Last Updated on July 30, 2023
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How To Study In Law School
How to Study Law
Studying smarter, not harder, is the key to success when studying law. The field of law provides such a diverse and vast opportunity for knowledge acquisition that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to learn and do it all. As a student of law, part of your job is to determine how and where you’ll allocate your efforts to maximize your success in your classes and to position yourself for a job offer following graduation. Remember, just because your professor tells you to read something doesn’t mean it’s the best use of your time. As a law student, one the strongest signals to potential employers of your value as an applicant is your GPA. As you study law, earning a high GPA should be a priority, but not your only goal. Your study of law, and the content of that study, should also focus on preparing you for a specific career path. For example, if you want to be a real estate attorney, your time may be better spent studying contract law than in mock trials. Be strategic. Allocate your time and efforts in a way that will help you succeed not only in your classes, but also in your future career.
As a law student, part of studying smarter includes employing strategies and techniques that will help you maximize the effectiveness of the knowledge acquisition and learning process. Below we’ll introduce you to proven techniques and strategies that will facilitate your study of the law, improve your GPA, and prepare you for career success.
Do the reading. Don’t fall behind.
Complete all of your assigned readings and complete them on time. If you fall behind in your readings, you may never catch up. Do your reading assignments at a time, and in a location, where you can focus and are not distracted.
Brief each case.
As you read each case, take notes. Organize your notes into a short summary and analysis of each case for classroom discussion. Identify the legal issues, the holding of the case, and analyze the reason for the court’s decision. And remember, your briefs should be just that, brief.
Arrive at class prepared.
Not only should you arrive at class having completed all assigned readings, you should also review your reading notes, and case briefs, before each class. If you arrive at class having neglected either of these tasks, your ability to follow class discussion will be limited, and when you’re called upon by your professor to answer a question, you’ll be unprepared. Avoid classroom embarrassment, and increase your ability to follow class discussion, by always arriving to class prepared.
Attend class regularly.
It is true that class discussion often follows the assigned readings, but sometimes your law professor will introduce concepts and material not covered in the readings. If you don’t attend class, you’ll miss information vital to your success on exams and as a law student. Law school is already competitive enough, don’t put yourself at a disadvantage by not attending class.
Don’t just attend class, participate.
Students who participate in classroom discussion tend to perform better than students who just show up to class. This could be because they are actively engaged in the learning process or because those that participate typically arrive to class prepared. Either way, you’ll learn best when you participate in classroom discussion.
Take notes in class.
If you arrive at each class with notes from assigned readings, along with the student case briefs you’ve prepared, then your class notes should just fill in the gaps. Don’t write down everything your professor says. Your class notes should include new material introduced by your professor as well as explanations and analysis that improve your understanding of the law as it relates to cases you’ve reviewed. Never get so caught up in taking notes that you don’t pay attention to what is being said or become unengaged in class discussion. Review your class notes directly after class, before starting your next reading, and right before your next class.
Prepare an outline for each class.
The process of preparing a course outline for each class is vital to subject mastery. Don’t rely on commercial outlines or those developed by more senior students. Using an outline prepared by someone else is no substitute for doing it yourself. The analysis of the rules of law necessary to develop a course outline is what will help you master course subject matter and determine how the rules of law relate to one another. You can prepare an outline once a week, once a month, or whenever a new topic is completed. The most important thing is that you actually do it.
Form a study group.
With respect to the study of law, there are many advantages to forming study groups. Study groups provide students the opportunity to discuss course material with one another. Talking through law concepts, cases and course material increases understanding and improves retention. It’s been said that two heads are better than one. This is another benefit of study groups. Each group member brings unique insight, perspective and knowledge to the group. Keep study groups between three and five students. Select group members who are well-prepared for class and have similar academic goals as your own. Study groups should never turn into social gatherings and should run no longer than two to three hours.
Don’t procrastinate. Don’t cram.
There is no place for procrastination or cramming in law school. Waiting until the reading period to start reviewing for exams is a recipe for bad grades. Cramming just doesn’t work. One of the keys to superior exam performance, and achieving good grades in law school, is to review your notes and course material frequently throughout the entire semester.
Attend review sessions.
