Relying Solely on Study Aids or Outlines = Not Fit for Law? Forum

[scifiguy]

I have read that many people have gotten by in law school (sometimes even doing quite well) with studying outlines for some classes only and not reading the material.

Also, others seem to suggest that you can pick up a study aid that's some kind of professional tutor for law school readings (like Spark or Cliff Notes) and use those to explain (?) the readings to you.

I guess I'm kind of curious if doing this in a way that relies soley or primarily on them for your understanding and study of law would portend future struggles in the profession? Is it often a sign that the student is either not fit for law intellectually or not fit for it interest-wise (where they don't read, because they literally hate it or find it boring)?

How do students expect to read and understand the law later in biglaw, small law...etc. if aren't doing it in law school? Are there Spark NOtes or Cliff Notes for the working lawyers to use? Or is the work just different from that of law school?

[mephistopheles]

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[guano]

I have read that many people have gotten by in law school (sometimes even doing quite well) with studying outlines for classes only and not reading the material.

Also, others seem to suggest that you can pick up a study aid that's some kind of professional tool for law school readings (like Spark or Cliff Notes) and use those to explain (?) the readings to you.

I guess I'm kind of curious if doing this in a way that relies soley or primarily on them for your understanding and study of law would portend future struggles in the profession? Is it often a sign that the student is either not fit for law intellectually or not fit for it interest-wise (where they don't read, because they literally hate it or find it boring)?

How do students expect to read and understand the law later in biglaw, small law...etc. if aren't doing it in law school? Are there Spark NOtes or Cliff Notes for the working lawyers to use? Or is the work just different from that of law school?

it's a double-sided answer. Yes, it's possible to get by solely on supplements. Hell, sometimes you can't figure out what's going on in a case without them. You should probably still read cases to learn how to extract the valuable information, or to at least pinpoint the relevant texts.

Professionally, there are plenty of aids, like westlaw key notes, that'll tell you the key issues of a case without having to read it, which'll allow you to review a lot more cases, but, you'll still need to read it to get the detail, or to pull a good quotation, or to have a good understanding of the matter.

[scifiguy]

I have read that many people have gotten by in law school (sometimes even doing quite well) with studying outlines for classes only and not reading the material.

Also, others seem to suggest that you can pick up a study aid that's some kind of professional tool for law school readings (like Spark or Cliff Notes) and use those to explain (?) the readings to you.

I guess I'm kind of curious if doing this in a way that relies soley or primarily on them for your understanding and study of law would portend future struggles in the profession? Is it often a sign that the student is either not fit for law intellectually or not fit for it interest-wise (where they don't read, because they literally hate it or find it boring)?

How do students expect to read and understand the law later in biglaw, small law...etc. if aren't doing it in law school? Are there Spark NOtes or Cliff Notes for the working lawyers to use? Or is the work just different from that of law school?

it's a double-sided answer. Yes, it's possible to get by solely on supplements. Hell, sometimes you can't figure out what's going on in a case without them. You should probably still read cases to learn how to extract the valuable information, or to at least pinpoint the relevant texts.

Professionally, there are plenty of aids, like westlaw key notes, that'll tell you the key issues of a case without having to read it, which'll allow you to review a lot more cases, but, you'll still need to read it to get the detail, or to pull a good quotation, or to have a good understanding of the matter.

very interesting. And thanks.

How often would you say that people come across cases that are unable to understand without the help of a study aid?

[guano]

How often would you say that people come across cases that are unable to understand without the help of a study aid?

depends on how talented they are and how dense the material.
Torts is fairly straightforward most of the time, while Civ Pro can be a bitch.

Thing is, it's not even a matter of being able to understand the cases, sometimes it's just not worth it. It's important to learn how to read a case and figure out what's going on, but, when you're assigned a 20 page case to read that actually involves a very simple issue, it's just better use of your time to read an online brief. When it comes to outlining, it's good to create your own, but it helps to have another outline for guidance.

Also don't forget that everyone learns differently so a winning strategy for one student can be a losing strategy for another. You'll figure out what works best for you, probably by the time you finish the second semester.

