Recently Graduated UT Law Student taking questions Forum

[Longhorn88]

Any current or former students have any opinions/thoughts/exam tips on the following professors?

Albright (Civ Pro)

May God have mercy on your soul.

Thoughts on:

Sturley (Prop)

Get ready to spend 1-2 months learning about 15th century English land interests which will then only account for about 20% of the final.

Recommendation Question:

On our UT Law business cards, should we use our UT Law email accounts or our personal (professional) email accounts (ie, myname@gmail.com)?

Don't get UT Law business cards unless you plan on using them to try and win free lunches for the next 5 years.


To pile-on what others have already said, LRW is your least-weighted class but will be the most important subject you learn in law school, treat it accordingly. And do fixate on the final exam. That doesn't mean completely blow off class, but don't be that guy trying to win on-call everyday. That guy is an asshole and suddenly stops talking so much 2nd semester when he pulls a 2.8.

[BigZuck]

Care to elaborate on the "God have mercy on your soul" part?

[philosoraptor]

Two other pieces of old-person wisdom I keep forgetting to lay on y'all:

(1) Ask your mentor how to get access to CALI (you can probably get a password through the law library). CALI is great for review at the end of the semester or for practice after class. It can be a little unwieldy, but it's one of the only ways I know to drill basic BLL.

(2) Once Barbri asks you for $25 or whatever to lock in your bar review price, do it. Their 1L materials are worth way more than $25. I'm pretty sure their outline was half the reason I aced contracts, and their videos are helpful, too, particularly Freer's civ pro lectures.

[I have no affiliation with either CALI or Barbri.]

[dkb17xzx]

Two other pieces of old-person wisdom I keep forgetting to lay on y'all:

(1) Ask your mentor how to get access to CALI (you can probably get a password through the law library). CALI is great for review at the end of the semester or for practice after class. It can be a little unwieldy, but it's one of the only ways I know to drill basic BLL.

(2) Once Barbri asks you for $25 or whatever to lock in your bar review price, do it. Their 1L materials are worth way more than $25. I'm pretty sure their outline was half the reason I aced contracts, and their videos are helpful, too, particularly Freer's civ pro lectures.

[I have no affiliation with either CALI or Barbri.]

thanks for the information!

complete newb question: How do we get in touch with Barbri? Do they email us or do we have to contact them to lock the price?

[nonprofit-prophet]

Two other pieces of old-person wisdom I keep forgetting to lay on y'all:

(1) Ask your mentor how to get access to CALI (you can probably get a password through the law library). CALI is great for review at the end of the semester or for practice after class. It can be a little unwieldy, but it's one of the only ways I know to drill basic BLL.

(2) Once Barbri asks you for $25 or whatever to lock in your bar review price, do it. Their 1L materials are worth way more than $25. I'm pretty sure their outline was half the reason I aced contracts, and their videos are helpful, too, particularly Freer's civ pro lectures.

[I have no affiliation with either CALI or Barbri.]

thanks for the information!

complete newb question: How do we get in touch with Barbri? Do they email us or do we have to contact them to lock the price?

Honestly, I thought that stuff was only useful in studying for Wellborn's evidence exam. It always seemed like it didn't go in depth enough for a regular issue spotter. Better off studying with a really good supplement like Understanding Crim or Understanding Property.

[philosoraptor]

complete newb question: How do we get in touch with Barbri? Do they email us or do we have to contact them to lock the price?

Your big section will have at least one student Barbri rep who will email you from time to time. At one of the first few events they do (usually free food at the co-op), there will be a place to sign up to get the 1L materials and lock in the price.

[philosoraptor]

Honestly, I thought that stuff was only useful in studying for Wellborn's evidence exam. It always seemed like it didn't go in depth enough for a regular issue spotter. Better off studying with a really good supplement like Understanding Crim or Understanding Property.

Fair enough. As I said, CALI is good for drilling basic BLL as review, and the Barbri stuff provides a good overview. CALI is free, and Barbri (every subject) is only $25, which is less than you'd spend on any one supplement. Don't rely on them exclusively, but for the price, it's well worth it.

[BigZuck]

Parking permits opened up today. For those of us not planning on driving to campus except on rare occasions, are there any permits we should still buy? For example, I noticed the nighttime permit was only $5, is that something we should pick up just to have?

[ajclark1992]

Parking permits opened up today. For those of us not planning on driving to campus except on rare occasions, are there any permits we should still buy? For example, I noticed the nighttime permit was only $5, is that something we should pick up just to have?

+1

[Stache]

Parking permits opened up today. For those of us not planning on driving to campus except on rare occasions, are there any permits we should still buy? For example, I noticed the nighttime permit was only $5, is that something we should pick up just to have?

+1

I was also curious about this, but it looks like the $5 permit (along with the ones for 6, 10, and 15 bucks) is only good through the end of this summer.

[utlaw2007]

Parking permits opened up today. For those of us not planning on driving to campus except on rare occasions, are there any permits we should still buy? For example, I noticed the nighttime permit was only $5, is that something we should pick up just to have?

