Wake Law Students taking Questions!!! Forum

[girlonfire]

Okay 2L/3Ls, help a newbie 1L out if you're feeling charitable.

When we're assigned to read notes sections that mention specific cases, how much attention should we be paying to these cases? Should we include them in notes and outlines, or are they just for general background understanding? Or is this dependent on the professor?

It definitely depends on the professor. In general, they're just for background information, but I've had two professors (Davis in particular for contracts) who tested on information found in the notes section.

Davis...

[Nicholasnickynic]

Okay 2L/3Ls, help a newbie 1L out if you're feeling charitable.

When we're assigned to read notes sections that mention specific cases, how much attention should we be paying to these cases? Should we include them in notes and outlines, or are they just for general background understanding? Or is this dependent on the professor?

It definitely depends on the professor. In general, they're just for background information, but I've had two professors (Davis in particular for contracts) who tested on information found in the notes section.

Davis...

could be worse. Simmons ripped test questions from the Kaplan Bar study guide. Both semesters. So, you know, if you didn't use that study guide (which many people didn't b/c he said no guide was necessary) than you got screwed- or at the very least were at a major disadvantage.

I didn't have Davis, but I think he's the better of the two.

[PirateCap'n]

Okay 2L/3Ls, help a newbie 1L out if you're feeling charitable.

When we're assigned to read notes sections that mention specific cases, how much attention should we be paying to these cases? Should we include them in notes and outlines, or are they just for general background understanding? Or is this dependent on the professor?

It definitely depends on the professor. In general, they're just for background information, but I've had two professors (Davis in particular for contracts) who tested on information found in the notes section.

Davis...

could be worse. Simmons ripped test questions from the Kaplan Bar study guide. Both semesters. So, you know, if you didn't use that study guide (which many people didn't b/c he said no guide was necessary) than you got screwed- or at the very least were at a major disadvantage.

I didn't have Davis, but I think he's the better of the two.

No argument from me. I thought Davis was pretty fair with his exams even though they were tough.

[girlonfire]

K gives me panic attacks. It seems somewhat straight forward, but it's dense as hell. there have been one or two classes where I just sat there like this: the whole time.

[Relientkate]

Do you have any tips to keep in mind for the Contracts exam for Davis? He mentions over and over that he is detail-oriented, and that scares me, especially considering the exam is closed book.

I have Taha for Civ Pro, who is awesome, but I feel kind of lazy preparing for that class, because he puts so much of the information in his .ppts.

[tstyler98]

Do you have any tips to keep in mind for the Contracts exam for Davis? He mentions over and over that he is detail-oriented, and that scares me, especially considering the exam is closed book.

I have Taha for Civ Pro, who is awesome, but I feel kind of lazy preparing for that class, because he puts so much of the information in his .ppts.

I can't speak specifically for Davis since I didn't have him. But for Contracts, I created flash cards and went through them over and over until I had them memorized.

[IrwinM.Fletcher]

Do you have any tips to keep in mind for the Contracts exam for Davis? He mentions over and over that he is detail-oriented, and that scares me, especially considering the exam is closed book.

I have Taha for Civ Pro, who is awesome, but I feel kind of lazy preparing for that class, because he puts so much of the information in his .ppts.

Everything you need to know for a Davis exam is in the textbook. Supplements can be helpful if you're having trouble understanding a broad concept, but he really utilizes very similar fact patterns to those laid out in the cases he assigns. Re-reading cases from early in the semester in October/November was really helpful for me- I didn't really know what I should be trying to glean from the cases the first time through, but towards the end of the semester I knew what to look for.

Like Pirate Cap'n said- his test is very hard, but very fair. It'll cover just about every topic you learn about over the course of the semester.

[NCtoDC]

Okay 2L/3Ls, help a newbie 1L out if you're feeling charitable.

When we're assigned to read notes sections that mention specific cases, how much attention should we be paying to these cases? Should we include them in notes and outlines, or are they just for general background understanding? Or is this dependent on the professor?

It definitely depends on the professor. In general, they're just for background information, but I've had two professors (Davis in particular for contracts) who tested on information found in the notes section.

Davis...

could be worse. Simmons ripped test questions from the Kaplan Bar study guide. Both semesters. So, you know, if you didn't use that study guide (which many people didn't b/c he said no guide was necessary) than you got screwed- or at the very least were at a major disadvantage.

