over again, I WOULD F'ING REMEMBER TO CASH IN ALL OF THOSE WESTLAW POINTS THAT I EARNED DOING POINTLESS SEARCHES EVERY DAMN DAY OF 1L AND 2L YEAR.

For future reference, that carry-over account they let you have the summer after 3L year - you can't cash in during that period. Do it before you graduate.

What are these points and how do you get them?

Westlaw and Lexis are the two big online legal research companies. Pretty much all appellate cases, statutes, rules, legal articles and more are available through those sites, instead of searching by hand through books. Those companies are very expensive when you're out in the real world but they're free while you're a student, so you can practice and get used to them (with the hopes you'll continue to do so when you're a lawyer). Both companies offer various points for different things: doing a search is so many, attending tutorials, using various features, etc. All three years, you can keep adding points and cash them in for different items - from DVDs to camping gear to an XBOX360.

So if you keep using them you get more points? How many pts per hr LOL?