P.A.S.S. The Bar Exam

How's law school going? Are your case briefs longer than the cases themselves???

We'll have more blogs down the road on case briefing. It's probably one of the most mystified of the One L skills (along with that huge exam "secret" called "IRAC" --not Iraq, but IRAC --that one we've also worked to demystify here in this blog!)... So, here's today's test:

What are the outcomes in the cases you've been reading? What do the terms remanded, reversed and affirmed mean? Do you keep straight which are which?

And how about those parties! Do P's and D's tend to get blurred halfway through reading? Do you remember who is whom? Call them by descriptive names --not just the Plaintiff and Defendant (figure out their roles, and read with a "key" that says Plaintiff-Owner and Defendant-Builder, or Plaintiff-Victim and Defendant-Car Driver. Do chronologies of the facts as you read the case before you try to write up your brief, so you can see what happened in what order.

Are you reading with your legal dictionary in hand?

And, what do your "briefs" look like? Are they brief? Or are they longer than the cases you are reading? Are you getting the hang of which facts are important to leave in?

No stress. It takes a while to get the process. Bottom line, however, persist! Do not buy "canned briefs" and assume you can just "skip this step." (You CAN do it and get through law school, but you will be haunted and regret that choice profoundly when you go to take the Bar Exam! --and beyond....)

Tell us where you are getting stuck, and look for many more tips down the road! And, keep up the process. Never give up!!!!

Are you beginning Law School this year?

Are you just a couple of weeks from starting law school? Many law school orientations are held in mid to late August.

If you are starting law school, plan to attend and pay attention to every part of your school’s orientation. You might find sessions on case briefing, study tips, time management techniques. You may meet student services personnel and learn about students groups. You will meet classmates, professors, and likely the Dean. You may meet an upper division student or someone from the SBA who might become a mentor. You may get info on financial aid, technology services, academic support, the library, and much more.

All this information may seem overwhelming, and it likely is. But, go, and be present, and listen. Pay particular attention to who to go to for help with questions as they arise. You won't remember all the details you are told, but if you remember (and write down) who does what jobs, who takes care of which slices of law school life, then you can go ask for information when you need it.

In some ways, you don't even know yet which questions to ask, so again, don't worry about that part either. Just pay attention to the big categories, and again, to where the resources are.

You will have questions, eventually. Many of them. And, when you have them, don't be afraid to ask. We'll talk a great deal as the year unfolds about overcoming the fears of asking questions, about some questions you can resolve on your own, and, about other queries and concerns, that can be answered in a fraction of the time and stress, with a useful website, book and/or a helpful person!

One last point for now.... Are you nervous? Great! Embrace it. Own it. Go with it. You are embarking on a big endeavor, a process that will transform you and one that will take an enormous commitment on your part to succeed. It would be odd to not be a bit nervous. But, as we will discuss in so many instances, fear can be an extraordinary motivator --and in some ways a measure of caring. If it didn't matter to you, you would not be experiencing concerns.

So, Congratulations on starting out on this legal education path! First stop: Orientation. Listen, and Learn!!!!