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Most law schools follow the same curriculum with classes that teach topics that will appear on the bar exam. Although you will be able to take a couple electives, most 1L courses are assigned. Here is a typical 1L curriculum: Contracts. You'll learn the legal requirements for forming a contract and defenses you can raise if you break one. Torts. Torts are civil wrongs: trespass, assault, battery, personal injury, defamation, etc. The injured party can sue whoever injured them and get money compensation. Civil Procedure. This class will cover the rules for filing lawsuits in federal court. Criminal law. Learn what the state must prove to convict someone of murder, assault, rape, etc. Legal writing. You'll learn how to write objective legal memos and persuasive appellate briefs. Legal writing is usually a small section of about 20 students. Property. This class covers the rules of propertyhow you get and pass title, as well as restrictions on property. Constitutional law. Learn how the meaning of the U.S. Constitution has evolved over more than 200 years. Everyone talks about "briefing" cases, which is usually helpful at the beginning of the semester. To brief a case, do the following: Read the case several times. Legal writing is dense, particularly cases written in the 19th Century. You'll probably read very slowly at first. Don't skip anything as you read. Write a short summary of the facts. Who is the plaintiff (the person bringing the suit)? Who is the defendant? What happened? What court are they appearing in? If you're called on in class, you may have to give a short summary of the dispute. Identify the issues in dispute. For example, a case might be about whether a celebrity living in California can sue someone in a California court when the defendant hasn't stepped foot in the state. Identify the "rule." The rule is the applicable law that has been applied and then adjudicated by the judge that's presiding over the case. Write down the court's holding. This is what the court decided. Also include some bullet points on the reasons given. Describe any dissenting opinion. Go back and read the majority's opinion to see how they rebutted the dissent. List any questions you have. You'll probably be assigned hundreds of pages to read each night, so it is very easy to fall behind. Make it a point to stay on top of your reading. You might have been able to procrastinate in undergrad, but you can't anymore. Most students take notes using their laptops. That way, you can easily transfer your notes to your outline. You'll want to write down what your professor thinks about the cases, because they will be grading your exam. Most law schools have Wi-Fi, and you'll be tempted to surf the Internet while in class. In fact, almost everyone does at one point or another. However, if you want to focus on the class discussion, then take handwritten notes. This will force you to focus. If you have a disability and you need assistance taking your notes, let your school know. Most law schools have student note takers that can provide you with thorough notes from class. If you watch the movie "The Paper Chase," then you're familiar with the Socratic Method. This form of questioning often leaves students confused and humiliated. Not all professors use a full-on Socratic Method, but they still might use a watered-down version: they'll have you summarize the case and then ask a series of questions meant to get you to think critically about legal issues. For example, you might think "Nobody can tell me what to do with my body" is a good legal rule. However, your professor will probably pose a series of hypotheticals: can the state criminalize public dueling? Nudity around children? Nudity around other adults? The primary purpose of these questions is to get you to think about the hidden assumptions in your thinking. As a class, you can then work through these blind spots. In fact, there might not be any "right" answer. Another purpose of questioning is to get you comfortable thinking on your feet. If you represent clients in court, you can expect a judge to ask you sharp questions, so get comfortable early with the process of thinking aloud. Outlining is a helpful technique for seeing how all of the material in a subject relates to each other. If you don't know how to outline, get sample outline from 2Ls or 3Ls who took the class from the same professor. Use them as guides. One key to outlining effectively is knowing when to start. Don't get into a competition with other students. Some might claim to be outlining by September, which is too early. Instead, wait until you've covered a good portion of the syllabus. Always revisit your outline as the material becomes clearer. You may need to supplement or change information. There's a lot of supplemental material on the marketcase briefs, commercial outlines, nutshells, etc. Don't rely on them too heavily. They are helpful for seeing the big picture, but ultimately you need to understand what your professor thinks about the material. These supplements can also be quite expensive. Try to get a copy from the library or a used copy on Amazon or eBay. If you want to use a supplement, know which ones to get. For example, many people use Chemerinsky's supplement for Constitutional Law. Ask 2Ls what supplements they found helpful. Everything might not be crystal clear when you begin. This is normal! However, you should consistently strive to understand the material as much as you can. Visit your professor during office hours to ask all of the questions that weren't answered in class. Many classes will also have a student teaching assistant, who is a 2L or 3L who can answer your questions. Avoid thinking about exams until around November 1. If you obsess earlier in the semester, you'll only make yourself nervous.
Identify the courses you will take. Learn how to brief a case. Keep up with your reading. Take notes in class. Do your best when called on in class. Outline your course material. Use commercial supplements intelligently. Stay calm.