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First-year Law Student Guide   Tags: citation, exam, firstyear, legalanalysis, legalwriting  

This guide is designed for first-year law students who are looking for materials to help them with their legal research and writing course (LARAW), and basic legal analysis. There is also a section on preparing for exams.
Last Updated: Apr 2, 2013 URL: http://lawguides.scu.edu/firstyear Print Guide RSS UpdatesShareThis

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CALI

The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction is a non-profit consortium that creates tutorials for first and second year law students.  They are typically Flash-based and include quizes, examples, and interactive illustrations.  Some students find these to be very helpful for preparing for exams.

Articles to Get You Started in Law School

  • How to Read a Legal Opinion by Orin S. Kerr
    This essay is designed to help new law students prepare for the first few weeks of class. It explains what judicial opinions are, how they are structured, and what law students should look for when reading them.

Practical Advice

  • How To Save Money On A New Suit
    If you haven’t started law school yet, you’ll want to include a new suit in your list of back to school supplies. You’ll not only need it for job interviews, but if you plan on taking part in moot court, you’ll have to wear one, too. But at $200-$300 a pop, suits are expensive, especially for a starving law student like yourself. Here are 5 tips on how you can save tons of money on your next suit, but still look like a million bucks.
  • 180 Money Saving Tips
    Here’s a list of 180 money saving tips that can turn your financial life around 180 degrees.
 

Introduction

Heafey Law Library has nutshellshornbooks and other study resources available for use by law students. Typically, the latest editions of the nutshells and hornbooks are available in the Stauffer Reserve Collection, unless a professor has placed the title on course reserve.  You can search for either hornbooks or nutshells in OSCAR, the library's online catalog, by searching by title for the phrase: hornbook series or nutshell series.  Other series students may find of interest are:  Black LetterLaw School Exam SeriesExamples & ExplanationsSiegel'sExam ProLegal Text SeriesQuestions & Answers Series, or the Understanding Series. Check on ClaraNet for Research Guides prepared by the reference staff.  Please check with the reference staff if you need assistance in finding a title.

The library also has old SCU Law exams on file, but only those exams that the faculty have agreed to include in our collection.  These published exams normally include only essay questions and do not include multiple choice or true/false questions. Please see the Research Guide on Law School Exams: Locating Tips, Strategies, & Sample Questions.  Some professors may place multiple choice exams on course reserve in the library or professors may place exams, multiple choice questions, sample answers, or other special exam materials online either on ClaraNet [password required], their personal web site, or on TWEN [The West Education Network] if they are using it.

The library staff recommends that you utilize the exam indexes first to locate exams.  If no exams are available for your course or professor, check the Course Reserve Lists on OSCAR Finally, you should check the personal website of the faculty.

 

Essential Reading

Cover Art
Acing Your First Year of Law School : The Ten Steps to Success you won't learn in class. 2nd ed. - Shana Connell Noyes & Henry S. Noyes.
Call Number: Law Open Reserve KF283 N69 2008
ISBN: 9780837714103
Provides advice for the first year law student on a variety of issues and strategies to help them avoid the pitfalls that are common among first year students.

Cover Art
Bridging the Gap Between College and Law School : Strategies for Success. 2nd ed. - Ruta K. Stropus and Charlotte D. Taylor
Call Number: Law Stacks KF283 S87 2009
ISBN: 9781594606038
Publication Date: 2009
This text provides advice that can assist the student in making the transition from college to law school. The authors explain: the "why" of law; the "how" of law; and the "what" of law. The authors also offer suggestions and tips on time management, exam preparation tips, and other resources to help the student "bridge the gap".

Cover Art
Demystifying the First Year of Law School : A Guide to the 1L Experience - Albert J. Moore and David A. Binder
Call Number: Law Stacks KF283 M66 2010
ISBN: 0735584494
The authors provide law students with explicit frameworks for reading and analyzing court opinions in all first year courses. Using hypothetical classroom dialogues, the book explains how these frameworks will help student understand and participate in classroom discussions, answer questions on exams, and use the skills learned in the first year when representing clients in practice.