If your professor holds a review session prior to the exam, make sure you attend. Review sessions are a great way to get answers to questions you may have. In addition, many professors will divulge helpful tips and information for improving your performance on the exam and provide insight into possible exam questions.
Take practice exams.
Taking practice exams, especially those administered by your professors, is one of the most effective ways to prepare for exams. Take each practice exam and then compare your answers to the sample answers in order to evaluate your performance. The more practice exams you’re able to take, the better prepared you’ll be for the actual exam.
Develop a study plan.
As we already pointed out, there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. But there is enough time, if you plan carefully, to prepare outlines, brief cases, take practice exams, attend review sessions and complete everything else you need in order to succeed in your law studies – and still have a social life outside of school. Part of your job as a law student is to determine the most efficient and effective use of your time. This requires creating a study plan. To learn more about effective time management for improving study skills read Using Time Management to Improve Study Skills.
Get an early start on LRW papers.
Good legal writing requires time, preparation and a lot of editing. Good LRW papers don’t happen overnight. Once you’ve received your LRW assignments get started on them as soon as possible. The sooner you get started on an LRW paper, the more time you’ll have to review, edit and perfect it.
Review your exam performance.
Law school isn’t just about getting good grades. It’s about learning the law. However, if you want to improve your grades and learn the law at the same time, then take the opportunity to review each exam with your professor after grades have been posted. With his help you can determine what you did well and what you need to do to improve in the future.
Don’t get caught up in the competition.
Yes, law school is competitive, and you want to do your very best. But remember, only one person is going to be at the top of the class, and chances are it won’t be you. Focus on achieving the highest GPA you can, while taking classes that are challenging and that will position you for career growth within your target niche. Don’t cheat. Be respectful of your classmates. Make law school a positive and fulfilling experience for everyone involved.
HOW TO START STUDYING LAW – FOR NEW, EXISTING AND OLD STUDENTS
Studying law requires constant hard work and attention. People often wonder how to study law. To help, here is a brief guide that shows you how to start studying if you are a new law student or someone who has not focused carefully until today.
This post is primarily targeted towards students who have recently completed class 12th or are freshers in a law college. The recommendations below are also helpful for those just starting law or looking for guidance on how to start, prepare for law entrance exams, or study law on their own.
I will begin this post in detail and gradually keep things short. It will take 7-10 minutes to read. And I request you to do that. But if you cannot, there is a summary at the end. Read that.
- Should I Study Law and Go Into the Legal Field?
- I Am a Law Student, but I Do Not Know From Where to Start Studying?
- How to Start Studying Law
- Summary
- How Can WritingLaw’s Study Material Help Me?
Should I Study Law and Go Into the Legal Field?
If you recently passed class 12th or if you are a guardian of such a student, this thought definitely comes to you – should I (or my child) go into law?
The short answer is yes. There is no harm in joining the legal field. The initial journey is challenging, especially if you do not have anyone from your family already established in the legal field. But, after few years of hard work, things improve.
Plus, you are not limited only to advocacy. There are several career options available in law. Head over to this post where I have talked about ten job and career options after law.
I Am a Law Student, but I Do Not Know From Where to Start Studying?
Answering this question is the primary motive of this article. Let me help.
There are hundreds of Acts (Bare Acts). If you are newly inducted into the legal field, you may not know where to start law study.
So, the first thing is to forget worrying. You need to focus on just a handful of subjects as a law student in BALLB or LLB.
The rest of the Bare Acts are selectively important. And the good thing is, as a lawyer, you can always consult books, PDFs, and websites. So, there is no point in memorising everything. Over time, you will automatically have the sections and Articles on your tongue.
Now coming back to the main question, here are the most important subjects that a new, existing, old, or any law student should focus on. These subjects are essential for everything you do in the legal field. Yes, everything!
How to Start Studying Law
1. Start Reading the Constitution of India
As a person in the legal field, you must read the Indian Constitution several times. Often, what you hear in the news and questions you get in law exams are related to the Constitution.
The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. All the laws derive their roots from the Constitution. It contains the fundamentals and principles through which the country is governed.
From Where Can I Read the Constitution of India?
You can find its black & white PDF online for free. IndiaCode is the government website you can trust. If you like something pleasant, colourful and nice, you may buy the updated Constitution PDF and many other important law PDFs from WritingLaw (Rs 340).
