Law School Revealed: Secrets, Opportunities, and Success!

by Furi-Perry, Ursula

• ISBN13: 9781593576165
• ISBN10: 1593576161
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-05-01
• Publisher: Jist Works

Summary

Prosper in Law School-from the Beginning to the Bar

Author Biography

This book "helps you take advantage of others' mistakes and missteps in the well-worn path through law school." -Michael L. Coyne, Associate Dean of the Massachusetts School of Law

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. x
Introduction	p. 1
Law School Prep	p. 5
You're Doing It-Important Questions to Consider Before You Go	p. 7
Is Law School the Right Path for You?	p. 7
How Do You Choose a Law School?	p. 10
Should You Go Full-Time or Part-Time?	p. 15
Should You Take Some Time Off Before You Go?	p. 17
Should You Pick a School Based on a Particular Specialty?	p. 18
Summation	p. 20
Financing Law School	p. 21
What Should You Prepare Before Applying for Financial Aid?	p. 21
What Types of Student Loans Are Available to Law Students?	p. 23
What Kinds of Grants and Scholarships Are Available to Law Students?	p. 25
What About Loan Repayment Assistance Programs?	p. 27
How Can You Save on Living Expenses, Books, and Other Costs?	p. 29
Summation	p. 31
Summer Strategies for Law School Success	p. 33
What Academic Skills Do You Need to Sharpen?	p. 35
Are Law School Preparatory Courses Worthwhile?	p. 37
What's Important About Case Briefing, Outlining, and the IRAC Method?	p. 39
What Should You Know About Legal Authority and the American Legal System?	p. 42
How Can You Prepare for the Law School Grind?	p. 43
Summation	p. 44
What to Expect During the First Year	p. 47
What Courses Do All Law Students Take?	p. 48
Will You Really Study for 80 Hours per Week?	p. 52
What Skills Will You Need to Master the First Year?	p. 53
How Do You Begin to Build Relationships with Other Lawyers?	p. 54
What Resources Are Available to First-Year Law Students?	p. 55
What Are Some Myths About Law School?	p. 57
Summation	p. 61
Essential Skills	p. 63
Great Ways to Study Law	p. 65
How Do You Maximize Limited Study Time?	p. 65
Are Law School Study Groups Effective?	p. 68
Why Isn't Memorization Alone Enough?	p. 70
What About Commercial Study Guides?	p. 71
Why Doesn't Cramming Work in Law School?	p. 72
Are Grades Really as Important as Everyone Says?	p. 73
Summation	p. 77
All About Briefing and Outlining	p. 79
Why Do Case Briefs Matter?	p. 79
What Makes for a Great Case Brief?	p. 80
Why Is It Important to Outline Regularly?	p. 86
What Is the Most Effective and Efficient Way to Outline?	p. 87
What Should You Do with Your Finished Outlines?	p. 91
Summation	p. 92
Mastering Legal Research and Technology	p. 95
What's in All Those Law Books, Anyway?	p. 95
What Is the Best Way to Do Legal Research?	p. 98
How Do You Conduct Legal Research Online?	p. 99
How Do Law Schools Use Technology?	p. 101
Summation	p. 103
Legal Writing: What to Expect and How to Improve	p. 105
What Kind of Writing Is Assigned During the First Year of Law School?	p. 105
What Upper-Level Writing Opportunities Are Available?	p. 108
What Are Law Student Writing Competitions?	p. 109
How Can You Improve Your Legal Writing?	p. 110
Where Can You Get Help with Writing?	p. 113
Summation	p. 114
Writing a Great Law School Exam	p. 115
What Should You Do to Prepare for Exams?	p. 115
How Do You Use the IRAC Method on Exams?	p. 121
What Does a Good Exam Answer Look Like?	p. 130
What Else Might Help You on an Exam?	p. 135
Summation	p. 136
Bettering Your Oral Communication Skills	p. 137
Why Are Oral Communication Skills Important to Law Student Success?	p. 137
How Do You Brief a Case in Class?	p. 138
How Can You Master Oral Arguments?	p. 143
Are Debating Skills Important in Law School?	p. 145
Summation	p. 146
Law Student Ethics And Interactions	p. 147
Why Are Ethics So Important, and Why Are They Emphasized So Much in Law School?	p. 147
