First Year Law Student Survival Guide

Embarking on the journey of law school is a significant undertaking. The first year, often referred to as "1L," is particularly crucial as it sets the foundation for your legal education. This guide aims to provide practical advice and resources to help you navigate the challenges and thrive during your first year of law school.

Understanding the Landscape

Law school differs significantly from undergraduate studies. The workload is demanding, the learning style is unique, and the pressure to perform is high. Adjusting your mindset and habits is essential for success.

Why Are You Here?

Before diving into the specifics, take some time to reflect on why you chose to attend law school. Having a clear understanding of your motivations will serve as a grounding force during challenging times. Articulating your reasons can also help you determine what type of advice you value and which individuals you should seek guidance from.

The Library: Your Mission Control

The law library is an invaluable resource for law students. Familiarize yourself with its services and resources.

Circulation Desk: Consider the Circulation Desk as Mission Control Post of the library. The Circulation Team assists with various operational library needs. You can seek assistance with booking a study room, checking out Course Reserves, chargers, book stands, wellness-recreational equipment, or if you have any general questions and/or concerns. The Circ Team is the library’s front-facing management team, consisting of individuals like Ken, Cameron, Tiffany, Krista, Suzie, and Angie. During the library’s business hours, they are available to assist with all your operational library needs.
Reference Desk: If you have questions about research, this is the place to come. The reference department holds both a J.D. and a master's degree in library and information science. They also teach your legal research classes, so you'll see one or more of them in class this semester! Reference assistance is offered in person at the reference desk from 12pm-2pm, Monday through Thursday, and also from 4pm-6pm, Mondays.
Quiet Study Spaces: The Lack Reading Room is available to you as a quiet study space, 24 hours a day. You can access the room through the library or after hours with your student ID using the key card entry on the patio door. The 3rd floor of Casassa, accessible via the skybridge, and the basement are designated "silent" study spaces where absolute quiet is expected.
Popular Reading Room: Taking breaks to enjoy something other than your casebook is important. For something other than law, check out a book of DVD from our Popular Reading Room just around the corner from the Lack Reading Room.
Computer Resources Center (CRC): The Library Computer Resources Center (CRC), also known as the Computer Lab, located on the 2nd floor, has 8 workstations, one multi-function color printer, 4 black and white printers, 3 book/document scanners, 1 HP copier/scanner, and additional peripheral devices available for student use. CRC computers provide access to various application software (e.g., Microsoft Office products, Adobe, etc.). Loyola Law School students are allocated a virtual amount of $300 for Printing and Copying per year to be used on the CRC printers, credited to each student's PaperCut account. The CRC Help Desk functions as campus ITS. The staff here facilitate and support student access to tech services such as: your Banner/Prowl account, wireless access, software support, etc.
Hannon Atrium: Hannon Atrium offers books, natural light, and study rooms. For books, California and federal primary source materials are here. The skylight makes this space underneath it one of the building’s top study areas, although the study rooms along the side rival that popularity. The library provides a comprehensive study aids collection, both in print and online. Print study aids are available at the Circulation desk in the library's reserve collection, for brief check-out periods. But unlimited access to several digital study aid packages is also available.
Exam Archive: The library maintains a Law School Exam Archive, which provides current Northwestern law students will access to exams from previous years.
Food and Drink: As long as there is no mask policy in place, you're welcome to eat and drink in the library. We just ask that you be respectful of the space and others.

Academic Strategies

Effective Studying

A key part of success at law school is learning how to study effectively. While time in the classroom can be demanding, studying is an even larger piece of the law school pie. The sooner you begin studying case briefs and your class notes, the quicker you’ll start to understand the law.

Read also: Navigating Your First Year

Adapt Your Habits: You cannot study the same way in law school that you did in undergrad! The students that figure this out sooner rather than later, are the ones that do better their first year. Be prepared to change your study habits and start implementing new habits early.
Case Briefs: Learn how to read cases, and access your notes or outlines anywhere. A student brief is a short summary and analysis of the case prepared for use in classroom discussion. The purpose of the essay is to help entering law students understand how to read a legal opinion.Don’t dread getting called on in class.
Briefing Cases Efficiently: Coming to class prepared is important. However, spending hours briefing every case assigned by your professor is not necessary. Rather, you should use case brief material wisely to prepare for class efficiently.
Note-Taking: When in class you should take good notes. After class, you should review your notes and carve out time in your schedule to outline.
Outlining: Start outlining early! By not procrastinating and by starting early, you will know the material SO much better and have ample time to actually practice application of the law. This will all equate to a higher grade. Higher grades equate to less stress and more opportunities.
Memorization: Another habit you should start implementing immediately is memorizing your outline. You should get familiar with some active review strategies that aid in your memorization too.
Practice Application: Plan time to practice application of the law. Your law school exams will test if you know the law and if can apply it. Therefore, all of your habits and study strategies should be furthering these two things.
Exam Preparation: Exam Pro (on West Academic) consists of essay questions actually given by law professors throughout the United States. Every question contains a detailed explanation, along with analytical steps explained in easy-to-understand, basic language, and a step-by-step guide on how to analyze each major issue. Both “model” answers and student “actual” answers are provided.
Supplements: Speaking of studying, the library provides a comprehensive study aids collection, both in print and online. Print study aids are available at the Circulation desk in the library's reserve collection, for brief check-out periods. But unlimited access to several digital study aid packages is also available.