Having PDFs is excellent as they enable you to read anywhere, anytime on a phone or laptop. But, it is also vital that you buy the physical Constitution of India book. It costs around 150 rupees and will go a long way.
What Are the Important Articles of the Constitution?
Since you are just starting, forget this question! First, read the Constitution at least twice. Read it even if you do not understand it fully.
Once you finish reading the entire Constitution at least twice, you can turn your focus on just the important Articles. We already have a list where I show you the most important Articles of the Indian Constitution.
Should I Make Notes of Important Constitution Articles?
Definitely! Writing always helps. That’s why this website’s name – WritingLaw.
While studying, feel free to jot down important stuff in a notebook. You may also highlight it in a book etc. In short, it always helps to do such things. But do not cross the limit and do not highlight every other sentence.
What About the New Amendments?
The Constitution of India is often amended to reflect the current needs of the country. You can learn all about the amendment procedure here. Here at WritingLaw, we update it as soon as the Indian Government publishes the official amendment Act.
2. Read the Indian Penal Code
After reading the Constitution or while reading, you must also focus on the Indian Penal Code, often called IPC in short.
IPC is a criminal statute (law). It prescribes what constitutes an offence and the punishment for it. It is a substantive code containing offences related to body, property etc.
Tip: As a student, you cannot read only one subject for months. So, you should read 2-3 subjects simultaneously. For example, a few hours in the morning, you may read the Constitution. Set afternoon for IPC, night for CrPC, and late-night for General Studies, law news, etc.
From Where Can I Read the Indian Penal Code?
You can find the black & white IPC PDF on India Code. If you want to make your reading enjoyable, you may read IPC on Writing Law or buy the colourful IPC PDF and several others for Rs 340. Plus, you can also read it online.
Additionally, since IPC is one of the most important subjects, you must buy its Bare Act book.
What Are the Important Sections of the Indian Penal Code?
After reading the Indian Penal Code twice, you may shift your focus to just the important IPC sections. These will help you master the subject and ensure you are well prepared for all law exams.
3. Read the Criminal Procedure Code
Often called CrPC, this is one of the essential subjects of law. CrPC is procedural law. It contains the procedure to be followed by the courts while trying the person for a criminal offence. It includes investigation, inquiry, trial etc.
As mentioned above, along with reading the Constitution and the Indian Penal Code, you should also start focusing side-by-side on the Criminal Procedure Code.
You can find its free, black & white PDF on IndiaCode and its nice, colourful PDF on WritingLaw. Plus, you must also buy its physical book as it is an essential subject. Read CrPC.
4. Focus on the Civil Procedure Code
CPC is procedural law that contains procedures to be followed by the courts while trying a person for a civil wrong or breach. It includes filing of the suit, trial etc.
It is a big Act with 158 sections and 51 Orders. But necessary for all legal people. So make sure you read the Civil Procedure Code carefully.
You can get its free black & white PDF from India Code. And as usual, we have the colourful PDF for CPC (Rs 340). To read it online, please see this. Plus, it would help to buy its Bare Act book from a bookstore near you or Amazon.
After you finish reading the Act once, you may check out its important sections and Orders.
5. Carefully Understand the Indian Evidence Act
Evidence is an adjective law. It is neither procedural nor substantive. It helps the court in the method of recording evidences, how the relevance of facts need to be seen, what can be presumed and whatnot, expert opinion and on whom shall burden of a proof lie. Evidence Act supports both CrPC and CPC.
Compared to all the above mentioned Acts, this one is smaller as it has just 167 sections. However, it is an integral part of the Indian legal system, and you must study it carefully. Read Evidence Act.
As predicted, you can get its black & white PDF from India Code or the colourful PDF from WritingLaw (Rs 340). It is also critical that you buy its thin Bare Act book.
6. Other Important Acts
Apart from the above law subjects, there are several other important ones like the Indian Contract Act, Hindu Laws, Muslim Law, Transfer of Property Act, Specific Relief Act, Sale of Goods Act. It would be best to focus equally on these.
If you are a new law student – first or second year of your 5-year course, you have time to cover all these Acts adequately.
If you are in the last year of the 5-year or 3-year law course, please start focusing from today.
