Mastering Law School Classes

Law School classes are like no other because aside from reading often arcane cases and trying to figure out just exactly what’s happening in those crazy fact patterns, you also go into class with terror in your gut that you’ll be the one called on today and omg, what happens if I freeze?!

It’s really quite stressful. The fear gets easier overtime, but what you really need to cultivate during the early part of the semester is paying attention so that you actually understand. I know it seems like a no-brainer, but law school is tricky.

It tricks you into thinking you can listen and browse the internet at the same time; it tricks you into believing that your classmates are all geniuses and don’t need to pay attention and that there’s something wrong with you for seemingly not “getting” it like they do; it tricks you into thinking that showing up for class is enough.

Don’t fall for those tricks! The reason law school courses are unique is because they require a special type of mind—one that’s able to recall subtle and complicated information; apply facts to different scenarios on the spot; and do so quickly (i.e. thinking like a lawyer). This isn’t a natural talent. It takes time to understand the professors’ goals and it takes time to teach yourself this new method.

If you’re like me when I first started then you go to class; type almost everything the professor says; and then move on to the next course/topic without ever stopping to assess: am I getting this information? You may feel like you’re jumping the gun to assess yourself so early in the semester, but why not make sure you’re setting yourself up for success?

Instead of waiting until the end, here’s some steps to take to make sure you’re getting the most out of your courses:

One. Active listening. When I was in undergrad, no one used laptops in class—we barely had wifi on campus. But when I went to law school, everyone had shiny new laptops where we took down our notes. It was a given that no one would handwrite, because omg, it was 2007—get with the times, right? Ok so we all typed our notes and about 90% just typed out everything the professors said—whether it was useful info or not. Other times, everyone was online. Anytime it got confusing or my brain couldn’t process, I’d hop online to browse and soon enough class was over. Don’t do that! Yes, everyone types. Type if you want to, and though I will always profess the superiority of handwritten notes over typed ones; if you do decide to type—make a point to do so without distractions. Don’t hop online and only take down the things that matter so that you practice real listening (i.e. learning) rather than just typing and hoping to understand a few weeks later.

Two. Review now. Another error is taking notes during lecture, but not reviewing them after class. Instead, you may wait weeks (or months) before trying to absorb the material. I know, I know—who has the time to read, prep for class, take notes in class, review, and then start all over again?! It’s hard. I know and it’s not always possible, but if you make it a habit early in the semester, it will get easier as time goes on; so make it a point to review your notes soon after class to make sure you’re understanding the big concepts.

Three. Supplement where you can. You’re going to hate me because now I’m going to advise that you add on extra reading your day. I know, it’s too much. But if you are working on a subject that you just don’t seem to get or want to make sure you really understand the topics, then I recommend purchasing and reading supplemental books. It just makes such a difference in understanding the heavy topics. I’ll always remember one day in Civ Pro where the scariest professor was going on and on about how it was that judges decided law and he asked a classmate a question and she just knocked it out of the park. It was so impressive and everyone assumed she understood the subject so well. She did, but she also understood the importance of supplemental books, because it was after class that she mentioned how much Examples and Explanations had helped her. Cue everyone ordering E&Es on Amazon.