Here's Your 1L Law School Orientation Toolkit

There are many ways to acclimate to and survive the rigors of law school. But ultimately, you not only want to survive in law school, but you also want to thrive in law school. 

We’ve gathered the top information on everything that goes into your 1L year to help put you on the path to success.

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Planning for Your 1L Year

• Law School Stepping Stones
• How to Make the Most of Your 1L Year
• Embrace the Change—Law School vs. Undergrad
• How to Choose Your Courses Wisely
• Your Law Library Is Way More Than Just Books
• 5 Things I Wish I Knew before Law School

How to Succeed in the Law School Classroom

• Learning How to Think with the Socratic Method
• Mindfulness for Cold Calling: Rite of Passage or a Form of Torture?
• A Guide to Approaching Your Law School Professors
• Getting the Most out of Class and Note-Taking
• Participation Panic? 10 Tips for Authentically Amplifying Your Voice in the Law School Classroom
• Outlines and Graphic Organizers: Making Sense of a Course

Time Management in Law School

• Time Management Guide for Law Students
• Be Selfish with Your Schedule but Generous with Your Time
• Five Ways to Improve Your Time Management Skills in Law School

Legal Writing

• First-Year Legal Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• Add Reverse Outlining to Your Writing Toolbox
• The Art of Legal Writing: How to Find Your Voice
• Does Bluebooking Matter? Some Insight on How to Cite
• How to Ace Legal Writing
• How to Create Context in Legal Writing

Briefing Cases

• Why Briefing Cases Is an Essential Skill (and Why Case Summaries Should Not Be Abused)
• Briefing Cases—Learning Legal Interpretation

Law School Study Tips 

• Law Student Success 101: Reduce Distractions and Increase Focus
• Train Your Brain to Be Productive at Home
• Determining Your Study Priorities and Strategies for Exam Preparation
• Law School vs. Undergrad: Differences in Legal Education Require Differences in Study Strategies
• Planning for a Successful Online Learning Environment

Law School Study Groups

• Study Groups—Studying with Other Students for More Success
• Should I Join a Study Group in Law School? 5 Reasons for and Against
• You've Started a Law School Study Group—Now What?

Law School Exams

• Determining Your Study Priorities and Strategies for Exam Preparation
• Preparing for your first law school exam? Learn how to strategize for success

Mental Health and Well-Being

• Navigating Your Mental Health in Law School and in Your Legal Career
• Is Your Body Showing Visible Signs of Stress?
• Top Tips for Mental and Emotional Well-Being While in Law School

Student Loans and Finances

• Heads Up 1Ls: How to Finance Your Legal Education the Smart Way
• Law Student Debt: Our Profession’s Compounding Crisis
• Sticking to a Budget: One Small Step for a Law Student
• Why Building Wealth Starts Now
• How to Shift Your View of Your Student Loan Debt and Learn How to Manage It

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Looking at the Challenges Facing First-Generation Law Students (and How to Address Them)
• Tips for Success for Neurodiverse Law Students
• Law Students with Disabilities: Finding Your Community and Advocating for Yourself