I didn't have Davis, but I think he's the better of the two.

Any other advice regarding Simmons? (other than checking out that Kaplan guide?) I feel like I know what a case is about and then when he talks in class I get completely confused and lost.

[Nicholasnickynic]

Any other advice regarding Simmons? (other than checking out that Kaplan guide?) I feel like I know what a case is about and then when he talks in class I get completely confused and lost.

It might have been the other major bar prep company that he ripped from, I cant remember.

1st semester: I followed the cases, read diligenty, basically gunned in class (hand up all the time, all the right answers) and saw him all the time in officer hours - I got an 85 on test.

2nd semester: Burnt out, didn't care, hardly did the reading, bs-d when I got called on. At the end, I signed up for one of those study session thing with an upper classman. They basically went over an outline. I got an 89 (that's a giant leap btw- the difference top 50% and like top 20% or so).

Moral of the story: He is a horrible teacher, do not worry about the cases- get help from someone who knows what they are doing?? I Guess??

He loves the notes. Read the notes. I know one person who got a very good grade first semester based on reading the notes. A lot of people said the notes are where you can get the relevant rules from.

If I were you, I would get a brief book keyed to contracts and spend 5 mins on each case- just enough for class. Then I would meticulously go over notes (before and after each case)- those will teach you what is what and hopefully help you extract relevant rules. Also, throw in kaplan + other brand (can't recall name) BAR study guides. And then I would sign up for teh tutoring stuff at the end.

I know thats kind of rambling and not super direct, but I honestly do not know the exact"formula" for him- I'm not sure there is one.

If it were me I would:

1. Buy a brief book keyed to the cases- do not waste your time on them- its important to get the RULE out of them, but the facts and such are irrelevant.

2. Read the notes- this will help you get the rule you are supposed to apply.

3. Pay attention in class- in order to try and get the Rule from each case. Do not try to hard to understand- it hurts too much.

4. About halfway through semester, I would start diving into kaplan/bar prep books

5. About halfway start trying to construct your own outline. STart putting it on flash cards and try to memorize ( i did this second semester).

6. When it gets to be about a month left, sign up for the small group tutoring thing.

GLHF!

[NCtoDC]

Thanks!

I could tell this was going to be my worst class.

[Nicholasnickynic]

Thanks!

I could tell this was going to be my worst class.

it was my worst first semester.

I had taha- awesome
Korzen- awesome
Wright- awesome
Can't remember my torts professor's name- she's the one that was EiC of Yale LR. -awesome.

[LadyTarHeelian]

Thanks!

I could tell this was going to be my worst class.

it was my worst first semester.

I had taha- awesome
Korzen- awesome
Wright- awesome
Can't remember my torts professor's name- she's the one that was EiC of Yale LR. -awesome.

The professor he can't remember is Taylor. I didn't even have the woman and I know very well that she went to Yale. She won't let you forget it.

[Nicholasnickynic]

Thanks!

I could tell this was going to be my worst class.

it was my worst first semester.

I had taha- awesome
Korzen- awesome
Wright- awesome
Can't remember my torts professor's name- she's the one that was EiC of Yale LR. -awesome.

The professor he can't remember is Taylor. I didn't even have the woman and I know very well that she went to Yale. She won't let you forget it.

lolcakez

[NCtoDC]

I have Taylor, and I've heard many people say that she won't let you forget she went to Yale, but she has not mentioned it since the first day of class....

I have all the same prof. as you Nicholasnickynic. (except Civ Pro, I have Wendy Parker, who is absolutely amazing.)

[Nicholasnickynic]

I have Taylor, and I've heard many people say that she won't let you forget she went to Yale, but she has not mentioned it since the first day of class....

I have all the same prof. as you Nicholasnickynic. (except Civ Pro, I have Wendy Parker, who is absolutely amazing.)

I had parker for civ pro II. I loved her as well. You've gotta pretty good group of professors. Don't worry though, I'm sure it'll catch up with you- next semester will probably be a bitch

[girlonfire]

Did anyone have Peeples for Torts 1L and/or care to take a look at my little baby outline?

Feel free to mock me.

[moandersen]

Did anyone have Peeples for Torts 1L and/or care to take a look at my little baby outline?

Feel free to mock me.

