Success in law school isn’t all about going to class and reading case after case. The first year is often the most intense and formative period of law school, filled with challenges and opportunities that will shape your entire legal career. It’s a lot to process, and the study and coping methods that worked in undergrad may not work for law school. Luckily, we’ve got your back! From strategic study aids to wellness tips, these books can help you organize, strategize, and build confidence in your class preparation and study methods.
Happiness and Peak Performance in Law School: Cutting Edge Science to Promote Emotional Thriving and Cognitive Greatness in Law School and Beyond, Jarrett Green and Rebecca Simon Green (2023). In this book, law students will learn a wide collection of easy-to-apply, science-based tools for drastically improving their emotional well-being, mental strength, and academic success. This book provides a roadmap for thriving mentally, emotionally, and cognitively in law school, in the practice of law, and in life. Available on Reserve for check out from the Circulation Desk.
1L of a Ride: A Well-Traveled Professor’s Roadmap to Success in the First Year of Law School, Andrew J. McClurg (4th Ed., 2021). Told in an accessible first-person voice, topics covered in this updated and expanded fourth edition include pre-planning, top student fears, the first-year curriculum, the Socratic and case methods of teaching, effective class participation, the top habits of successful students, essential study techniques, legal research and writing, exam strategies, maintaining well-being, online learning, career planning, and much more. The 4th edition is available on Reserve for check out from the Circulation Desk. The 2017 edition is available online through the Law Library’s West Academic subscription: 1L of a Ride: A Well-Traveled Professor’s Roadmap to Success in the First Year of Law School (2017).
A Daily Reader for 1Ls: Becoming a Better Law Student and Lawyer in Four Minutes a Day, Robert H. Jerry, II (1st Ed., 2025) A Daily Reader for 1Ls is a year’s worth of short readings (three to four minutes each) designed to help first-year law students navigate the experiences of law school, discover and apply strategies for academic success, develop a sense of professional identity, engage the idea of what it means to be join a profession and act professionally, and learn some basics about the skills lawyers use every day. A Daily Reader also contains tips for handling the routines professionals must master (such as attending receptions and managing time) as well as ideas for developing and strengthening key personal traits (such as courage, empathy, judgment, and integrity). Available on reserve for check out from the Circulation Desk.
The Law Student’s Guide to Doing Well and Being Well, by Shailini Jandial George (2021). This book aims to help students “do well” in their ability to learn, and “be well” in the process, by exploring the deep connection between brain health and wellness. Specifically, the book discusses: how to cultivate the ability to deeply focus and deal with the challenges of the 24/7 digital age How stress affects both brain and body How increasing resilience helps deal with challenges and setbacks; why we need exercise for mental, physical, and brain health; why adequate sleep is important and how it can be improved; how what we eat affects the brain and one’s physical performance. Written in a witty, informative, and easy-to-read style, the book is full of suggestions to help students establish healthy and productive habits which will benefit both brain and body. Available on reserve for check out from the Circulation Desk.
The Mindful Law Student: a Mindfulness in Law Practice Guide by Scott L. Rogers (2022) 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. Available on reserve for check out from the Circulation Desk.
Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in A Nutshell, Kenney F. Hegland (8th Ed. 2020). You’ll have to know how the common law system works, how to read and brief cases, how to study and take exams, how to write and argue law and how lawsuits are tried. We can do something about style. There’s advice and illustrations. You’ll throw pots, working your first case, making your first argument, briefing cases, taking exams, and writing memos. This is not for the faint-hearted, nor is law school. Think like a lawyer. I won’t be a bore. I’ll tell jokes, some of which are actually funny. I’ll challenge you intellectually. Where does law come from? Should judges follow precedent? What if your client wants to pave Paradise and put in a parking lot? If you love ideas you’ll love this book and you’ll love law school. Available on reserve for check out from the Circulation Desk. The 2014 edition is available online via the Law Library’s West Academic subscription.
Weekly Guide to Being a Model Law Student, by Alex Ruskell (2015). This book gives law students weekly checklists explaining the skills necessary to successfully navigate their first year of law school. Each chapter provides a checklist of things to do that week, such as briefing cases, going over notes, outlining classes, or doing practice questions. When a new concept is introduced, this book clearly explains the concept and its purpose and provides examples. Instead of merely providing advice, this book lays out a detailed plan for students to follow. It also includes a bank of over 100 short, medium, and long practice questions in six first year subjects. Available on reserve for check out from the Circulation Desk and online via the Law Library’s West Academic subscription.