Whether you’re just starting out your 1L year or returning back to school again, welcome! We understand that coming back to school can be a difficult transition, especially for 1L students who are new to the landscape of law school. To help, the library staff has curated a selection of books to guide you through your law school journey. Though many of these books are directed toward 1Ls, all of them hold valuable insights for any point of your law school journey. They are currently on display on the 5th floor next to the reference desk. These books (and many others!) can be checked out at circulation. The College of Law Library wishes you the best of luck in the semester ahead!
The books currently on display, along with brief summaries, are listed below.
Starting Off Right in Law School by Carolyn J. Nygren
“Law school is different. Incoming students, confronted with an entirely new vocabulary and unfamiliar with the discipline’s unique and demanding educational methods, are often disoriented. This book is designed to give these students a head start, both by introducing them to the fundamentals of the legal process and by helping them acquire the study skills necessary for success. Starting Off Right in Law School introduces new law students to the practice and study of law by following a lawsuit from its inception through the appeals process, illustrating what lawyers actually do, how they prepare, how they interact with clients and in courtrooms, how a lawsuit proceeds, and how students can effectively read and analyze cases, outline, and apply what they have learned on the exams”– Provided by publisher.
Reading Like a Lawyer: Mastering the Art of Reading Law Like an Expert by Ruth Ann McKinney
“Studies show that the reading skills your students have developed in college may not be enough to ensure their success in law school. Reading law requires professionals to understand the purpose of their reading, to form and express opinions about what they’re reading, to apply legal logic, to read with energy, and to adopt sophisticated reading habits that are unique to the study of law. Written for law students, pre-law students, paralegals, and others interested in developing these reading skills, Reading Like a Lawyer teaches each of the following critical legal reading skills: how to read legal casebooks and engage in class, as well as how to use your reading to prepare for exams; how to read published court cases outside of a casebook; how to read legislative material; and how to read online effectively. Based on sound educational research, each chapter includes exercises that challenge students to apply what they have learned.” — Provided by publisher
The Mindful Law Student: A Mindfulness in Law Practice Guide by Scott L. Rogers
“The Mindful Law Student is an innovative guide to learning about mindfulness and integrating mindfulness practices into the law school experience. Through the use of metaphor, insight, mindfulness practices, and relaxation and self-care exercises, students are reminded of the tools they have long carried with them to navigate the exciting and challenging environment of law school and the practice of law. Scott Rogers brings readers on a journey through the law school experience with seven hypothetical students who experience situations not unlike their own that make tangible the challenges, benefits, and promise of mindfulness. He provides real-world examples of applying mindfulness in law school using language of the law to impart mindfulness insights and practices. This novel guide is an approachable and valuable resource for any law student”– Provided by publisher.
The Guide to Belonging in Law School by Russell A. McClain
“The Guide to Belonging in Law School is the only book of its kind and should be required summer reading before law school. It accomplishes two discrete goals. First, it requires readers to engage in an authentic, rigorous, mini-law school semester involving reading, studying, exam preparation, and exam writing. Second, the book provides a foundation for students from marginalized groups to recognize and manage both subtle and explicit barriers that can impede their progress. Law schools should recommend this book to every incoming law student, especially those from groups underrepresented in the profession. Professor McClain is a nationally-recognized expert on inclusiveness and minority student achievement in law school.” — Provided by publisher
The Gunner’s Guide to Law School by Marc A. Silverman
“This book provides those frameworks for how to think and work as a student in law school. The author suggests that students strive to be “Gunners”, or fully-invested students, who are willing to take a dedicated approach to their law school education. The book contains seven chapters worth of tips and guidance for how to succeed in law school”– Provided by publisher.
The Law of Law School: The Essential Guide for First-Year Law Students by Andrew Guthrie Ferguson and Jonathan Yusef Newton.
“…From self-care tips such as “Remove the Drama,” to studying tricks like “Prepare for Class like an Appellate Argument,” topics on exams, classroom expectations, outlining, case briefing, professors, and mental health are all broken down into the rules that form the hidden law of law school. If you don’t have a network of lawyers in your family and are unsure of what to expect, Ferguson and Newton offer a forthright guide to navigating the expectations, challenges, and secrets to first-year success. Jonathan Newton was himself such a non-traditional student and now shares his story as a pathway to a meaningful and positive law school experience. This book is perfect for the soon-to-be law school student or the current 1L and speaks to the growing number of first-generation law students in America.” — Provided by publisher
The Blackacre Times 