Do you use your outlines in practice? Forum

[thisisfun]

Just curious. My adjunct professor said she uses her law school outlines in practice and I think that's really strange. Does anyone else actually use their outlines post-exam?

Sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum. Don't really use this much.

[Abbie Doobie]

why don't u use this much? isn't this fun to you?

anyway, can't say i've seen anyone "use" an outline in practice. perhaps it could be useful as a refresher for some federal law topics but no way anyone is going to draft a motion or advise a client based on a law school outline.

[Anonymous User]

Once, when I got thrown a random assignment as a 1st year that was essentially issue spotting a business plan for potential issues in X area of law.

[Bluem_11]

During my first year of practice got thrown a few research assignments that I knew I covered in part during school. Didn't use the outline for my memo but was a refresher. Eventually as you get more specialized in your area, unlike in LS where you're jumping from area to other each hour, becomes unnecessary.

[1styearlateral]

I think the best secondary sources, at least for litigators, are treatises/practice texts. They're essentially outlines with caselaw citations.

[Lacepiece23]

My outlines were pretty useless because they were not jurisdiction specific. So, not really a help. However, do save your Barbri outlines. I've has at least four easier research issues that I can look up in the text and find a case handy without sinking barely any time. Also, it gives you a great starting point on new areas of law if you are a general commercial litigator.

[elendinel]

No but I have referred back to papers I wrote in class to figure out how to deal with something in practice/to refresh my memory about particular laws.

I don't think I'd ever use anything from 1L in practice for any reason.

[dixiecupdrinking]

I've opened my case books a couple of times because I vaguely recalled reading a case about something I was dealing with, but that's about it.

[cookiejar1]

90%+ of my stupid corporate-related questions are answered by either Practical Law or a MoFo FAQ (bless them). Way better outlines than I ever had.

[Nebby]

Naw. Everything I do is more discrete than anything covered in a law school class.

[Anonymous User]

As a 1st yr tax associate, I've looked at my corporate tax and international tax outlines a couple of times. Since the outlines were largely cursory, they were not that helpful except just to assure me I've at least seen the code section/reg presented to me before.

[sublime]

Treatises are crazy helpful though. Wright & Miller is a lifesaver.

[Anonymous User]

Definitely looked at my securities regulation outline for multiple assignments various times.

But my firm is small and doesnt have as much resources as other firms

[nealric]

Just curious. My adjunct professor said she uses her law school outlines in practice and I think that's really strange. Does anyone else actually use their outlines post-exam?

Sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum. Don't really use this much.

I think I may have once or twice as a first year associate- but only from a few specialty-focused classes. I can't imagine referring to my 1L Torts outline or other such nonsense.

Practice-focused treatises are far better than any outline I ever came up with. After a few years of practice, any law school outline could be dangerously outdated.

[ilovesf]

I think the best secondary sources, at least for litigators, are treatises/practice texts. They're essentially outlines with caselaw citations.

I feel like everything I know is from Weil and brown, the civil procedure before trial practice guide.

[1styearlateral]

I think the best secondary sources, at least for litigators, are treatises/practice texts. They're essentially outlines with caselaw citations.

I feel like everything I know is from Weil and brown, the civil procedure before trial practice guide.

For me (NY), it's Siegel's, Carmondy-Wait, and NY Practice Series. Invaluable.

[lolwat]

I think the best secondary sources, at least for litigators, are treatises/practice texts. They're essentially outlines with caselaw citations.

I feel like everything I know is from Weil and brown, the civil procedure before trial practice guide.

The Rutter Guide is awesome, whether it's Civ Pro before trial, Civil Appeals and Writs, or whatever you need. CEB is also good
It's such a shortcut sometimes though. I've seen briefs where literally the only law cited is what was directly lifted from there. Lol.

Treatises/practice texts are the best starting point. If the outlines are like that, then great. If not, probably not useful.

[ballouttacontrol]

yes I have, for a federal practice area. and the class was more of a specialty class than some generic class like Contract Law or some shit

[delusional]

I do periodically - at least 5-6 times in the 2.5 years I have been practicing. I have used them for contracts questions most often; it has been useful in identifying particular doctrines so that I could narrow down searches and find the relevant state analogue to, e.g. a liquidated damages restriction.

[k5220]

I have for some weird questions. Like a tricky question about Article III standing actually came up, and so my federal courts class was relevant. Or I remembered a very specific case from a class but forgot the name. Or I borrowed my friends copyright outline to quickly hone in on the relevant standard in an area I knew nothing about before jumping into research to answer a client's question.

But for the most part, practice guides/treatises and google will get you where you're going faster.