Everything You Need to Know about Taking Notes in Law School

Notes.... seems like half my life during law school is spent taking notes. Reading notes, class notes, notes on how to outline, notes of how to study, notes on internship searching.... it never ends. One of the pros to this-I have gotten extremely good at my notetaking system.

The Evolution of My Law School Study Habits- Everything I do to be Successful

Hi all! I have had a few requests lately to do a post about how my study and note-taking habits have changed since my 1L year following my post about how I have been able to raise my GPA. I am now in the summer before my 3L year- my last year of law school. I have learned so much over the last 2 years in regards to studying, time management and productivity. A lot of my study habits and note-taking strategies have changed and a lot has remained the same. I will outline what has changed and what has remained the same in addition to all the tools I use to be successful as a law student. Buckle up folks, this is going to be one long blog post.

How to be Prepared for a Law School Class

I have been so busy and I just have not had the gumption to get around to writing up posts. I finally got a little reprieve thanks to a canceled class and felt caught up on life enough to make time for a little blogging.

Today's post is all about how to properly prepare for a law school class. It is so different from how I prepared in undergrad. My class preparation in undergrad was something along the lines of skim the assigned reading, pack the book, a notebook and pencil bag in my bookbag and show up to class. That was it and it was good enough to get me through a majority of my undergrad classes. When I hit law school, class preparation took on a whole new meaning: reading the assigned reading multiple times, taking reading notes, doing additional outside research, typing case briefs, packing my bookbag until it almost burst... law school class prep was a whole new world. Now halfway through my third semester of law school, I finally feel that, through lots of trial and error, I have perfected a class preparation that works perfectly for me. It may not work for everyone but this is my method and maybe it will help you to develop your own method.

1. Choose Class Materials 
I have a binder for each class. I take all my notes on reinforced loose-leaf paper organized within the binder and I also add any additional class papers to the binder: syllabi, powerpoints, handouts, practice questions, etc. The night before class, my bookbag will be packed with my class binder, casebook, my planner, my pencil case (filled with my favorite Uniball Gel Pens), laptop and laptop charger.

      

2. Read Before Class
Something everyone thinking about law school or starting law school has heard a hundred times is always always always read for class. I will echo that- I always read before class except for the rare occasion when I am sick or crazy busy when I will still do a skim of the reading instead of reading it deeply. I never want to go into class without an inkling of what we will be covering. My process for reading for class is to read each case straight through once to get a just of it. Then I skim back through it, pulling out the important bits and I write those down in my reading notes. Sometimes, if I am really struggling to get the point out of a confusing case, I will look up a case brief online to help me identify what is important. I do that rarely but desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures. I take my reading notes on loose leaf paper in black ink, leaving space on the page to be added to later in class. I also like to get to class 10-15 minutes earlier to skim over my notes once more before class starts so that if I get called on, I am ready.

3. Prepare Your Body
This may seem a little weird but in the spirit of full disclosure... I make sure to never go to class on an empty stomach and I keep a few granola bars in my bookbag just in case I get hungry. I have trouble focusing when I am hungry so I avoid that at all costs when I am in class. Also, I make sure to have a full water bottle- it drives me nuts when people leave in the middle of class just to go fill up a water bottle. I also bring coffee to my morning classes because otherwise, I would fall asleep. I keep peppermint gum in my bookbag at all times because I think it helps me think. Additionally, I have trouble focusing if I am too cold. Our school tends to run on the cold side so I am always dressed in layers and sometimes I even carry a blanket. I refuse to let something as preventable as being cold keep me from focusing to my full potential. Also, full disclosure, I use the restroom before every class. I have a small bladder and I hate leaving in the middle of class just to use the restroom and potentially missing good information. I try to eliminate as many distractions, stressors, annoyances, etc. to ensure that I can focus and get the most out of my classes.

4. Class Set Up
When I am in class, I keep my casebook, binder, pencil case, and planner on the desktop. On our tiny little desks, that is all I have space for and that is really all I need. I do not take computer notes so I leave that in my bookbag. I always have my casebook open to the page we are covering for easy reference and I have my reading notes on one side of my binder with a blank sheet for class notes on the other side. I take all my class notes in a different color than reading notes- this way when I am looking back at my notes, I know exactly what the professor said in class in comparison to what I got out of the reading and I can ensure I am getting the correct information in my outline. I keep my bookbag and purse under the desktop by my feet and I leave my phone zipped inside my purse to avoid distractions.

5. Focus
You have seen all the actions I take to avoid any distractions that would keep me from focusing in class. Therefore, when I am in class, I try to be in it 100%. I listen, I take notes, I participate when I have something compelling to say. It is easy to zone out during class so I make a constant effort to stay engaged. I am not saying I am always perfect- I have been known to write my grocery list in my head during Constitutional Law every once in a while but I do try my hardest to avoid that and stay focused on class information.

I hope this helps new law students to form a method of preparing for class that works for them. It certainly takes a little while to determine what works for you and what is the best process. Once you get it figured out, it takes a lot of the stress out of law school because you know what to do and you just have to sit down and do it.

Happy studying! Enjoy your weekend! 

How I Have Changed My Study Habits as a Second Year Law Student

Hello friends!

I feel like I have been neglecting this little blog. School has been crazy- I am in the middle of an oral advocacy competition and I have to make new arguments and go head to head each week in addition to class, reading, writing an appellate brief for moot court and working in admissions. Blogging just got pushed down the priority list. But I am back!

