10 Books To Read Before Starting Law School

10 Books To Read Before Starting Law School

Excitement is building as more and more law school acceptance letters find themselves in mailboxes and email inboxes alike. While you may feel as though the hard part is over, the real work hasn’t even started yet! As day one of law school draws ever closer, you may be wondering what you can do to prepare. Well, in addition to taking our free law school prep course and reviewing our free guide on law school success, one of the best things you can do before starting law school is to take the summer and read. Read what you may be asking? Here are our top 10 books that every soon-to-be law student should read before law school.

10 Books To Read Before Starting Law School

1. Law School Done Right: Proven Tips for Success from Recent Grads Who Killed It – Michael Seringhaus and Brian Savage

This well-known and highly revered book is somewhat of a pre-law school bible for many. The book distills invaluable expertise from past law students into bite-sized pieces of advice.

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2. Getting To Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams – Richard Michael Fisch and Jeremy Paul

Law school exams are unlike any other exam you’ve taken in your life. While past exams you’ve encountered likely praise correct answers, law school culture rewards analysis and comprehension skills. This book breaks down how law school exams are structured and how to best approach them.

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3. 1L of a Ride: A Well-Traveled Professor’s Roadmap to Success in the First Year of Law School – Andrew McClurg

1L is the most important year of law school and that is something engrained in law students from day one. Given the importance of 1L, this book is highly recommended as it covers a wide range of 1L issues. These include the first-year curriculum, types of students and professors, study techniques, etc.…

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4. One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School – Scott Turrow

With all the pressure that law students face during 1L year, it can help to have some reassurance. This book by Scott Turrow recounts his first year at Harvard Law School and all of its ups and downs. If you ever feel like no one understands what you’re going through during 1L year, this book is for you.

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5. Law School Confidential: A Complete Guide to the Law School Experience: By Students, for Students – Robert H. Miller

For those looking for…well…the ultimate guide to law school – this is it and its page count isn’t messing around. At 432 pages, this is a great read for those looking to explore all facets of law school. Just make sure you dedicate enough time to getting through the entire thing!

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6. Thinking Like a Lawyer: A New Introduction to Legal Reasoning – Frederick Schauer

Law school introduces students to a new way of thinking and approaching problems. This takes some getting used to, as you might imagine. This guide to basic legal reasoning covers everything you will encounter during your 1L year. We’re talking precedent, authority, analogical reasoning, the common law, statutory interpretation, etc…That’s right, all the good stuff.

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7. Open Book: Succeeding on Exams From the First Day of Law School – Barry Friedman

Law school class grades are determined by one single test at the end of the semester. For many students, that’s a departure from what they’re used to. Homework, class participation, and midterms play little to no role in determining a student’s final grade. What does that mean? It’s time to start getting ready for final exams! This book covers what professors love to see in law school final exams.

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8. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity – David Allen

Law school is a busy and stressful experience generally speaking. Students are faced with high levels of work, limited time, and the stress of final exam performance. This book by David Allen focuses on methods for stress-free performance and clear concise thinking for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

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9. 24 Hours with 24 Lawyers: Profiles of Traditional and Non-Traditional Careers – Jasper Kim

Law school is primarily focused on the study, analysis, and review of legal concepts. One of the most common pieces of feedback received from graduates is that law school doesn’t focus enough on practicality. What do lawyers actually do on a daily basis? What happens if you graduate from law school and don’t want to practice law? Look no further than this awesome book by Jasper Kim.

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10. The Elements of Style – William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White

As you may have gathered by this point, law school introduces a lot of firsts for students. One of the most important new skills students learn is the art of legal writing. Legal writing is truly a skill that takes time to learn and conquer. This book will help you understand the basics of legal writing.

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This list of books to read before starting law school should keep you busy but hopefully not too busy! Remember to have fun this summer and enjoy a bit of time not thinking or preparing for law school!

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