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Soo... I am currently waiting to hear back from the schools i've applied to, but i am definitely going to law school next year. i am currently working, i just graduated from UG. i'd really like to get my feet wet if possible. are there any books, supplements, etc i can read to get a feel for what i'll be doing in LS?

I really hope this isn't a stupid question, but I would like to do something to keep myself reading, not get too rusty academically, etc while i wait for LS to start.

I'd start here.

Just read something you normally would and enjoy it. You'll have a lot less time to do in law school. Reading anything for class would probably be a waste of time since you never know what the prof will focus on or cover.

kalvano wrote:Just read something you normally would and enjoy it. You'll have a lot less time to do in law school. Reading anything for class would probably be a waste of time since you never know what the prof will focus on or cover.

I completely get that, and I don't plan on overdoing it, but I was wondering if maybe there was any --- "101" style reading some people wish they'd been able to get their hands on before starting school. Any texts that might have made law school a bit less overwhelming had they been perused before class day one.

JusticeHarlan wrote:I'd start here.

+1

If you don't understand this on the first reading, you're not cut out for lawl school.

glitter178 wrote:

kalvano wrote:Just read something you normally would and enjoy it. You'll have a lot less time to do in law school. Reading anything for class would probably be a waste of time since you never know what the prof will focus on or cover.

I completely get that, and I don't plan on overdoing it, but I was wondering if maybe there was any --- "101" style reading some people wish they'd been able to get their hands on before starting school. Any texts that might have made law school a bit less overwhelming had they been perused before class day one.

The problem is that professors often teach their versions of the law, Professor X's contracts, for example. Learning something different before you even get an idea of what your professor will teach/emphasize might actually hurt your performance once you get to class.

Also, starting a year ahead of time is oh so gunnerish!

glitter178 wrote:

kalvano wrote:Just read something you normally would and enjoy it. You'll have a lot less time to do in law school. Reading anything for class would probably be a waste of time since you never know what the prof will focus on or cover.

I completely get that, and I don't plan on overdoing it, but I was wondering if maybe there was any --- "101" style reading some people wish they'd been able to get their hands on before starting school. Any texts that might have made law school a bit less overwhelming had they been perused before class day one.

There really isn't. Professors will teach the class their way and expect you to learn what they teach. It can vary too wildly.

The only thing I can think of is the Chirelstein book, Concepts & Case Law In Contracts. That's a pretty broad overview of contract law, and it's actually pretty interesting. But it's also short. Maybe Dressler's Understanding Criminal Law. I never read it, but I've heard it's pretty broad as well.

Other than that, you won't find law school too different from undergrad except for just the amount of work.

Reading without class is dangerous. I wouldn't advise it. It is very easy to learn things incorrectly and hard to unlearn them. Profs have their own idiosyncrasies

Do NOT read ahead of time. Bad idea. You will learn tons of shit your prof. doesn't want you to know. And if your prof. doesn't want you to know it, it is pretty much shit.

i will note here that there is a class which i essentially had to teach myself. in this class, i wish to god i had read ahead before coming here.