7. Additional Important Things to Focus On
Besides the Bare Acts, it is vital to ensure you read the daily law news and stay updated.
Whenever you come across legal maxims, make sure you read them twice to keep them in memory. These are used in court paperwork and also asked in law exams.
When you come across old or new interesting cases (case laws), make sure you remember them. And even if you cannot, keep the case summary/facts (which are usually interesting) in mind.
If you get a chance to talk to other advocates or seniors, please do that.
In your college, be active in activities like the Moot Court.
Plus, whenever possible and via whatever medium, make sure you read general studies. It is important not only for law exams but all other job and competitive exams as well.
This is how to study law effectively for your law college, entrance exams, bachelor’s degree in law, and competitive law exams. I hope the above tips gave you some insight.
How to Study Law – Summary
As a new law student, you must start reading the following subjects from today. These will ensure you do well in the legal field.
- Constitution of India.
- Indian Penal Code.
- Criminal Procedure Code.
- Civil Procedure Code.
- Indian Evidence Act.
Along with these above law subjects, you must also focus on:
- Law News.
- Legal Maxims.
- Case Laws.
- General Studies.
- Talk to advocates and seniors.
- Take part in college activities like Moot Court.
How Can WritingLaw’s Study Material Help Me?
Bare Acts are the most important thing in law. This is mentioned above, and you’ll see the same on the Law Study Material page.
WritingLaw has all the Bare Acts mentioned above and many more as friendly, beautiful, colourful PDFs. Everything is affordable and you will love reading from them.
If you (law student, advocate, judge, and someone similar) have already read some Acts, are prepared, or wish to test your legal knowledge, you can do that using our excellent MCQ Tests.
But if you are just starting, you may skip the tests and only focus on Bare Act PDFs. After some months or a year, come back and buy the MCQ tests.
how to study law effectively
20 Tips for Success in Law School
- DO THE READING. Do all of the reading assigned for your courses. Do not fall behind; you may never catch up. Do your reading at times of the day when you are most alert. Also, do your reading in a location where you will not be distracted or tempted to do something else. Otherwise, you will find that it takes you far longer than necessary to prepare for class.
- BRIEF THE CASES. Take notes while reading. For each assigned case, write down the legally significant facts, the holding of the case, and the rationale for the court’s decision. This is what is referred to as “briefing” cases. Your case briefs should be just that-brief.
- REVIEW BEFORE EACH CLASS. Review your reading notes (case briefs) right before class. That way, the cases will be fresh in your mind, and you will substantially increase your ability to follow the class discussion (not to mention avoid the embarrassment associated with being unprepared when called upon by the professor).
- GO TO CLASS. Most professors cover some material in class that is not discussed in the reading, so failure to attend class will put you at a big disadvantage when you take the final exam. Also, you will receive an “FW” if you miss more than 20% of the sessions of a course. This is factored into your grade point average as an “F” and is never removed from your academic record, even if you retake the course.
- PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS. Some misguided students use class time to shop on the Internet, play computer games or catch up on their e-mail. You are paying a substantial amount of money for tuition. Do you really want to spend your tuition money “surfing the net” or playing computer solitaire instead of paying attention to the class discussion?
- PARTICIPATE IN CLASS. Students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process.
- TAKE CLASS NOTES. Do not, however, get so caught up in trying to take down everything your professor says that you are not actively engaged in the class discussion. Review your class notes before starting your next reading assignment and analyze how the new cases you read affect those cases you already have reviewed in class.
- PREPARE AN OUTLINE FOR EACH OF YOUR CLASSES. Outlines prepared by more senior students or commercial outlines are not acceptable substitutes for making your own outlines. The analysis necessary to prepare a course outline helps you determine the rules of law applicable to the subject matter of the course, as well as determine how the rules relate to one another. If you do not go through this process, you are less likely to master the subject matter. Also, not all professors teach a subject the same way. In fact, many professors do not even teach a course the same way from one year to the next. The only way to get an outline tailored to your course is to make it yourself. Do NOT wait until the reading period to prepare your outlines; you’ll never get them done in time. Some students like to outline once per week, others once per month. Still others prefer to outline whenever a topic is completed. Pick whatever schedule works best for you and stick to it.
