UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[Kohinoor]

I think some of the problem is that a lot of people are only willing to look at NYC, Cali, and DC.

I know UVA is a T10 and thus, at least in better times, placed in all the major markets. Is Cali Biglaw still viable from UVA?

It better be.

[RVP11]

I think some of the problem is that a lot of people are only willing to look at NYC, Cali, and DC.

I know UVA is a T10 and thus, at least in better times, placed in all the major markets. Is Cali Biglaw still viable from UVA?

In some ways more viable than DC BigLaw, if this year's OGI is anything to go on.

I don't buy the argument that ITE is making top schools more regional. It's just making them place a lot worse.

[vanwinkle]

I don't buy the argument that ITE is making top schools more regional. It's just making them place a lot worse.

I think it's actually making them less regional. I've heard from 2Ls that haven't been able to find jobs in the cities they want so they're starting to look elsewhere on the theory that work in the wrong city is better than no work. People who wanted DC BigLaw are now looking at Atlanta and Dallas and trying to find a way to get in the door there because there are jobs there.

[SweetnessUVA]

So I have nine months and no job (I'm travelling until school starts), so I'm going to bring the E&E books to read before starting school. My question is about the horn books. Are the recommendations offered by TLS correct for UVA or are there better horn books to buy and study from?

The TLS Recommendations:
Torts (Prosser & Keeton)
Criminal Law (La Fave)
Contracts (Calamari & Perill) - also recommends Corbin's Contracts
Civil Procedure (Friedenthal, Kane & Miller)
Constitutional Law (Nowak & Rotunda)

[CE2JD]

So I have nine months and no job (I'm travelling until school starts), so I'm going to bring the E&E books to read before starting school. My question is about the horn books. Are the recommendations offered by TLS correct for UVA or are there better horn books to buy and study from?

The TLS Recommendations:
Torts (Prosser & Keeton)
Criminal Law (La Fave)
Contracts (Calamari & Perill) - also recommends Corbin's Contracts
Civil Procedure (Friedenthal, Kane & Miller)
Constitutional Law (Nowak & Rotunda)

Don't read anything before law school about Torts unless you read Ken Abraham's book.

Ken Abraham is the God of Torts at UVA law school.

[vanwinkle]

Don't read anything before law school about Torts unless you read Ken Abraham's book.

Ken Abraham is the God of Torts at UVA law school.

+1

It's called "The Forms and Functions of Tort Law" by Kenneth S. Abraham. If you're gonna read anything from Contracts, I'd recommend the Contracts equivalent, "Concepts and Case Analysis in the Law of Contracts" by Chirelstein. I think these books might be better for someone new to the law than E&Es anyway, they're written in a more readable format.

You should also get "Thinking Like a Lawyer: A New Introduction to Legal Reasoning" by Frederick Schauer. It's more about the fundamentals of legal thinking, which will help you with how to approach the material. Schauer is a current UVA professor.

[napolnic]

Don't read anything before law school about Torts unless you read Ken Abraham's book.

Ken Abraham is the God of Torts at UVA law school.

How useful is his book to people who don't have him?

[YCrevolution]

..

[vanwinkle]

Don't read anything before law school about Torts unless you read Ken Abraham's book.

Ken Abraham is the God of Torts at UVA law school.

How useful is his book to people who don't have him?

It was actually on the required texts list for my class and I don't even have him. Besides that, it's a rather clear and concise explanation of Torts, probably as good as you're going to get for something accessible to a 0L.

[j2d3]

This is all u need 2 know about torts:

[Wahoo1L]

So I have nine months and no job (I'm travelling until school starts), so I'm going to bring the E&E books to read before starting school. My question is about the horn books. Are the recommendations offered by TLS correct for UVA or are there better horn books to buy and study from?

The TLS Recommendations:
Torts (Prosser & Keeton)
Criminal Law (La Fave)
Contracts (Calamari & Perill) - also recommends Corbin's Contracts
Civil Procedure (Friedenthal, Kane & Miller)
Constitutional Law (Nowak & Rotunda)

I can't say that I used any of those.

Torts: Abraham
Criminal Law: Low (It's not the greatest book but most the professors use the textbook written by Bonnie, Low and a few other professors)
Contracts: Chirelstein
Civil Procedure: Glannon

I'd skip Con Law and Property (actually I'd skip all of them before law school). Both Property and Con Law are taught during 2nd semester and you will remember next to nothing.

[napolnic]

Don't read anything before law school about Torts unless you read Ken Abraham's book.

Ken Abraham is the God of Torts at UVA law school.

How useful is his book to people who don't have him?

It was actually on the required texts list for my class and I don't even have him. Besides that, it's a rather clear and concise explanation of Torts, probably as good as you're going to get for something accessible to a 0L.

