0L preparing for first year Forum

[Windwhispers]

I am sorry if this is the wrong place to post, however I would like to get an early start in studying for my first year of law school. I am looking for some class notes and case briefs on first year cases (not copyrighted stuff, just notes that people have made themselves). I know that not all first year cases will be the same but I want to get an idea how some people write their case briefs and do notes early. If you are willing to share these with me, I would be so appreciative. please PM me (edit: removed e-mail)

I just want to do really well in law school and have read a lot of the prelaw books. If this kind of post is not allowed or in the wrong place, I am sorry. Thanks!

As a reminder for all 0Ls, we have a forum just for these questions!

If you're a 0L wanting advice from current law students, we've set up a new forum just for you, which you can find here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=4

It's called "Ask a Law Student", and it's a place for 0Ls to ask current law students questions without disturbing the "Students and Graduates" forums. Post all your questions there, including about things like classes, grades, transferring, employment, etc. Please do not continue posting your questions here in the Students and Graduates forums, as doing so might get you banned and/or your thread locked.

Thank you for your understanding.

[dowu]

I am sorry if this is the wrong place to post, however I would like to get an early start in studying for my first year of law school. I am looking for some class notes and case briefs on first year cases (not copyrighted stuff, just notes that people have made themselves). I know that not all first year cases will be the same but I want to get an idea how some people write their case briefs and do notes early. If you are willing to share these with me, I would be so appreciative. please e-mail me at jryadams@gmail.com

I just want to do really well in law school and have read a lot of the prelaw books. If this kind of post is not allowed or in the wrong place, I am sorry. Thanks!

Don't. Enjoy what little time you have before you go to LS.

[thegrayman]

I am sorry if this is the wrong place to post, however I would like to get an early start in studying for my first year of law school. I am looking for some class notes and case briefs on first year cases (not copyrighted stuff, just notes that people have made themselves). I know that not all first year cases will be the same but I want to get an idea how some people write their case briefs and do notes early. If you are willing to share these with me, I would be so appreciative. please e-mail me at jryadams@gmail.com

I just want to do really well in law school and have read a lot of the prelaw books. If this kind of post is not allowed or in the wrong place, I am sorry. Thanks!

Don't. Enjoy what little time you have before you go to LS.

+1. I wasted my summer reading E&E's and GTM, OneL, and all that other shit. Were I to do it over again, I would have done NONE of that and enjoyed my damn summer. Seriously, not trying to sabotage you, that is my 100% honest advice. I understand the anxiety and wanting to get a head start, so if you must start early, I would save it for a few weeks before classes starts instead of wasting your whole summer getting ready.

[kalvano]

I suggest reading either the Repairman Jack series, or A Song of Ice and Fire.

Either one is a much better use of your time than 0L preparation like you are going for.

[BlaqBella]

What about Law Preview? Will that be worth OP's time?

[NotMyRealName09]

I'll repeat sage advice I first read here:

Chill yo' nuts. Also, don't be so meek - you're going to be a fucking lawyer. Buck up.

[minnbills]

I'd read getting to maybe. Other than that just chill out. Believe me I'd love to just take a night and play some video games, but I have to outline. Take advantage of having an open schedule while you can.

[AVBucks4239]

I'd normally provide honest advice, but it's mid-fucking-November. God help you.

[Windwhispers]

Thank you for your help and suggestions. However, I don't have much to do right now due to illness and for some reason thought it would be interesting to look over notes from law school (to be honest, I'm a huge nerd). I have read "getting to maybe" which was really interesting. If anyone would like to share notes and some case briefs for first year stuff, please contact me.

[dingbat]

Thank you for your help and suggestions. However, I don't have much to do right now due to illness and for some reason thought it would be interesting to look over notes from law school (to be honest, I'm a huge nerd). I have read "getting to maybe" which was really interesting. If anyone would like to share notes and some case briefs for first year stuff, please contact me.

No on ever wants to hear it but it is not a good idea to do this.

If anything, teach yourself finance (or accounting) or learn a language or something. There's plenty you can learn that will be very useful but isn't taught in law school.