Now on to today's topic... as I am a few weeks into 2L year, I have made some adjustments to my study habits. Some of my upper-level courses are structured a little differently than my 1L core classes which have forced me to adjust as well as my own shifting and evolving learning process and knowledge base. I have posts from 1L year about my note-taking and study habits and I do believe that they served me very well at that time and for those classes. The adjustments I have made are more due to changing class structures and my ever-evolving way to understand the law as best I can and as thoroughly as I can... and I have become busier so efficiency is my #1 priority now. Here are the changes to my law school study habits.

1. Class Reading/Preparation
Unlike many of my classmates, I continue to read everything for class and take notes on my reading. Many of my classmates have dropped down to just book briefing but I find that taking notes is the best way for me to truly understand the material and have the best retention of it. Unlike my 1L year, I actually take more detailed notes from the reading and I count on them more in class as I participate more. 1L year I was content to answer cold calls, sit and listen and only voluntarily talk if I truly felt confident in what I had to say. Now that I am a 2L and a lot less nervous, I raise my hand whenever I have something to contribute and therefore having good reading notes helps me to follow along with class and have insightful comments. Also, my real life experience of working in a prosecutors office has given me some real-life legal context for some of the things I am learning in class. Therefore, when reading for class, I jot down notes of real-life examples that are related to bring up in class or in office hours. I find that having some real-life context is really helping my retention of the material so far this year. Additionally, my classes are structured a little different: one of my classes has little to no case law and is based on problems... Another is based purely on statutes. It has required me to read and learn differently.

2. Class Notes
Another change I have made from 1L year to 2L year is I take all of my class notes by hand. I found that when I took computer notes last year, I more easily became distracted and I did not retain as much of the information. This is reasonable because many scientific studies have been done that prove handwriting aids in retention and better understanding. By hand writing my notes, I am forced to synthesize the professor's points because I cannot physically handwrite every word as easily as I could type every word. This is a constant practice in analysis, issue spotting big rules and synthesizing which are important legal skills. I find that I remember the information better and when I type it up later into an outline, I am working from my own synthesized words and rules, not the professor's words and it helps me to have a deeper understanding. I have found that simply word-vomiting the professor's words/phrases onto an outline does not equal full understanding and was not the most effective way for me to outline. I also color code all my class notes because bright colors are easier for me to remember long term and it distinguishes class info from reading notes; I take all reading notes in black ink and class notes in a color designated for that specific class (ex. Constitutional law is blue, criminal procedure is purple...). I also love the freedom handwriting notes provides- I can make graphs, pictures, tables, etc. Whatever I need to do to get that information, I can. Sometimes computers can hinder notetaking in my experience because of the formatting problems and having to pause during class notes to fix the bullets or margins, etc.

3. Outlining
I learned my lesson first semester of 1L year- outline as you go. I spent last Thanksgiving break frantically outlining and it was the worst. Now, my approach to outlining is to outline after finishing a section or chapter. This way, I am outlining throughout the semester and I can address questions, confusion or concerns sooner rather than later. It also helps that the information is fresher in my brain when I outline it and it helps me to formulate and synthesize it better into the outline thus creating a much more effective study aid come finals. I just finished the fourth week of the semester but I have all my outlines started and 2 are completely up to date...the others will be up to date by the end of this weekend. I refuse to stop making my own outlines- I think it is such a valuable skill and learning tool... simple printing another persons outline will not allow me the same level of understanding nor the learning provided during the outlining process. Overall, outlining no longer scares me the way it did 1L year... I just buckle down, set aside some time each week and get it done.

4. Review/Practice Problems
Kind of like outlining, I have started reviewing throughout the semester instead of just at the end. Not only is outlining itself a form of review, I make a point to review my notes after class, twice after reading and to attend office hours. I attempt to make sure that I understand everything right away instead of waiting until the end of the semester to figure something out. There just is not enough time to do it all at the end of the semester and I need excellent grades so I am putting all the extra effort in. I have started doing some of the practice problems from the casebooks and as the semester moves on, I will be completing multiple choice questions each week and practice problems that I can take to professor office hours for feedback. This is something I neglected 1L year and I think I did myself a disservice. After reviewing my past exams, I have identified a few issues I would like to work towards resolving in the future when taking exams- I am not waiting until the end of the semester; I am starting right away to do everything in my power to be as successful as possible for exams this semester. Unlike 1L year, I know exactly what I need to do to be successful... I just have to buckle down and do it.

5. Organization/Planning/Efficiency
My schedule is a little more diverse this year. I have more responsibilities beyond just reading, class, studying. One thing I haven't changed is my dependence on my planner. I would seriously go insane without it. Beyond that, I have had to be a little more inventive with my time to fit everything in. I multitask- cooking is also my Netflix time, I work in between classes to make money, I do my reading right when I get home from class so I don't procrastinate, I outline and review on Friday afternoons before 5pm so I can have Friday nights off. For my appellate brief for moot court, there is very little structure. Therefore, I set aside time each week within my planner to work on it and stay accountable. I have started to do this with everything- I plan time for cleaning, grocery shopping, outlining... everything is planned and I do my best to stick to it. I meal plan and utilize a crockpot often to make sure that we eat decently without wasting a bunch of time in the kitchen puttering around or doing the "what sounds good" or "what do we have" discussion. I record my oral advocacy competition arguments and listen to them while driving to and from class to enforce my memorization of my arguments. 2L year for me is all about efficiently and effectively using my time so I can get everything done and still have some time to relax.