I had peeples for torts. He's awesome. Im taking his business organizations class now and its just as chill as torts was.

I used one of the law review outlines as a guide for making my own. I suggest finding one you like and going off that. Or I can send you my outline (I did well). His exams are all about issue spotting and the BLL.

edit: its not even October! no need to kill yourself this early.

[girlonfire]

Did anyone have Peeples for Torts 1L and/or care to take a look at my little baby outline?

Feel free to mock me.

I had peeples for torts. He's awesome. Im taking his business organizations class now and its just as chill as torts was.

I used one of the law review outlines as a guide for making my own. I suggest finding one you like and going off that. Or I can send you my outline (I did well). His exams are all about issue spotting and the BLL.

edit: its not even October! no need to kill yourself this early.

PMed

[Relientkate]

Did anyone have Peeples for Torts 1L and/or care to take a look at my little baby outline?

Feel free to mock me.

I had peeples for torts. He's awesome. Im taking his business organizations class now and its just as chill as torts was.

I used one of the law review outlines as a guide for making my own. I suggest finding one you like and going off that. Or I can send you my outline (I did well). His exams are all about issue spotting and the BLL.

edit: its not even October! no need to kill yourself this early.

Did he test on any "notes" material that he didn't specifically cover in class?

[moandersen]

Did anyone have Peeples for Torts 1L and/or care to take a look at my little baby outline?

Feel free to mock me.

I had peeples for torts. He's awesome. Im taking his business organizations class now and its just as chill as torts was.

I used one of the law review outlines as a guide for making my own. I suggest finding one you like and going off that. Or I can send you my outline (I did well). His exams are all about issue spotting and the BLL.

edit: its not even October! no need to kill yourself this early.

Did he test on any "notes" material that he didn't specifically cover in class?

Not that I know of...but I never read notes. So he very well could have, but I would not have noticed.

[Argyle Rocks]

Could some current Wake Law students shed a little light into how Wake has been so far? I've never visited Wake Forest (nor have I ever been to NC), but I am intrigued by some of Wake's characteristics (e.g. small class size, located in a decently sized city that isn't too big (at least, relative to where I'm from), etc.). I'm also not particularly hell-bent on returning back to the West Coast, which I believe would make Wake an even more sensible option. As such, Wake actually ranks rather high up on my list at the moment.

I'd especially like to gain the perspective of those who are not originally from NC (but those from NC can chime in as well). Based on the data I have seen (mainly from the ABA and other similar sources), I would be a geographical minority (West Coast) and also a minority (although not URM).

If it helps any, below is a template of questions you can use:

- Things you expected from Wake Law that were met/exceeded:

- Things you expected from Wake Law that have not been met/exceeded (at least, so far):

- Things you didn't expect from Wake Law but are pleasantly surprised with:

- Things you didn't expect from Wake Law (and aren't too thrilled about):

- Intangibles that would justify choosing Wake Law over peer schools (e.g. UNC):

Many thanks in advance for the replies!

[tstyler98]

Welcome Argyle. I have a slightly different perspective than the 1Ls who will likely chime in because my class size was still smaller. I am a 2L and my class size last year was right about 160. The current 1Ls came in around 190. They had to add an extra section first semester to accommodate the extra students. Next semester, they will be back to 4 sections. The section sizes will be just under 50. That is large for a 1L section, but still much smaller than most schools. And, I don't think they are planning to have next year's class be as big.

Anyway, I really like Wake. I originally grew up in western NY in a pretty small town. But I've also lived in D.C. so I've experienced the big city life as well. I like Winston-Salem because it is in between. There aren't too many things that aren't here, or at least nearby. The people are generally really friendly. Traffic is rarely an issue, which is wonderful after dealing with traffic in D.C.

As for Wake itself, there are going to be people who don't like it, but I feel like most people like it. The smaller class sizes allow the professors and staff to really get to know you. Some of the professors even invite their classes to their house for dinner. I know the majority of my class (there are still a few that I don't know), and I know a good chunk of the 3Ls and 1Ls. While there is some competition, most people are willing to help people out. I know I missed classes a few times because of being sick, and I was always able to find someone to give me their notes.

