Should you prepare for law school? When asking law students, attorneys and reading online, many suggest to relax and do nothing the summer before law school.
I would like to validate this opinion; nevertheless, I just couldn’t do it. I attempted to relax, but I wanted to do something. Do not feel like you need to do anything, but, for those fellow OL’s like me that begged for something to do these tips might help.
- Pre-Law Courses: there are wonderful courses online that I am sure are great; however, I was not willing to spend money on this. Therefore, I looked for free options. I found this course created by Harvard to be very helpful (It can be found on Edx for free by searching Introduction to American Civics). It is a collection of short videos and few interactive questions that cover the basics of the foundations of American law. Yale also offers this enlightening course on Coursera for free about the basic ideas governing law. Finally, my school offered a pre-law school course covering the American justice system. I could not attend due to personal reasons, but I would suggest you look if your school offers something similar.
- Read: I balanced reading interesting novels with challenging news and legal texts. I would suggest finding a legal text, book or law school guide you are interested in to train your brain to think legally. One I read was My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A lot of great old legal books can be found at second hand stores as well!
- LSAC law school unmasked: if you happen to have a subscription to LSAC (access to all their practice tests) make sure to check if you can attend Law School Unmasked. This was an incredible resource with great practical tips about learning the law as well as thriving in law school. It is taught by a neat round up of professors, professionals and deans of law schools.
- Peruse the bluebook: The bluebook is the guide to citation in law school. I found mine for 31 dollars on this website. Be sure to purchase the newest version (currently the 21st edition made in 2020) which will last until 2025.
- Organize yourself: Think about how you will approach your daily life during law school. I was moving across the country, so I planned exactly what I needed to bring. I also thought about how and what tools I would use to take notes. Reflect on what you need to be successful and construct your setting for success. Also, organize yourself online by trying out different online note platforms (Evernote, notability, outlook if your school offers it, google, etc.) and setting up your student account and email.
- Review your finances: If you are anything like the average law student, you have loans and finances that need to be in order before you enter law school. I would suggest applying for private loans 1-3 months in advance if possible if your school does not offer enough public loans. I would also identify if you are taking out a public loan and how much. Next, break down your expenses and build a budget that is reasonable but not restrictive. There are awesome resources specifically for law school students on how to do this and all things finance on this website.
- Fill out any forms: I would encourage you to look on your student portal and update any medical information. My school required a number of shots, a few of which needed to be updated. Therefore, I went to the doctor and updated my immunizations. I also was required to have a medical professional send in my information, so I messaged them and asked them to do so.
- Research your location: if you did not grow up where your law school is, do some research! Google. Google. Google. Find a study spot to be excited about and where you want to walk your dog. Find a new park or a gym or a church. Find what you need before you are there to save time in the future. I loooove yelp because I create collections I can look back on later when I want some food, activity, etc.
- Learn the 9 Supreme Court Justices & some presidents too: I learned the justices in order of party affiliation and some presidents, so when reading legal cases the historical context was clear.
- Connect to the legal community: Whether it be podcasts (check our our favs here), legal news (love WSJ Law), or maybe an online community (like Girl attorney), it is great to create a virtual or in person support group for the challenges ahead.
- Try to intern/work/shadow: Although it is VERY VERY challenging to find positions in the legal world before being in law school, I reached out to my local court and did what I could to gain exposure to words and terms that I might need in the future. This is also a great time to work for free if you can or figure out what type of law you might be interested in.
- Watch legal shows: if you cannot be in a real courtroom, I genuinely believe there is value to watching legal shows. They are dramatic, but filled with legal jargon and cases. I recommend For the People and All Rise.
I would love to hear in the comments about anything you suggest or regret doing before law school!
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