For me, 2L year has been about implementing the lessons I learned 1L year and making myself a better student and a more efficient person. I do not regret the things I did 1L year... I was not the same person I am now and I am choosing to move forward to be the best I can be. 2L year is definitely different and is stressful and difficult in different ways than 1L year. However, I am confident that I will be successful and I am more confident than ever that the law is what I want to do.

Helpful printables: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LegalDuchessShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1059870419

Law School Study Habits

Now that I am a few weeks into Law School, my study habits have settled into a routine. It is working well for me. It has taken me a long time to develop good study habits; in High School, I could get by with A's without studying or working very hard. In Undergrad, I stepped up my study habits but still got by easily with minimal effort and a high GPA. Law School is a new ballgame; I really had to buckle down and hone my skills to be successful and keep up. I am sharing my habits in a hope that they may help someone else develop their study habits to be their most successful self.

How to Improve Your Law School Reading Skills

I feel like it is no secret that law school requires a ton of reading. It is a huge part of being a lawyer so naturally, it should be a big part of the process of becoming a lawyer. I have always been an avid reader. I was not uncommon for my middle school self to check 20-30 books at a time out from our local library because I would buzz through them so fast. My parents had to take the nightstand light out of my room because I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning reading. When people warned me that law school was largely about reading and lots of it, I thought, "bring it on".

Even though I knew I would be doing a lot of reading going into law school, the sheer amount was still a surprise and took some serious getting used to. 30 pages per class per night doesn't seem that bad at face value... but it is so much more than just 30 pages. Not only is the reading super long, it is super dense, it is often full of words you need to look up, footnotes that need to be referenced and sometimes cases that should be skimmed because they are mentioned within the reading. You also need to take notes as you go and sometimes read a section more than once to grasp the full meaning. Reading for law school is a skill that improves over time with practice. In my time in law school, I am certain that my reading skills have improved substantially. Below I have outlined a few of the tips and tricks that have helped me to improve my reading for law school to make it go faster with better retention of the material.

1. Practice Active Reading 
This is my number 1 tip: practice active reading when in law school. I cannot stress this enough. Staying engaged in reading is very easy when it is Harry Potter or your favorite trashy romance novel. Staying engaged in reading when it is a case about hunting foxes from the 1700's is a different story. I had a teacher in middle school preach about how important learning the skill of active reading was... I was already a nerd and a straight A student so I largely tuned her out because as a typical 13-year-old, I thought I knew everything. When I started law school and came to a very sudden realization that my reading skills may not be up to snuff, something in my brain reminded me of that 8th-grade teacher and active reading. I did a little research and my life has never been the same. Active reading simply means reading something with the determination to understand and evaluate it for its relevance to your specific needs. Passively reading and re-reading the material isn't an effective way to understand and learn anything (especially in law school). Actively and critically engaging with the content the first time you read it can save you so much time in the long run. When my middle school teacher taught us active reading, she said the best thing to do was to push your self to read it as fast as you possibly can while still reading and comprehending each word. Making yourself speed up and focus on the material keeps your mind from wandering. My teacher always said that if you finished a paragraph and had made a grocery list in your mind, you were not practicing active reading. Some of the best strategies for actively reading are:

• Ask yourself pre-reading questions. For example: What is the topic, and what do you already know about it? Why has the instructor assigned this reading at this point in the semester?
• Identify and define any unfamiliar terms in your notes
• Bracket the main idea or thesis of the reading, and put an asterisk next to it. Pay particular attention to the introduction or opening paragraphs to locate this information.
• Put down your highlighter. Make marginal notes or comments instead. Every time you feel the urge to highlight something, write instead. You can summarize the text, ask questions, give assent, protest vehemently. You can also write down keywords to help you recall where important points are discussed. Above all, strive to enter into a dialogue with the material instead of just passively highlighting.
• Write questions in the margins, and then answer the questions in your notes. Try changing all the titles, subtitles, sections and paragraph headings into questions. For example, the section heading “The Law of Gifting Personal Property” might become “What are the laws for gifting personal property?”
• Make outlines, flowcharts, or diagrams that help you to map and to understand ideas visually within your reading notes.
• Read each case carefully and then determine “what it says” and “what it does.” Answer “what it says” in only one sentence; this is basically your rule statement from an IRAC style case brief. Represent the main idea of the case in your own words. To answer “what it does,” describe the cases purpose within the section- why is this case important? Why is it in this part of the book?
• Write a summary of a section or chapter in your own words. Do this in less than a page. Capture the essential ideas and perhaps one or two key cases that are used. This approach offers a great way to be sure that you know what the reading really says or is about and can offer a quick and dirty summary of the reading.
• Write your own exam question based on the reading.
• Teach what you have learned to someone else! Research clearly shows that teaching is one of the most effective ways to learn. If you try to explain aloud what you have been studying, (1) you’ll transfer the information from short-term to long-term memory, and (2) you’ll quickly discover what you understand — and what you don’t. Meet up with your friends before class and teach them what the case was about or what alegal term from the reading means. 