Cover Art
Hard-Nosed Advice from a Cranky Law Professor - Austen L. Parrish; Cristina K. Knolton
Call Number: Law Open Reserve KF283 .P37 2010
ISBN: 1594608024
Publication Date: 2010-05-01
This book is designed for new law students who would like to improve their chances of doing well in law school. Written from the perspective of a cranky, cantankerous professor, the book side-steps pleasantries to provide no-nonsense, sometimes hard-nosed advice that is intended to instruct students on what they must do to succeed. While blunt, the practical advice is provided in a light-hearted, humorous way. The book's aim is to give concise answers to questions that most students have when they begin law school.

Cover Art
Law School Exams: A Guide to Better Grades - Schimel, Alex
Call Number: Law Open Reserve KF283 .S335 2012
ISBN: 1611630596
Publication Date: 2012
This text offers fresh insight into law school exams. It covers time management, outlining, and case briefing techniques.

Cover Art
Law School Revealed : Secrets, Opportunities, and Success! - Ursula Furi-Perry
Call Number: Law Open Reserve KF283 F87 2009
ISBN: 9781593576165
Publication Date: 2009
This text offers a very comprehensive look at the law school experience. While the main focus is on law school academic success strategies, the book also covers critical information such as joint degree and concentration options, study abroad, extracurriculars, and career planning. There are also sections on legal research, legal writing, and writing great law school exams. For those looking ahead there is a section on the Bary Exam and Career Planning.

Cover Art
The Law Student's Pocket Mentor - Ann L. Iijima
Call Number: Law Open Reserve KF283 .I35 2007
ISBN: 9780735540347
Publication Date: 2007-08-08
This text guides students from the summer before starting law school straight through to their first clerking experience. It is a practical, step-by-step guide that uses exercises, worksheets, and checklists to help students identify their needs, plan strategies, and organize their efforts to maximize success in law school.

Cover Art
Learning Outside the Box : A Handbook for Students Who Learn Differently - Christensen, Leah M.
Call Number: Law Open Reserve KF283 C48 2011
ISBN: 1594606922
Publication Date: 2011
The purpose of this book is to provide research-based learning strategies for law students who learn differently. If you are a student who has been diagnosed with a learning disability or if you simply have a unique learning style, you may need to outline differently, read cases differently, and approach law school in a more active, engaged and efficient manner. This book offers learning strategies grounded in empirical research to help law students who learn differently maximize their academic success.

Cover Art
Learning the Law: Success in Law School and Beyond - Steven J. Frank
Call Number: Law Stacks KF283 F73 1997
ISBN: 0806518715
Publication Date: 2000-06-01
Learning the Law shows the reader what it means to think like a laywer. It introduces you to leagal reasoning and some basic jurisprudence. It also takes you beyond graduation and explains what lies ahead.

Cover Art
Strategies & Tactics for the First Year Law Student : Maximize Your Grades - Walton, Kimm Alayne
Call Number: Law Open Reserve KF283 W35 2004
ISBN: 0735539987
Publication Date: 2004
This text gives you a detailed, step-by-step program for surviving the first year of law school. There are sections on sharpening your note-taking skills, dealing with pressure and exam taking tips.

Cover Art
The Zen of Law School Success - Noreuil, Chad
Call Number: Law Stacks KF283 .N67 2011
ISBN: 1611631210
Publication Date: 2011
This text offers a comprehensive approach to succeeding in law school. The author offers practical advice for doing well during the classroom Socratic Method, managing law school stress, and doing well on final exams.

Other Guides for New Students

First-year Law Student Guide
by Reference Department - Last Updated Apr 2, 2013
This guide is designed for first-year law students who are looking for materials to help them with their legal research and writing course (LARAW), and basic legal analysis. There is also a section on preparing for exams.
658 views this year
How to find previous exams
by David Holt - Last Updated Sep 28, 2011
Use this guide to find previous exams given at Santa Clara Law. Exams may be available in either print, or available electronically.
332 views this year
How to Read a Legal Citation
by David Holt - Last Updated Mar 30, 2012
This is a brief introduction designed for beginning first year law students on how to read a legal citation.
2,914 views this year
Introduction to United States Law
by David Holt - Last Updated Aug 29, 2012
This guide is designed to give students, particularly foreign law students unfamiliar with United States and common law, a list of sources in the law library that provide general background information on United States law and American legal English.
422 views this year
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