I don't know if they still have them. I don't see why they wouldn't. But when I was there, there was a student parking permit that allowed you to park in any open student parking spaces. I can't remember if it was called A-20 or C permits or whatever. But they are very cheap and are definitely a must have for students who don't regularly drive to campus. Without one, you are not eligible to park in ANY student parking on campus.

[timeandspace11]

Just got in to Austin a few days ago and looking for some outdoor activities. Id particularly like to catch some rays before class starts. Ive been reading up on Barton Springs and Zilker Park in general. Are these places worth going to? Any other suggestions would be great.

[Longhorn88]

Don't buy a parking permit unless you're commuting every day. There's metered parking on the street right outside the law school and it's free after 5:30 or 6:00pm I believe.

If you're just driving occasionally during the day, the metered parking is pretty convenient. Sometimes it can be hard to find a spot but worst case you're walking an extra 200 feet.

[dkb17xzx]

Just got in to Austin a few days ago and looking for some outdoor activities. Id particularly like to catch some rays before class starts. Ive been reading up on Barton Springs and Zilker Park in general. Are these places worth going to? Any other suggestions would be great.

Lady Bird Lake has a buncha stuff you can do - rowing, kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddling, water biking. you should check it out

[ScottRiqui]

Can you recommend any good Texas-centric legal publications (online or in print)? I just want to get familiar with the various players, what they're involved in, etc.

[nonprofit-prophet]

Can you recommend any good Texas-centric legal publications (online or in print)? I just want to get familiar with the various players, what they're involved in, etc.

http://www.texaslawyer.typepad.com/

[Niners4Life56]

Thanks for everyone who has taken some time to answer questions! So freaking helpful.....Quick question...I ordered some of my books from the Co-Op and realized after I ordered them that they were not promising I'd actually get used books. I put no substitutions so I'm curious to know if I will get used books or if I better just plan on getting the other ones from Amazon as well.

[philosoraptor]

Thanks for everyone who has taken some time to answer questions! So freaking helpful.....Quick question...I ordered some of my books from the Co-Op and realized after I ordered them that they were not promising I'd actually get used books. I put no substitutions so I'm curious to know if I will get used books or if I better just plan on getting the other ones from Amazon as well.

If you get new books from the co-op, you can always return them until a week or two after classes start. I often got them from the co-op and then returned them if I found a better deal on Amazon.

[TheJanitor6203]

Thanks to everyone for answering these questions! Lots of useful stuff here.

1. Would you consider UT a "veteran friendly" school? Could you take a guess at how many vets were in your class? I'm applying this Fall if I raise my LSAT in October to a 165+

2. How competitive is it to get into these clinics: actual innocence, civil rights, capital punishment, criminal defense and supreme court? I'd love to get on any one of those. Same question for the law journals.

3. Is there a gym near the law school?

[nonprofit-prophet]

Thanks to everyone for answering these questions! Lots of useful stuff here.

1. Would you consider UT a "veteran friendly" school? Could you take a guess at how many vets were in your class? I'm applying this Fall if I raise my LSAT in October to a 165+

2. How competitive is it to get into these clinics: actual innocence, civil rights, capital punishment, criminal defense and supreme court? I'd love to get on any one of those. Same question for the law journals.

3. Is there a gym near the law school?

Clinics: Clinics are pretty dependent upon demonstrating an interest in the subject matter. Doesn't matter how good your grades are, if you haven't demonstrated any interest in crim law, you probably won't get into CDC. The one exception to that rule is SCOTUS clinic. Your grades and writing sample weigh pretty heavily in the selection process.

Journals: TLR is top 10% plus 10 pure write on spots (it's a little more complicated, but this is a close approximation). TILJ and TROL factor in grades as well, I believe. The other journals are less grade conscious from what I understand.

Gym: Gregory Gym and the Rec Center.

[TheJanitor6203]

Thanks for the fast response.

Also, forgot to ask could anyone say about where one needs to place in the class for the "Texas big law" jobs in Dallas like Jackson Walker and Looper Reed?

[nonprofit-prophet]

Thanks for the fast response.

Also, forgot to ask could anyone say about where one needs to place in the class for the "Texas big law" jobs in Dallas like Jackson Walker and Looper Reed?

It's tough to say where you need to be, since so much of it comes down to personality. Top 25% should be an ok spot to be in for a firm job in Dallas. Houston is a bit easier to crack, especially for non-texans.

[mediocrity]

Any thoughts on Cross for torts?

I also just found out that I have the first case for Civ Pro for Mullenix...am I dead?

[BigZuck]

Think it might have been brought up before, but...

Locker rental: worth the 50 bucks?

[philosoraptor]

Think it might have been brought up before, but...

Locker rental: worth the 50 bucks?

Unfortunately, I think so. It's good to have a place to stash your stuff if need be, especially if you don't bring your car every day. Maybe split a locker with a buddy? I did that 2L year and ended up being the only one to use it.

They should just have a bunch of cubbies, kindergarten-style. It's not the kind of school where people will steal your casebooks.