Loosely adapted for law school from https://mcgraw.princeton.edu/active-reading-strategies

2. Take Notes 
As I mentioned several times in the first part, I take notes while I read. It helps to keep me fully engaged in the material as I practice active reading. It also provides a crutch to use when answering a cold call in class. My reading notes are generally pretty messy because I know I will be making adjustments during class. I make sure to include in my reading notes the main points of the section, any law mentioned, majority/minority rules, rationales of public policy, definitions for any words or phrases I do not know and of course case breifs for every case. I generally write my reading notes in black on about half of the page and only on the front side. Then my class notes are added in a contrasting color and I have plenty of space thanks to the back side of each note page and the space on the front- this helps me when I go back to outline and review because I know what information was from the book and what was from the professor in class due to the colors. Sometimes I will type up my reading notes and leave space for class notes in a contrasting color... it just depends on what I am feeling like doing when I am reading. Taking notes while I read is more beneficial for me than highlighting because I actually have to pause, think about how I want to write that in my notes and then proceed to write it down- it is a much more active process and helps me to synthesize and understand the reading better than if I was just highlighting passively as I went through and never really pausing to consider the material.

Reading notes

Reading notes + class notes in a different color

More examples of my reading notes with class notes added in a different color: both typed and handwritten 

3. Have a Plan
I always like to plan out my reading into chunks. I pick out a number of pages or a "chunk" I want to get read before taking a break. I write this down on a sticky note and cross off each chunk completepelte it. This way I have a set break time and it helps me to focus and power through the dedicated chunk of reading because I know there is a short break on the other end. If I do not do this, I end up pulling my phone out after every few paragraphs and my reading will take three times as long because I am so distracted.

I also strategically plan out when I will do my reading during the week. Sunday afternoons I read for my Monday and Tuesday Classes. Monday morning I read for my Wednesday and Thursday classes. This way, I do not stress about when I am going to fit my reading in because I already have time allocated for it in my weekly schedule.

4. Atmosphere is Key
Understanding what time during the day you are at your best will help you read better. If you know you are most awake and focused in the morning, plan your reading for the morning. If you are a night owl and don't come alive until 10pm, read from 10pm-1am. If you have neighbors who always blare music in the afternoons, make sure that your reading is not allocated for afternoons because it will likely be very hard to focus.

As for location, you know best what locations makes you the most productive. Some people study best at home; some have to be at school. Some people prefer a quiet coffee shop and others like to be outside. Whatever works best for you to be focused- do your reading there. If you like pure silence while reading, invest in earplugs or noise canceling headphones. If you need some background noise while reading, I highly suggest websites that play white noise like waves/falling rain or instrumental music without lyrics such as Hans Zimmer movie scores Pandora station (my personal favorite) or any classical music. Make yourself as comfortable as possible: have a comfy spot with good light, not too warm or too cold, ample water and snacks, make sure it is clean and tidy, have all your materials within arms reach and get to work.

5. Refresh Before Class 
Whatever reading you do, give yourself at least five minutes to refresh it before class. This way, you know where everything is in your notes, you are comfortable with the material and you will be ready for any cold calls. Flip through the reading in the books, read through your notes and have your materials ready to go when class starts.

Helpful printables: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LegalDuchessShop?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Best of luck with your massive amounts of law school reading. I hope this is helpful!

Week 2 Recap: Law School is Getting Easier

I am happy to report that week 2 of Law School has ended and it is getting easier every day. Despite some crazy stuff that happened this week, classes are making more sense and my reading is getting faster which combines to a much lower stress level overall.

Law School Day 2 Recap

Day 2 is complete! In reality, this was the first meeting of my Tuesday/Thursday classes so it was basically another first day. However, I was feeling significantly more confident today. I again dressed classy casual in skinny jeans, an Express top and oxford shoes. I brought a sweater with me because there is one classroom that is freezing!

Whats in My Bookbag- Law School Edition

Day two of my second semester of Law School is over and so far, so good! I like my new professors and I have one of my favorite professors from first semester for another class this semester. I am happy to be back to school and working toward my dreams but the reading has been a little slow these first few days....

I have had several people ask for a "what's in my bookbag post" so here is it: Law School Edition!

1. Books
I, of course, carry the necessary casebooks for each day. They weigh a ton but are completely necessary. I rent or buy my textbooks from amazon- much cheaper and with an Amazon Student Prime account, usually I get free 2-day shipping! Love it!
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2. Binders
My new habit is having a binder for each class and I have tabs inside for class handouts, notes, case briefs, etc. I take my class and reading notes on reinforced loose leaf paper and fit them into the overall flow of my notes after class.

3. Planner and Pens
I LOVE my Plum Paper Planner- it is a lifesaver during school and it is never not in my bookbag. I am also a huge pen snob so I carry enough to help a small army write letters. I have Pilot G-2 pens in a million colors, Sharpie Pens, Gel Highlighters (the BEST thing for thin casebook page highlighting) and some pencils. Because I take color coded notes in pen, I keep a little white-out dispenser in my pencil bag for mistakes. I also carry a small flashdrive in my pencil case for printing things at school and backing up assignments.

4. Miscellaneous
I keep a variety of random crap in my bookbag for those random emergencies. I have a Pinch Minimergency kit which is small but has a ton of options. I also keep Ibuprofen in my bag because Law School inevitably gives me headaches (and my classmates are always coming to me for it). I always have an Eos Chapstick and Handcream in my bookbag because the building is notoriously dry and I am constantly reaching for chapstick or putting lotion on my hands. I keep a charger (not pictured) and a power pack in my bookbag for those long days on campus. I have various sticky notes because sticky notes are just 110% necessary to life. I also love this little to-do list pad for when I sit myself down in the library to outline what all I need to get done. I tend to be messy so I keep some wet ones in my bookbag just in case of a coffee spill.