[Aawaldrop]

Are we pre-judging people who barely do any reading and will getting better grades than you scifiguy?

[kalvano]

Law school has very little to do with the actual practice of law.

[ndirish2010]

This guy is seriously trying to set a record for the most pointless threads and dumbest thread titles.

[Tom Joad]

All the opinions in your casebook are edited to be shorter anyway. It's not like you sit there and read entire cases for class.

[scifiguy]

What % of law students would you say rely soley on thewse study aids? Or use them at all?

[scifiguy]

I have read that many people have gotten by in law school (sometimes even doing quite well) with studying outlines for classes only and not reading the material.

Also, others seem to suggest that you can pick up a study aid that's some kind of professional tool for law school readings (like Spark or Cliff Notes) and use those to explain (?) the readings to you.

I guess I'm kind of curious if doing this in a way that relies soley or primarily on them for your understanding and study of law would portend future struggles in the profession? Is it often a sign that the student is either not fit for law intellectually or not fit for it interest-wise (where they don't read, because they literally hate it or find it boring)?

How do students expect to read and understand the law later in biglaw, small law...etc. if aren't doing it in law school? Are there Spark NOtes or Cliff Notes for the working lawyers to use? Or is the work just different from that of law school?

it's a double-sided answer. Yes, it's possible to get by solely on supplements. Hell, sometimes you can't figure out what's going on in a case without them. You should probably still read cases to learn how to extract the valuable information, or to at least pinpoint the relevant texts.

Professionally, there are plenty of aids, like westlaw key notes, that'll tell you the key issues of a case without having to read it, which'll allow you to review a lot more cases, but, you'll still need to read it to get the detail, or to pull a good quotation, or to have a good understanding of the matter.

In the actual practice of law, can you literally get by in the same way using those professional study notes/aids?

Or do you ultimately have to look at least a little bit at the actual case for looking stuff up?

[A. Nony Mouse]

I have read that many people have gotten by in law school (sometimes even doing quite well) with studying outlines for classes only and not reading the material.

Also, others seem to suggest that you can pick up a study aid that's some kind of professional tool for law school readings (like Spark or Cliff Notes) and use those to explain (?) the readings to you.

I guess I'm kind of curious if doing this in a way that relies soley or primarily on them for your understanding and study of law would portend future struggles in the profession? Is it often a sign that the student is either not fit for law intellectually or not fit for it interest-wise (where they don't read, because they literally hate it or find it boring)?

How do students expect to read and understand the law later in biglaw, small law...etc. if aren't doing it in law school? Are there Spark NOtes or Cliff Notes for the working lawyers to use? Or is the work just different from that of law school?

it's a double-sided answer. Yes, it's possible to get by solely on supplements. Hell, sometimes you can't figure out what's going on in a case without them. You should probably still read cases to learn how to extract the valuable information, or to at least pinpoint the relevant texts.

Professionally, there are plenty of aids, like westlaw key notes, that'll tell you the key issues of a case without having to read it, which'll allow you to review a lot more cases, but, you'll still need to read it to get the detail, or to pull a good quotation, or to have a good understanding of the matter.

In the actual practice of law, can you literally get by in the same way using those professional study notes/aids?

Or do you ultimately have to look at least a little bit at the actual case for looking stuff up?

Professionally, there are plenty of aids, like westlaw key notes, that'll tell you the key issues of a case without having to read it, which'll allow you to review a lot more cases, but, you'll still need to read it to get the detail, or to pull a good quotation, or to have a good understanding of the matter.

[Xifeng]

In the actual practice of law, can you literally get by in the same way using those professional study notes/aids?

Or do you ultimately have to look at least a little bit at the actual case for looking stuff up?

Nah bro, your five-color highlighter system you perfect during 1L is going to come in real handy at a firm. Just let the study aids bros cook and soon you'll be partner.

[mindarmed]

In the actual practice of law, can you literally get by in the same way using those professional study notes/aids?

Or do you ultimately have to look at least a little bit at the actual case for looking stuff up?

Nah bro, your five-color highlighter system you perfect during 1L is going to come in real handy at a firm. Just let the study aids bros cook and soon you'll be partner.

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