If you are in to going out, there are a decent number of bars. If you are into sports, students get free tickets to football and basketball games. There is also a minor league baseball team here. And I know several people have gone to Charlotte or Raleigh to watch pro sports. Winston has activities throughout the year. We just had a fair with rides, games, and food. There are beer, wine, and rib festivals (and I'm sure there are others). There are lots of restaurants to try out. My boyfriend and I went camping this weekend about an hour away, and the University rents out camping equipment for really cheap prices. You are also about 2-3 hours from the mountains, and about 4 hours from the beach.

[ArtVandeley]

Welcome!
I am a 1L (still feels weird saying that), so here's my 2 cents.

- Things you expected from Wake Law that were met/exceeded:
Friendliness and helpfulness of profs/staff (these ppl are not kidding about "open door policies"). I also really like the campus, the classrooms and out lounges. Some people say theyre small, but I came from a tiny UG, so i'd call them "cozy". I'm consistently surprised by how helpful upperclassmen are. I expected them to be nice, but they have ALL by far exceeded my expectations of helpfulness. I haven’t felt the "competitive" or "cut-throat" atmosphere I’ve heard others talk about at other LSs. I also really enjoy all the free food we've been getting for attending interest meetings.

- Things you expected from Wake Law that have not been met/exceeded (at least, so far):
This may sound disingenuous, but i haven’t really been disappointed by anything (yet). Maybe the only things I can complain about is that there needs to be more tables in the courtyard, and they need to figure out wtf is wrong with the 1st floor elevator.

- Things you didn't expect from Wake Law but are pleasantly surprised with:
The amount of networking events and programs they sponsor, and how highly esteemed the school is within and around the state of NC. Also, the school has a very relaxed intellectual and somewhat liberal feel. The students are diverse in culture and opinions, and I expected some rudeness and I have yet to really find any.

- Things you didn't expect from Wake Law (and aren't too thrilled about):
They over-accepted this year, so section sizes will be about 15 people larger than they should be when they dissolve the 5th section.

- Intangibles that would justify choosing Wake Law over peer schools (e.g. UNC):
Awesome campus, WS is a more like a large town than a small city (which i love), COL is AMAZING here, I love my classmates & professors, and we have a baller bar passage rate for grads.

I hope this helps you some. If you have any questions, I feel like I can speak for everyone in this thread, PM or post whenever. Someone will ALWAYS get back to you with honest and thought-out answers.

[Argyle Rocks]

tstyler and Art, thank you so much for the responses! It was nice to get both 1L and 2L perspectives on Wake Law. If I have more questions, I will be sure to post them on this thread.

[Relientkate]

- Things you expected from Wake Law that were met/exceeded: The professors and administrative professionals seem genuinely invested in your success as a student. I've never felt like anyone was unapproachable, or indicated that I was wasting their time. The professors are genuinely excited about the material, and are eager to help you understand. I enjoy even my hardest class (Contracts) because the teacher is just so great.

- Things you expected from Wake Law that have not been met/exceeded (at least, so far): Excessive competition. Even the so-called "gunners" are really friendly outside of class. I've never been turned down when asked for someone else's notes, perspective, outline, etc. Also, I don't feel like any of the professors are trying to "hide the ball."

- Things you didn't expect from Wake Law but are pleasantly surprised with: I'm not sure about this one. I think most of my classmates are really thrilled with the small class size. If that's important to you, Wake should definitely be at the top of your list.

- Things you didn't expect from Wake Law (and aren't too thrilled about): My gut-reaction is... I feel like I'm surrounded by 21 year olds who... act like 21 year olds. There's nothing wrong with that, and that's probably going to be the case at every school. Personally, I came from working in a professional field, so it's not that I'm saying this is bad, I'm just saying... it was an adjustment for me, personally.

- Intangibles that would justify choosing Wake Law over peer schools (e.g. UNC): Who wants to write a "Why UNC?" essay? No, seriously... UNC is a great school, it just wasn't for me. It was really important to me not to live in an area that was defined solely on the presence of an educational institution. I didn't apply to UNC, but I've heard bad things from other students proceeding through their admissions process.

Also, the admissions process through Wake is much, much smoother than other schools. For most of us, we heard back from Wake within a reasonable amount of time, versus other schools where you don't receive notification until after deposit deadlines for other schools.

I really like it here. I've found some really close friends who I enjoy tremendously. I love Winston-Salem, and I really like the opportunities that we'll have in the future... that's my two month 1L assessment of WFU Law.