5. Computer 

I carry my computer and charger in my bookbag. I have a small, lightweight computer that is great for carrying around. I do not take notes on my computer (I retain more by handwriting my notes) but I use my computer in between classes, if I forget my book (casebook connect for the win) or whatever other reason. 

6. My Bookbag
I got my bookbag at TJ Maxx a few years back and I LOVE it (similar). It is sturdy, has tons of space, comfy to carry and a nice laptop area. I suggest a heavy duty bookbag for Law School- casebooks are heavy. Something that is comfortable to carry is also great because you will be lugging it around a lot.

What's in your Law School bookbag?

Class Participation in Law School

Class participation in law school can be nerve wracking- you never want to say the wrong thing and make a fool out of yourself but you also know that participation factors into most grades so you know you need to raise your hand at some point. Undergrad was easy- usually participation wasn't a big deal and if you did participate, it was low stakes, opinion based or easily found in the homework. Law school is completely different. Professors expect a well reasoned, thoughtful contribution to class and whatever you say you better be able to back up with some black letter law or case facts... otherwise you may embarrass yourself when the professor shuts you down in front of the whole class. I know some of my friends just refuse to participate unless they are forced to via cold call and other people in my class never seem to shut up. I try to find a healthy balance and participate when I have something meaningful to say or I have a question. Still, it is a bit stressful in the beginning but there are ways to make it less scary. Here are my tips for properly participating in a law school class and making a good impression while doing it.

How Different is Law School from College

Happy Saturday!

For all of those who finished their first week of law school- CONGRATS! Isn't that a great feeling?

I was having a conversation with some of the new 1L's at my school the other day about how law school is different from undergrad. I thought I would type up my thoughts on the subject as a blog post because this is a question I have gotten quite often from prospective law students while I give tours at my law school.

Law school is in a league all it's own. There is really no way to "prepare" yourself for it.... even if you were a pre-law student in undergrad, law school is going to be very different from anything you have ever done. I think this is good and bad; on the plus side, it is a fresh start and provides an opportunity to reinvent yourself in preparation of a legal career and everyone comes in in the same position... on the negative side, it involves a lot of trial and error to figure out how to be a good law student. I found that law school was vastly different from undergrad in both good and bad ways. Here are a few of the biggest differences.

1. You MUST Prepare for Class
Maybe others are different but I was able to get by in undergrad without ever truly preparing for class and I still got really good grades and graduated Magna Cum Laude. I would read in the 10 minutes before class or do a quick skim while the professor was saying hello to the class or sometimes I would just show up and hope for the best. Don't get me wrong, I studied for exams and spent some time on my papers to make sure I turned in something halfway decent but for class, I was able to get by without ever really preparing for classes.

If I have said it once on this blog, I have said it a million times: In Law School, you really have to prepare for class. Like extensively. Before class, I do the reading, I take reading notes and I make sure to do one last skim in the last few minutes before class. Because many law professors cold call during class, you never know when you will be expected to answer questions on the reading material. Also, law school classes are intense and without reading before class, it can be very difficult to keep up in class. I had a professor during my first week of 1L year tell us that you need to work like it's finals week from the first day of law school. To me, that means making sure I am 110% prepared for classes and any potential cold calls, keeping up on my notes and outlining, and going to the professors when I am feeling confused about something.

More: HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR A LAW SCHOOL CLASS

2. One Exam = Your Whole Grade
So this might be my least favorite think about law school... right behind core grammar from 1L year. In almost every law school class, one final exam at the end of the semester over the entire course will make up your entire grade. Prior to law school, I had never been graded in this format. In undergrad, my grades were always based on a variety of assignments, quizzes, tests, and papers. None of my undergrad professors graded on a curve. It seriously stressed me out when I realized that my entire grade in law school boiled down to one gigantic exam. It takes some getting used to and through the semester, you have to stay self-accountable to prepare for the exam because generally there won't be quizzes, tests or assignments to keep you on track as there are in undergrad classes. (I have had midterms in a handful of my classes but they are the distinct minority and a few of my classes count participation into the grade but it is only like 3-5% of the total while the rest is from the exam). I think what stressed me out the most was knowing that if I had a bad day on exam day, my entire grade would suffer.... and the two straight weeks of non-stop study are pretty unpleasant. But I have survived it and gotten used to it... I won't say it is fun but you just have to power through and make it happen.

As for grades, they are not the end all be all of your legal careers. Most law school classes are graded on a curve and only so many A's are given out. This can be very frustrating because you can complete what feels like an A exam and still get a B+ because the curve was tight in that class. But, it is not the end of the world. One bad grade doesn't kill you and it's all relative. In some classes, I feel I deserved higher grades and in other classes, I was surprised my grade was so high. But at the end of the day, if you work hard, do your absolute best and learn something from the experience, then you have done all you can.

3. Professionalism Matters 
There is nothing wrong with wearing leggings and a baggy sweatshirt in undergrad. In fact, it was pretty much my entire wardrobe. Showing up late to class in undergrad may be embarrassing but most professors don't really care. You can online shop all through class and generally, it doesn't matter. I also didn't really think about the bigger picture and any career stuff other than getting into law school.

