Tips I Wish I Knew When I Started Law School

Being a 1L was one of, if not, the toughest years of my whole life. I knew law school would be challenging but I didn't imagine I would struggle as much as I did that first year. I have compiled a list of tips I wish someone had shared with me when I started law school.

Focus less on the trees and more on the forest.

In the first year, you will be taught how to analyze a fact pattern and brief a case. Analyzing a fact pattern will be essential to every exam you take in law school. Briefing a case is what every class reading assignment will require. You will be instructed to use a method such as IRAC or CREAC but don't get lost in the structural details! Focus on the main points and ask yourself, 'What is the issue here?' I spent way too much time making sure my case briefs were perfect and when it came time to understand how the case connected to the topic at hand, I was lost! On my 1L final exams I tried hard to stay within the recommended structures and the flow was off. Focus less on the structure of your analysis and brief and more on the main points. Remember if you are cold called by professors they will not ask if you followed the structure. Instead, they will ask you to explain the facts and issues.

Grades matter, but connections may matter more.

Whether your GPA is a 4.0 or a 3.0 doesn't mean you can't get the same job. Go out and network. Speak to alumni who can assist you with finding internships and full-time positions. Yes, I know, grades do of course matter but remember your goal. The times I felt so down on myself for getting a bad grade in a class only made me push harder and I still ended up with multiple job offers, despite not being a straight-A student. One of my best legal connections was a mom I met at a park while babysitting to make extra money during law school. We still talk often and she has connected me with lawyers in my field of interest. Grades do matter but connections can get you just as far as an A (if not further).

Your calendar is your best friend.

At the beginning of each semester, you will receive a syllabus for every class. Take some time to put all the test dates, assignment due dates, and other important dates into your calendar. I prefer to do this on my phone, so I receive notifications in advance. You can even set multiple notifications for different times so maybe set one for a week in advance and one for the day before. This will help you never fall behind. In law school there aren't a lot of assignments per class. There may be a midterm and a final or maybe just three papers, which means that each assignment will carry a lot of weight in your grade. It is really important to not miss deadlines and befriending your calendar will keep you on track!

Don't isolate, join something.

It is easy to get caught up in studying A LOT. The hours can fly by at the library. I have learned a lot of important things from my peers that I wouldn’t know if I was isolating. Joining student organizations and clubs is a great way to meet people both similar to you and different from you. These connections will help you- these peers may become your new study partner, or they may have a connection to an alum who works in a field you are interested in, or they may have an outline they can share with you! Every professor is different so you may meet a peer who has advice on a specific class and a certain professor’s exam style.  Some student organizations will hold textbook sales where you can buy another student’s old book for much cheaper than the going rate. Be open to connecting with your peers because they are in this with you, and they may become your friends. We all need friends in law school.

Technically everyone is undecided at law school.

In law school, you do not pick a major and therefore we are all undecided! The classes for 1Ls are usually chosen by the school and electives are taken in the following school years. This may be annoying to some students who know what field of law interests them but the beauty in this is that you get to experience all different topics of the law before you choose electives. Be open to taking courses in a variety of topics (this will help you on the bar!). Do not get discouraged if your friends know what field of law they want to pursue; students change their paths often, and that’s ok!

You are paying a lot for school, so take advantage of what's offered.

The school will send a lot of emails about events.  I know it's easy to just hit delete but instead, stop, read them and see what the event has to offer! Maybe an attorney is coming to speak about a field of law you are interested in, or a district attorney is visiting to tell you about their office and internship program. These events provide insight, and you may just make a connection. Your law school may also reach out with opportunities for mock interviews and headshots. These are all (usually) free and are great resources. Most schools will have an academic office of some variety where counselors can help you choose courses and make sure you are on the right track to graduate. I recommend speaking with a counselor at least once a semester to prepare for the following semester as this will make registering for classes easier. Take all the free insight and help you can get in law school.

Most legal learning happens OUTSIDE the classroom.

You will learn a lot about the law and its history inside the classroom, but you won't actually learn how to practice the law. Yes of course, you can join moot court or trial court, and this may give you more courtroom experience than your peers but if you want to really learn how to practice the law you need to see it first-hand. This happens through internships, clinics, and other extracurricular positions. My first time drafting a petition and filing a legal document was in my internship, my first time representing a client was in my clinic, and my first time interviewing a client was in a pro bono program outside of school. There is A LOT to learn in the classroom but the real practical skills of being a lawyer come from the learning outside the classroom. Prioritize getting experience beyond the classroom!

Find a passion (that's not the law) to shift your focus.

Reading 500 pages a week in small print can cause tiredness, headaches, and overall blah-ness. I recommend finding a passion or goal to pursue that’s outside of law school. I decided to sign up for a half marathon even thought I was not a runner at the time! My goal was to complete it, in whatever time I could, because I wanted to focus on something else in my life that wasn’t just law school. I needed a healthy outlet!  I was able to unwind while running and completely forget about school. Find a passion or set a goal and make sure it doesn’t have anything to do with school! It may feel challenging to make the time but the ability to manage your schedule and balance interests will be helpful after law school.

Your health is actually more important than school.

The number of times I had a cold or virus and still came to school because I feared missing a day would set me back, is uncountable. Do not do this! I finally learned in my 3L year that if you are sick it's more important to rest and get better. It's hard for your body to recover when you are sitting in a doctrinal class being lectured to for over an hour and typing at lightning speed. Instead, stay home- take the day and rest. You can ALWAYS catch up. Ask a classmate for the notes from that day and email the TA or professor to meet. This doesn’t just apply to physical health; it applies to mental health too. It is human to have a bad day and there is nothing to be ashamed of if you need a day to restore your mind. Prioritize your health, it will make you a better law student!

Lastly, just be yourself.

I know this is very cliché but there's a lot of stereotypes about law students and lawyers. It is easy to get caught up in the idea that you should be a workaholic, overly prestigious, or argumentative about everything. In reality, we are pretty much like everyone else just with a specialized set of knowledge. When I started law school all I did was schoolwork 24/7 and I came to realize this is exactly how burnout occurs. I wore nice put-together outfits to school as a 1L and came to realize it's not necessary. It is more important to be comfortable in school and if that means wearing sweats on a day you don't have to present, then do it! Don't worry about whether you fit into the mold of the stereotypical law student or lawyer. There will be enough to stress over in law school and imposter syndrome should not be one of those stressors; you got into law school for a reason!