As I have him, I was just wondering how much of his idiosyncrasies are channeled through other profs.

[Sweetness]

So I have nine months and no job (I'm travelling until school starts), so I'm going to bring the E&E books to read before starting school. My question is about the horn books. Are the recommendations offered by TLS correct for UVA or are there better horn books to buy and study from?

The TLS Recommendations:
Torts (Prosser & Keeton)
Criminal Law (La Fave)
Contracts (Calamari & Perill) - also recommends Corbin's Contracts
Civil Procedure (Friedenthal, Kane & Miller)
Constitutional Law (Nowak & Rotunda)

I can't say that I used any of those.

Torts: Abraham
Criminal Law: Low (It's not the greatest book but most the professors use the textbook written by Bonnie, Low and a few other professors)
Contracts: Chirelstein
Civil Procedure: Glannon

I'd skip Con Law and Property (actually I'd skip all of them before law school). Both Property and Con Law are taught during 2nd semester and you will remember next to nothing.

These are the four, right?:

* Concepts And Case Analysis in the Law of Contracts (Concepts and Insights) - Marvin A. Chirelstein
* Black Letter Outline on Criminal Law - Peter W. Low
* The Glannon Guide to Civil Procedure: Learning Civil Procedure Through Multiple-Choice Questions and Analysis - Joseph W. Glannon
* The Forms and Functions of Tort Law, 3d (Concepts and Insights) - Kenneth S. Abraham

In addition to these and the E&E series, is that pretty much it for books that will be used for the 1L first semester? Also, how much variance is there between different professors in the use of these books?

[RVP11]

Most professors here at least suggest you read the Abraham and the Low books, because they both teach here. How useful you will find any of the books listed above (including the E&Es) will really vary based on your professor.

For example, I have the same Contracts professor Wahoo1L had but I don't find the Chirelstein all that useful - OTOH, I really like the Contracts E&E even though it receives very little love on TLS. And though the CivPro E&E is very well written, my CivPro professor is terrific and consistently clear, so I'm not sure what the E&E is going to add other than the superb questions and answers. The CivPro and Torts E&Es are supposed to be the best in series, but due to the focuses of my professors, they've been least useful for me.

Generally, professors aren't going to test on doctrinal or application wrinkles they didn't at least mention in class, so please don't feel like E&Es (or supplements in general) are the cheat codes to great grades, or that they're at all necessary. Supplements are best when either you didn't understand something in class and need clarification (and maybe aren't the type to go to office hours or ask after class) or you want an additional perspective on an issue.

[Wahoo1L]

Are there any good doughnut places in Charlottesville?

[YCrevolution]

..

[Vincent Vega]

Are there any good doughnut places in Charlottesville?

I hear spudnuts is pretty good (they use potato flour).

I was not aware you could make donuts out of potatoes, but they look good....
--ImageRemoved--

[vanwinkle]

I was not aware you could make donuts out of potatoes

You can make flour out of potatoes and then you can make almost anything with potato flour. The thing is it ends up with a slightly different taste and consistency than bakery goods made with wheat flour.

However, I love me some potato rolls, so I would probably enjoy potato doughnuts. YCR, I demand an address for this place so I can experience it and report back to the thread!

[YCrevolution]

..

[jawsthegreat]

Now that finals are very close how is the atmosphere? Still collegial or is everyone angry closet gunning to destroy their classmates?

[vanwinkle]

Now that finals are very close how is the atmosphere? Still collegial or is everyone angry closet gunning to destroy their classmates?

We've all just quietly gone off our separate ways to study. Classes have pretty much wound down (Thanksgiving break started Wednesday, and we only have classes for a couple days next week before they end for good) and mostly we're all spending our free time studying.

Except the ones that are spending our free time on TLS.

[Cavalier]

Now that finals are very close how is the atmosphere? Still collegial or is everyone angry closet gunning to destroy their classmates?

Things are definitely more tense (it is, after all, one of the most important times of our legal careers), but everyone is still friendly. Sure, some people have formed study groups and talk to each other in low voices about the problems they were working on earlier, but I still don't think (maybe I'm just blind and will find myself crushed during finals) that people are working 12 hours a day, taking dozens of practice tests, etc. Being at top school is nice - even with the economy, people know they don't have to get top 5% to get big law.

[jms1987]

The more I read about UVA the more interested I get! Its currently my #1 choice of the T14 along with Northwestern

[Kohinoor]

The more I read about UVA the more interested I get! Its currently my #1 choice of the T14 along with Northwestern

Possibly the two most diametrically opposed peer schools.

[Kohinoor]

Now that finals are very close how is the atmosphere? Still collegial or is everyone angry closet gunning to destroy their classmates?

The angry closet gunning was always there. Now people just don't have time for softball.