Law school is different- from day one of orientation, they will be preaching professionalism at you. Your legal career begins the day you start law school. And all that other stuff I talked about above should probably come to an end. You never know when lawyers will be in the law school so I always dress presentably for class in law school. I refuse to be late to any of my law school classes. I generally don't even use my computer in classes for law school. Also, from day one you have to be thinking about your professionalism, your future internships and jobs and character and fitness for the bar. Law school is in a whole other league of professionalism from undergrad.

4. Time Management is a Thing 
I don't know about everyone else but I kept myself pretty busy in undergrad. I was a varsity athlete, I had a job, I had two majors, I lived on my own all four years, I was in a bunch of organizations and held leadership roles, and I planned my wedding. However, I was horrible at managing my time because I could get away with procrastinating on my homework and other stuff in favor of watching High School Musical with my roommates or going to a party.

Law school has forced me to actually learn some time management skills. There are just so many things going on and so many hours in a day and procrastinating is simply not an option. I have really had to get regimented about my time and my responsibilities because I am pulled in a million directions. I take a full course load, I work in admissions, I am on Moot Court, I coordinate the oral advocacy competition at my school, I am president of the Criminal Law Society, I am Clerk for our schools chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, I mentor 1L's through SBA, I participate in a legal clinic with my own clients as a certified intern, I have a part-time job as a social media manager, I blog, and I have a house, husband and 3 dogs to keep up with. Keeping all the things organized and getting everything done is no small task but it is manageable as long as you manage your time. I am actually really glad that law school has forced me to become so good at managing my time because that is just a great life skill to master.

More: TIPS FOR TIME MANAGEMENT IN LAW SCHOOL

5. It's a bit of a Flashback to High School 
One of my favorite things about college was that it was nothing like high school. I absolutely hated high school. The only good thing that came out of it was that I met my now husband... other than that, my high school years were spent studying, avoiding classmates, traveling the country for horse shows and counting the days until I was out of there. I hated the cliques and drama and nosiness. College was much more my speed and I loved every minute of my 4 years of undergrad.

Law school surprised me by being a bit of a return to high school. You spend all day in classes with the same people, you have lockers, you generally hang out with your classmates in spare time.... lots of elements reminiscent of high school. I vastly prefer law school to high school but there are some overlaps I could do without. Law school can be kinda cliquey... I try to avoid it and be friendly with everyone but there are definitely cliques at my law school. Also, there can definitely be some drama.... putting a bunch of people together in a high-stress environment will always breed a bit of drama. While law school is not exactly like high school, it definitely brings back some elements from my high school years. However, I have had a much more positive experience in law school than I did in high school.... and despite this fact, law school retains quite a bit of the college atmosphere thank heavens. Regardless of your high school experience and any similarities between high school and law school, you can have a different experience. My law school experience has been really fun and I have met wonderful people and made lifelong memories. That is the polar opposite of my experience in high school. Make law school its own experience- it's not high school, it's not college so don't let those dictate how law school goes for you.

My First Day of Law School

Well, I survived my first day! It was in part not as bad as I expected and other parts worse than I imagined. Overall, not a bad first day; here is the scoop!

A Week by Week Study Schedule

Happy Thursday!

This post come s by request and I think it will be super helpful. I have alluded to my weekly study schedule in the past but I have never devoted a whole post to it so that is what's on tap for today.

Figuring out what you need to study and work on week to week in law school can be challenging. There is always a ton of stuff to do and just so many hours in which to complete it. I am sharing the study schedule which has worked well for me over my 2.5 years in law school. I have honed it to what works perfectly for me. I hope you find it helpful as well!

Here is a sample look at my week to week study schedule. This is what I do during the majority of my semester until about a month before finals. Then I integrate more study time to prepare for finals. More on that in this post: PREPARING FOR LAW SCHOOL EXAMS ONE MONTH OUT

Springing into Spring Semester

Well, friends, it's my 24th birthday! It's hard to believe I am almost to my quarter life milestone because I still feel like I am too young to really be an adult. My hubby made me a delicious breakfast and we have a quiet day planned but he is taking me out to a fancy dinner later... I am a lucky wife to be married to this guy.

In other news, I start my 4th semester of law school on Monday. It's hard to believe I am halfway through law school. It's actually pretty surreal. I have a busy tough semester ahead of me: 5 classes (3 super challenging ones)  plus working and my Moot Court competition will take place this spring. I am vowing to get off on the right foot in 2018 and I want to rock this semester. I know... those who have been following for a while are probably thinking I say this before every semester... and you're right. I do try to motivate myself at the beginning to do my best... throughout the semester I do tend to run out of steam because well, law school is really hard.

Following Fall semester, I am mostly pleased and yet still a little disappointed in myself. A few of my grades were great and I was super proud of myself. A few others.... not quite so proud of myself. it's all relative I suppose and balances out in the end. I still hope to further improve my GPA this upcoming semester and get one step closer to finishing my law degree. In order to do this, I have set some goals to work towards as I spring into spring semester (yes I know, terrible puns but I can't help it).

1. Start Reviewing Earlier
It pains me to write this but it's the truth... I always seem to think I am going to start getting ready for finals nice and early and I still always start later than I would like which leaves me working like a mad person for the week before and weeks of finals. With only three in-class exams this semester, I really think I can manage to start reviewing for those exams much earlier. Fingers crossed that my willpower stays strong. I hope to have my outlines done plenty early and be able to start practice problems, practice essays, flashcards and study group a full month out from final exams. I think this will set me up for better exam success in two of my toughest classes this semester: Evidence and Secured Transactions.