What Are Some Ethical Tangles to Avoid During Law School?	p. 148
How Can You Best Interact with Your Fellow Students?	p. 151
What's the Deal with All the Competition?	p. 154
Summation	p. 158
Options Worth Considering	p. 159
Joint Degrees and Advanced Law Degrees: Are They for You?	p. 161
What Can You Expect If You Enroll in a Joint Degree Program?	p. 162
What Are the Benefits of a JD/MBA?	p. 163
What Other Types of Joint Degrees Are Available?	p. 165
Is a Joint Degree Program Right for You?	p. 167
What Are LLM Programs and What Benefits Do They Offer?	p. 168
What Types of LLM Programs Are Offered at Various Schools?	p. 170
Summation	p. 173
Law School Concentrations, Certificates, and Specialization	p. 175
What Does It Mean to Specialize in Law School?	p. 175
What Are Some Common Law School Certificates or Concentrations?	p. 178
Do You Need to Specialize?	p. 181
Can Specializing Help You in Your Job Search?	p. 182
Can Specializing Help You on the Bar Exam?	p. 183
What Should You Look for in a Concentration?	p. 183
Summation	p. 185
Clinics and Internships/Externships	p. 187
How Can You Gain Practical Skills as a Law Student?	p. 187
How Can You Make the Most of a Law Student Clinic-and Why Should You?	p. 189
What Types of Clinics Are There?	p. 191
What Types of Externships/Internships Are Available to Law Students?	p. 194
What Are Summer Associate Positions, and How Can You Land One?	p. 197
How Do You Make the Most of a Summer Associate Position?	p. 198
Summation	p. 199
International Legal Study	p. 201
What Are the Benefits of Studying International Law?	p. 201
What Kinds of International and Comparative Law Programs Do American Law Schools Offer?	p. 203
What Can You Study Abroad, and Where?	p. 205
Can You Practice Law in the United States If You Are a Foreigner?	p. 207
Are ESL Resources Available for Law Students?	p. 207
Summation	p. 208
Life As A Law Student	p. 211
Balancing Work, Life, and Law School	p. 213
How Can You Reduce Law School Stress and Avoid Burnout?	p. 213
How Can You Manage Your Time to Fit Law School and Your Life?	p. 217
How Can You Maintain Your Relationships While in Law School?	p. 218
How Can Law Students Work and Go to School?	p. 223
What Does "Part-Time" Legal Study Entail?	p. 225
What Habits Should You Avoid in Law School and When Should You Seek Help?	p. 228
Summation	p. 230
Law School Extracurriculars	p. 231
How Can You Get Involved in Law School Activities-and Why Should You?	p. 231
What Are Moot Court and Trial Advocacy Programs?	p. 233
How Do You Get on a Law Review?	p. 235
What Are Student Bar Associations?	p. 236
Summation	p. 238
Law School Diversity: Resources For Students From Typically Underrepresented Backgrounds	p. 239
What Should You Look for in a School?	p. 240
What Online Resources Are Available for Female Law Students?	p. 243
What Are Some Other Online Resources for Law Students?	p. 244
Summation	p. 245
The Bar Exam and Beyond	p. 247
Focused Study For The Bar Exam Throughout Law School	p. 249
What Is the Bar Exam, and What Does It Test?	p. 249
Is It Really Possible to Prepare for the Bar Exam While Still in Law School?	p. 251
What Study Techniques Can Help You Prepare for the Bar?	p. 252
How Can Taking Notes in Law School Help You on the Bar?	p. 256
What Can You Expect When You Finish Law School and It's Time to Prepare for the Bar?	p. 257
Summation	p. 259
Career Planning For New JDs	p. 261
What Are Some Career Paths for New JDs?	p. 261
How Do You Figure Out Which Career Path to Take?	p. 264
How Do You Prepare for and Find Your First Job as a Lawyer?	p. 266
How Can You Impress Potential Employers in an Interview?	p. 268
What Are Some Career Resources for Law Students and New JDs?	p. 270
How Can You Use Networking Successfully?	p. 271
Summation	p. 273
What Final Words of Wisdom Should I Remember from This Book?	p. 274
Glossary	p. 279
Index	p. 285
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.