[Lacepiece23]

Idk I kinda think maybe trying to learn some civ pro might be useful except for like Erie and Personal Jurisdiction, the other stuff is pretty mechanical and could help if you only have to learn the complex stuff first semester because you already have the easier stuff down.

[BuckinghamB]

TCR is drink, watch breaking bad, drink, and work to save $

[MsAvocadoPit]

PM with ideas sent!

[bedefan]

You need to think about your learning style.

If you learn best when you already have some familiarity with background concepts -- but are able to adjust your understanding of these concepts quickly on the fly (depending on the views of your professor) -- I'd say it's worth skimming some supplements as pleasure reading over the summer before 1L. If you learn better with a blank slate, or you're not able to adjust your understanding of a concept quickly once you've developed a first impression of the concept, do not read any supplements, hornbooks, wikipedia articles, or anything like that. I wouldn't recommend just watching TV and drinking though. You want your mind to be at least a little sharp. Read a history book or do sudoku or whatever.

Personally, the summer before LS I read Chirelstein on contracts and Glannon on civ pro and torts. I didn't worry about memorizing things -- and attempting to memorize things, take notes, or highlight would have been utterly useless. But the background knowledge helped me really absorb knowledge faster during my 1L year. At least that's how I felt.

All that being said -- it's November right now. Relax. 1L is not as bad as the paper chase or whatever. It's much easier than having a job.

[Lincoln]

At best, reading in advance will give you some background knowledge so you can say "Although you didn't assign us Eisentrager, in that case the Court held blah blah blah..." This will accomplish nothing except your classmates will think you an insufferable gunner.

As worst, you will have a pre-conceived notion of how certain legal concepts work and will have trouble understanding your professor's take on those concepts, leading you to get worse grades than you otherwise would have gotten.

Read the newspaper every day, including any news on law. Anything else is superfluous or even harmful.

[dietcoke0]

I'd recommend 1L of a Ride. I enjoyed it, and gave some preview of what you're getting yourself into. I prepared a bit 0L, and it was worthless, but I don't regret it. But nothing you do would prepare you for what's really coming. It's just too unexplainable, and if you aren't in class, hearing your profs talk, and working through casebooks (which you can't do 0L), then you aren't going to get much from it other than being confuse and liable for burnout at a quicker pace.

Just relax and enjoy yourself, and read up on topics that interest you, or maybe learn a new language, work on your resume, all that shit.

[swimmer11]

As a current 1L who neurotically prepped before LS - DO NOT DO IT! Seriously, it will be a waste of your time. However, I do recommend reading Getting to Maybe and maybe one of the other law school books, but DO NOT do any serious prep. It is a waste of your time, you will wonder why you did that instead of spending your time drinking, playing video games, and enjoying the outside. Seriously, you will not get an edge, it will not help you, and at worst shit you learned will be completely contrary to what your professor think.

TL;DR Drink, play video games, and enjoy the outside. DO NOT PREP (except GTM)

[Scotusnerd]

Do not learn substantive stuff before 1L. It's a waste of time.

If you're gonna prep for anything, prep an outline and organizational system. And then only half-ass that. Check out Getting to Maybe and some guides on this website. There's a particularly awesome guide to onenote floating around that I've used and have had great results with. Also, as others said, buck up. Your opinion is going to count for a lot of money in three years. Start acting like it's worth something.

My actual, useful prep for the first year, could have been done in less than a month. Don't waste your time.

[Gator_Law]

Don't forget to buy Rosetta Stone so you can learn Latin, too.

[jrf12886]

If I were a 0L again, I would read Getting to Maybe and probably glance at the E&Es. I would not spend as much time with the E&Es as I did because I don't think it helped me much. I also wouldn't read the assigned optional "Legal Writing" book.

[kalvano]

I suggest reading either the Repairman Jack series, or A Song of Ice and Fire.

Either one is a much better use of your time than 0L preparation like you are going for.

Also, The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins is great.

[Scotusnerd]

I would also recommend an extended course on what liquors you like and don't like, and where to acquire them on short notice.