2. Do All Weekly Reading by Monday Night
I do not have class on Monday until 5:55pm. I am going to utilize my mostly open Monday's to *hopefully* crunch out all of my reading for the week so I can spend my time revising class notes, working on Moot Court and outlining after classes. I tend to run out of steam for reading and taking good reading notes as the week goes on so if I do it all by Monday night, I will be fresh and ready to read well and take excellent reading notes. I will then do a 15-minute refresher before class to make sure the reading is fresh in my mind before class. I hope this will make my weeks more productive and leave me with more time to work on goal one, reviewing earlier.

The longer I am a law student, the more I am recognizing my faults and the more I am trying to overcome them to consistently improve my grades and performance. Both these goals are a result of that.

3. Make Law School more "9-5"
I have always had a weird schedule in law school. I tend to sleep in, go to class, take a few hours to relax and then pick up my work and study late into the night. I know it sounds insane but it is the schedule that worked for me because I am a total night owl. This semester, I have early morning classes three days a week and night classes until 8pm four nights a week... this forces me to change up my normal schedule quite a bit. I hope to stay productive and adjust my schedule into more of a "9-5" law school schedule. In between classes and work, I will work on my school work, moot court problem and reading. Then when I come home from night classes, I can relax with my husband a little bit and do some Yoga before going to bed at a normal time. My goals of completing my weekly reading by Monday night will also help with this I think. I hope this new schedule will work out and make my weeks productive while still getting enough sleep.

My busy spring weekly schedule (or at least what I hope it will look like so long as I can be organized)

4. Outline Every Friday
I did so much better with outlining last semester! I was very proud of myself for having them done well before exams. I plan to keep that up this semester by outlining my classes weekly each Friday when I have no class. I work Friday mornings and I can come home and outline all afternoon while I throw in a few loads of laundry. This leaves my weekends a little more open for having a life, lol.

There we go! My spring semester goals. I hope everyone has had an enjoyable break and is ready for another great semester. Best of luck to all of you!

Supplies for Law School: What I Actually Use and What Was a Waste of Money

So I have about 2 more weeks of summer before my 3L year of Law School. I do not know where time has gone- it flew by! I had a reader request this post and I think it is a great one. I will be talking all about the supplies I use in law school and compare/contrast what I bought for my 1L year and all the things that were a waste of money because I never ended up using them.

I have always LOVED school supplies shopping. I would beg my mom to take me shopping for new school supplies at the beginning of August so I would have a few weeks to completely organize and decorate my binders and notebooks. College didn't change anything except now I had to buy my own school supplies. When I was getting ready to start law school, I was so pumped to get all new fancy school supplies. A lot of those things I bought 1L year, I still use... but a lot of things I never really used and ended up being a waste of money. So today I am laying out all the things I truly use in law school for the last 2 years and all the things that were a waste of money. 

How to Handle a Law School Cold Call

What makes a first-year law students heart skip a beat? The inevitable cold call. The Socratic method. Random participation No matter what you call you, you will encounter it in law school. They are no fun but like any skill, they grow easier with time.

What is a cold call?

Professors in law school teach using a question and answer style that is meant to make you learn skills such as speaking in front of a group, thinking on your feet, handling tough questions and processing case information. The questions vary by professor- some are tough, some are more forgiving. Generally, they will call on your to recite the facts of a case or the issue and then continue on with the rest of the case issues or additional reading material. Sometimes they will call on you about something you have previously learned as review.

Staying Organized in Law School

Law School has turned my life into a hot mess. Staying organized is something I struggle with every day... keeping up with classes, reading, assignments, online homework, bills, homeownership, pet care and blogging is enough to make my head spin. Below are a few necessities that keep me organized and in all honesty, sane.

A Guide to Law School Outlining

If you are in law school and you have heard the word outlining 365x since starting, raise your hand. If you were 110% confused as it what the elusive "outline" was, raise it again. If you spent 1L Thanksgiving break frantically outlining and still having no clue what you were doing and then entered your first round of exams with no confidence in those 30-40 page monster outlines, raise it one more time. If you raised your hand every time, you are just like me.

I had NO idea what on earth an outline was when I started law school. I looked all over the internet, talked to all my professors, talked to 2Ls and 3Ls and yet I still did not fully understand what I was supposed to be doing. I gave it the good old college try over Thanksgiving break because prior to that, I just hadn't been able to wrap my head around what I needed to do. Come exam time, I studied the crap out of those outlines but I was not 100% confident I had everything I needed to know or had it arranged and synthesized correctly. Throughout my first semester of law school, just the word "outline" caused me to have extreme anxiety. Now that I am on to semester two, I am feeling much better about the whole process. So for anyone out there who is struggling the way I did first semester, I truly hope this helps! A good outline is a big key to law school exam success so understanding the process is key.

A Day in the Life of a Law Student

Welcome to a day in the life of a Law Student. I am going to outline my day, Tuesday, and break down what life really looks like when you are a Law Student. FYI, it is the furthest thing from glamorous....

How to Brief a Case for Law School

Good Morning! Happy Monday!