- CONSIDER FORMING A STUDY GROUP. Study groups can be a valuable learning tool. Talking through material with classmates can increase your understanding and retention of course material. You also can obtain helpful study tips from your peers. If you decide to form a study group, seek out other students who are well-prepared for class and have similar academic goals. Do not let your study group meetings become social or gossip sessions. Also, do not use study groups as a way of sharing the workload. Lastly, if you find that you are not benefiting from your study group, resign from the group.
- REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW. Just because you don’t have an exam until the end of the semester does not mean that you should wait until the reading period to begin your review. This is not undergraduate school. You cannot cram right before finals and get good grades. Therefore, make time for frequent review over the course of the semester.
- ATTEND REVIEW SESSIONS CONDUCTED BY YOUR PROFESSORS AND/OR THEIR ACADEMIC FELLOWS. Some professors and/or Academic Fellows hold review sessions prior to exams. This is a great way to clarify the issues about which you are confused without having to stand in line outside your professor’s office. Moreover, helpful tips regarding how to write your exam answers in a way that will earn you the most points are often shared during review sessions.
- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FEEDBACK FROM YOUR PROFESSORS. If your professor distributes a practice question and says that she will review your answer if you submit it by a certain time, DO IT! This is a great opportunity to get your professor’s input and make any necessary adjustments before your performance is graded.
- ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED BY THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT CENTER. These workshops cover a number of topics such as outlining, time and stress management, and how to prepare for and write law school exams-skills essential to success in law school.
- TAKE PRACTICE EXAMS. Lots of them. Exams previously administered by your professor are preferable. This will help you determine how your professor drafts his or her exams. The Fowler School of Law Library maintains a number of prior exams prepared by law professors. Whenever possible, select a prior exam for which there is a sample answer on file. This will allow you to check your answer against the sample and evaluate your performance. If there is no sample answer on file, ask you professor if he/she will review and comment on your answer. Do not, however, wait until right before finals to ask your professor to review your answer. The earlier you ask, the more likely your professor will have time to review your answer.
- CREATE A STUDY PLAN. Many students complain that they do not have enough time to brief cases, prepare outlines and/or take practice exams. They’re wrong! By planning your time in advance, you will have enough time to meet all of the demands of law school and have time to enjoy some outside activities. If you need help managing your time, see Professor Faulkner.
- DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO PREPARE YOUR LRW PAPERS. Again, this is not undergraduate school. You cannot throw a paper together the night before it is due and expect to receive a good grade (or for that matter, a passing grade). Good legal writing takes time and lots of editing so start working on your LRW assignments as soon as possible.
- REVIEW YOUR EXAMS. Meet with your professors to review your exams after grades have been posted. This is the best way to determine what you did well and what you need to improve.
- MINIMIZE YOUR STRESS. Law school can be stressful, but there are a number of steps you can take to keep stress to a minimum. Humor is a great stress reliever. Make time for exercise-carrying 100 pounds of law books every day doesn’t count. Eat fruit, vegetables, and whole grain foods on a regular basis-a diet Coke and a package of Ding-Dongs are not a balanced breakfast. Don’t overdo your caffeine intake; drink lots of water instead. Get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Maintain a life outside of law school. You don’t need to give up all of the things you enjoyed doing before you went to law school; you just won’t be able to do them as often. Finally, if you think that your stress level is getting out of control, talk about it with your significant other, a family member, a close friend, a faculty member, one of the law school Deans, or Professor Faulkner.
- DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE COMPETITION ASPECT OF LAW SCHOOL. Face it. Only one student can finish at the top of the class. So instead of setting Numero Uno as your goal, focus on doing your very best. Also, be supportive of and respectful to your classmates. It will make for a more positive law school experience for you and your peers.
- GET HELP IF YOU NEED IT. It is not uncommon for students to be confused about the substantive law covered in their classes, how to prepare for class, how to study for exams, how to manage their time or how to take law school exams. Indeed, it is the rare student who does not have questions about these subjects from time to time, particularly during the first year of law school. If you have questions, there are a number of resources available to you. Every professor holds weekly office hours. The Academic Fellows for your courses also are available to help you, as is Professor Faulkner. Please visit us if you have any questions. We’re here to help.