Time Management

Time management is crucial in law school. Estimate how long it will take you to do each class task. Think of law school like a marathon - a long race, not a sprint. Adjusting your mindset, however, will help you to not feel overwhelmed. Find a good balance between law school and free time; maintain an updated calendar of all your assignments, classes and activities.

Avoid Procrastination: Procrastination is the root of most law school problems. Try to avoid this as much as possible.

Understanding Legal Concepts

Demurrer: What is the definition of demurrer and what is it commonly known as? A sampling of curated content powered by Quimbee.
Legal Analysis: Legal analysis and answering the question "why" -- "However, … It involves telling clients, partners and strangers at cocktail parties, “it depends” - it depends on the facts of the case, the jurisdiction, the individual judge, the terms and conditions, and more. You may have already discovered that - but are you making the most of that time so you retain what you read and are productive with your writing time? Keep in mind, there are tactics you can practice to make the most of your time.

Career Development

Networking

One of the most important skills lawyers can develop is the ability to attract new clients. Take stock of your network by making a list of all your acquaintances and resources. These resources include your law school placement office, social groups, law school contacts and professors.

Resume Building

Updating your resume throughout law school will be beneficial when the time comes to studying for the bar exam. Be proactive about updating your resume and looking for summer associate opportunities - it will come fast!

Conciseness: Making your resume concise. Keep your resume short and straight-forward.
Tailoring: Tailoring your resume to the job. Practice makes perfect. Be sure to research the firm before your interview and practice anticipated questions with family and friends.

Building Relationships

Get to know your professors and peers, as the legal world is a small community. Law school is actually quite short and will go by quick in the grand scheme of things. This means that you should go to some social events and get involved in a group or club. If you get involved in extracurriculars and make friends, law school is much more enjoyable. However, be sure if you are participating in social events that you act professionally. Don’t put yourself in a position to say something that you regret later. While the event may be over, those types of interactions last forever.

Well-being

Self-Care

Take care of yourself-both physically and mentally. You may read this heading and rolled your eyes. But I promise, one of the first things people do when stressed and overwhelmed is to not take care of themselves. They stop eating the right foods, they stop sleeping, and sometimes stop working out. Keep this in mind as the first semester of law school progresses. You will notice people are frequently sick or gain/lose weight.

Read also: Student Transportation Evolution

To avoid these issues, make sure that you are getting sleep. If you feel compelled to stay up late finishing your reading or work, maybe you should consider putting in more hours on the weekend so that you can get decent sleep during the week. If you find yourself crunched on time and unable to plan or make healthy meals look into university dining options or try to carve out time on the weekend to grocery shop so that you have healthy options readily available.

This is also a great time to lean on family that wants to help you but doesn’t really know how. Seek out a counselor if you start to feel really anxious or depressed. Many programs have a confidential program a few times a month where you can talk to a professional and maybe find some relief. Otherwise, talk to a non-law school friend or family member. You may find that a conversation or a vent session can provide some insight or relief. Lastly, many law students often find that working out is a great stress reliever and work that into their weekly schedule as an essential element to their overall health.

Remember to be Nice

It’s your first year in law school. You’ve been waiting years for this moment - now that you’re finally here, what do you do? Well, it depends. For starters - be nice to your classmates. We know what you’re thinking: “I’m really a nice person.

Recommended Resources

There are a number of books on how to navigate and succeed in law school. We've listed some below, but you may find others even more helpful.

First Year Law School Advice: A Survival GuideFirst Year Law School Advice: There is a ton of advice out there, between books, blogs and people, regarding law school. Before you determine what advice you want to follow or attach value to, our first recommendation is that you really think about why you are going to law school.
Beyond One L: Stories About Finding Meaning and Making a Difference in Law is inspired by Scott Turow''s One L, the classic account of a first year law student''s experience at Harvard Law School.

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