I know many schools are starting law school orientation today or first law school classes. For those who are in either of those categories, I wish you the BEST of luck! (If you want to know more about my Orientation Experience, here are my posts about it and if you want to know what my first day of law school was like, check out this post or for a recap of my first week, check out this post)

After an Instagram q&a session, I realized there are a lot of little questions and concerns nagging at new law students. I decided to start a little series to try to answer those questions and concerns. I have already blogged about some things but over the next few days, I will be blogging daily to fill in the blanks. When complete, I will compile it all into one easy to access post to help future law students seeking answers.

Up first, how to brief a case for law school. I have not previously blogged about this because I never felt fully competent to offer advice on case briefing... I am not really sure why but it's the truth. Now that I am a 3L and I have cased briefed hundreds of cases, I feel I can express the basics without screwing anyone up. This is going to be very bare bones and simple case briefing instructions- I encourage everyone to develop their own style for briefing cases over time and with practice.

What is a Case Brief?
A case brief is as you may assume, a brief statement of the important pieces of a legal case. The law is built through precedent so the cases that came before truly contain the black letter law. Most law school classes (1L core classes in particular) involve reading vast amounts of cases. One of the best and most widespread ways for you to comprehend these often antiquated and convoluted cases is through case briefing.

A case brief pulls out the important elements of the case: the issue at stake, the rule of law established or involved, the facts of the particular case, related precedent law, the rationale of the judges for the rule and the conclusion of the case.

Case briefing before class is one of the best ways to be prepared for being cold called. Professors will often ask you to state the facts of the case or the issue at stake- if you briefed, you can simply read off of that without stressing about what the answer is. At the beginning of law school, you will often get those core elements incorrect and that is OKAY. The point of the process is to learn to read cases and be able to pick out those elements and it usually does not happen overnight. Just like anything, case briefing gets easier with time and you will improve with steady practice.

How I Case Brief
I have included an example of what my case briefs look like. (I used a fake case... you may recognize the name if you are a fan of Legally Blonde). I always write out a case brief. Some people do "book briefing" which is where they highlight the elements of a case brief within the book in different colors. This works for a lot of people but it did not work for me so I stick with written case briefs for each case in my reading.

I do like to color code my brief sections so that when I get called on in class, I just look for the corresponding color of the information I am seeking. Usually, I type up my case briefs in word so they are all pretty and easy to read and leave big margins and lots of space between elements. I print them out and fill in those big margins with class notes on the case that the professor points out and I add that into my binder with the corresponding notes from that piece of law. As for the elements of the case brief, let's break that down further. 

1. Issue

The issue of a case is whatever the case is seeking to resolve through the legal process. Most cases you read in law school are from their appellate decisions so it is issues of law not issues of fact up for argument. When reading a case, look for words like issue or whether which will often point you to the contested issue. 

A good example of an issue statement for a case brief is: 

Is the government required to notify arrested defendants of their Fifth Amendment constitutional rights against self-incrimination before interrogation? (from Miranda v. Arizona)

2. Rule of Law 

The rule of law is the legal manifestation of the decision reached by the court. Every court decision must be based on law. In the United States, we have a common law system so our law comes from precedent (previous cases and decisions). The rule of law will either comply with the precedent law or overrule it to create new law. 

The rule of law will be a firm statement of the legal basis for the conclusion the court has reached. I think this is one of the easier parts of a case brief to determine. 

An example of a rule of law for a case brief: 

Government authorities must inform individuals of their Fifth Amendment constitutional rights prior to interrogation after arrest (also from Miranda v. Arizona)

3. Precedent 

Precedent within a case brief is simply the previous cases in this chain of case law. As I said, cases in law school casebooks are usually appellate which means they have been previously tried. Precedent is an explanation of what has already happened in this case that led to it being in front of the appellate court. This is the simplest part of a case brief in my opinion. I can usually get this done in a sentence or two. 

4. Facts 

Though the most important part of cases is the rule of law and underlying rationale, it is so important to have a solid grasp of the case facts as well. Understanding what happened to give rise to the legal proceedings will help you to understand what factual basis gives rise to certain legal issues and rules of law. The facts section of a case brief should contain only the relevant facts to the issue, rationale, and rule- it should not read like a mystery novel. This should be very brief and kinda dry- leave out the juicy details in favor of a quick and dirty version of what happened. I try to keep the fact section of my case briefs to one paragraph. 

5. Rationale or Holding

This is the hardest part of a case brief in my opinion. Why did the court reach the conclusion that they did based on these facts and law? This is the very important why part of a case. This will often involve precedent law on the same issue, the policy purposes behind the relevant law and so much more. This is the part of a case brief that gets easier with lots of practice. It took me quite a lot of reading during my first semester to be able to pinpoint the rationale in a case. 

The rationale is also usually the longest part of my case briefs- this is because it is the meat of the case. This is the part of the case that actually makes you understand the why of the decision. Often, there are more than one rationales for the decision and it is important to flesh out all parts that led to the decision and conclusion. My rationale section in my case briefs will usually be a solid paragraph or two. 

6. Conclusion 

The conclusion of a case brief is simply what the court rules. Did they affirm or overrule? Who did they rule in favor for? This is simple and should be no more than a sentence or two.

Example: The court affirmed the decision of the trial court.

Bonus: Dissent or Concurrence
Sometimes cases will have dissents and concurrences. It is important to jot down some notes on which justice did so and why because it will often be a question from the professor during class.

There it is- a very quick and bare-bones outline of how I brief cases while I am reading cases for class. Everyone has their own style and everyone does things a little different. Use trial and error to figure out exactly what works for you.