What are /r/LawSchool's favorite Products & Services?

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Day 1 of bar prep: Ok, cool, this isn't so bad--look, I can even work ahead!

Day 2: Woo, already done with today's work, now let's do half of tomorrow's!

Day 3: MBE questions, ok, this won't be that bad, I'm on a roll. Wait. Fuck. Why do I keep missing these? Did we talk about any of this shit in the lectures? Where are these exceptions coming from? What the hell? Did I learn nothing??

Edit: This item arrived in the mail today and it's already making bar prep so much more enjoyable! I am currently on a bed easily watching lectures; earlier I used it as a table stand to watch it outside in the nice spring weather. Gonna use it on the sofa later to take some practice MBE questions. Highly recommend.

Went ahead and made a poll since people seem interested. https://www.strawpoll.me/15617778

Options should be pretty self explanatory. T1 = 15-50; T2 = 51-100; T3 = 101-150; T4 = everything else. If you already graduated, feel free to vote based off your graduated school's current rank.

Tagging people in thread: /u/tylenol1234; /u/jman9008; /u/OldWeb; /u/real_nice_guy; /u/yololsweg; /u/The_Inquisitive_1

Short answer: Freer

Long answer: Listen to the Richard Freer tapes before the relevant class and then again after and actually outline/take notes on the tapes. You likely have free access to the law school legends one through your school; the barbri 1L package also has videos of him which are what I used and my understanding is it's pretty much the same as the tapes. https://www.amazon.com/Civil-Procedure-School-Legends-Audio/dp/0314199780

student loans do not count as income, so if your income is zero, or very low due to a summer job, there's a good chance you could qualify for medicaid under the obamacare expansion.

https://www.healthcare.gov/what-income-and-household-information-do-i-provide-when-i-apply-for-marketplace-coverage/

I really hope you mean non-law book, because winter break should be for relaxing.

I devoured A Gentleman In Moscow last winter break--it was so enthralling and a wonderful immersive experience. The narrator is a charming storyteller, the setting is unique and exotic, and it's historical without being at all dry.

Book stand. I got this one and love it

https://www.amazon.com/BestBookStand-Actto-BST-09-adjustable-Portable/dp/B005IV6U0U/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1533877236&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=book+stand&dpPl=1&dpID=41aeeCibcIL&ref=plSrch

If you're going to be in court a decent amount as a recent graduate, I'm assuming you'll be working for a DA or PD. If you've made contacts in the field or at your office, could you ask them?

One of the women attorneys I worked for used a wheeled plastic crate like this because she was taking multiple 4" binders to court. But that would be a pretty mediocre graduation gift.

First, relax. Many law students (and lawyers) struggle with civ pro. It’s tough nut to crack.

One of the best supplements I found for civ pro was Ben Spencer’s “Acing Civil Procedure”. I think any supplement by Glannon is also pretty top-notch; however, the “Acing” book is a little more nuts-and-bolts.

use the 0L thread in the future

this book stand is good, I use it

Pomodoro Timer (I use the free version). Don't necessarily need an app for this, but I've found that the auditory stimuli of a ticking sound + the clear buzz when it's time to take a break has made me MUCH more productive w/r/t case reading

For those calls with clients where I really want to scream at them, I have this and occasionally I’ll tap it with my pen to make a satisfying ringing noise...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KZ3027I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_B9xIBbWDYVMQV

There is literally an item called "Constitutional Law 2017 Supplement by Erwin Chemerinksy" that's not the supplement everyone on here talks about. (That is of course "Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies".)

So this is actually a great question, one where the answer is not at all intuitive.

Here is a compliation of the checklists that I used for my K's exam. Ignore the § references, as they refer to a supplement I had. I hope it helps!

Make it Stick, Chapter 8 (Learning Tips for Students). Active review >>>>> passive review.

Law school pedagogy is frankly the worst way to learn the law. It hasn't been updated substantively since Langdell made the case method in the late 19th Century.

Practice tests, quizzing, etc. are much more valuable uses of your time than trying to prepare for a cold call.

Getting to Maybe is a fine book. It isn't the be-all end-all people try to make it sound like it is.

Edit: I would add that as someone who tried to prepare for law school like you are, just take a break. You're going to need it.

A good starting point:

Working with Contracts: What Law School Doesn't Teach You (PLI's Corporate and Securities Law Library) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ASFPLO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FSsSCb6X7QBFX

A good reference guide:

Drafting Contracts: How and Why Lawyers Do What They Do https://www.amazon.com/dp/073556339X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CUsSCbTDARNN9

I would highly recommend taking a transactional drafting course if your law school offers one.

WL and Lexis both have very good searchable libraries for finding boilerplate clauses and commonly negotiated provisions like indemnities. If you plan to go into real estate, check with your state's real estate council or bar association. They often publish annotated contract clauses that comform to state law.

Edit: spelling

upvoted all the comments aimed at your subject line, and I hope you're feeling better about going on.
With regards to thinking three weeks won't solve anything: I know you might write off July and there's nothing to be ashamed of for doing that, but I firmly believe that the first month of study has just been attempting to understand things and the next three weeks s where we begin to attempt to master it and stick it in our brains. The next three weeks could make all the difference, because the design of things like Barbri is to "make it stick" in month two. Practice MBE and essay questions should be approached as learning/memorization devices, not as tests.

If you do decide to re-focus on February, or if you're looking for motivation wrt July, I highly recommend reading Make it Stick. It helped me to trust the process, study more efficiently, and not get lost in 0% learning sets on Evidence and Crim.

Good luck!

Not sure how accurate these are, I just found them. So read over them before using them

Scribd offers a free 14 day trial, so you can download them for free. Just remember to cancel if you don't want to end up paying!

Civ Pro Flowcharts: https://www.scribd.com/doc/69622701/Civil-Procedure-Flowchart#scribd

FRCP Chart: https://www.scribd.com/doc/40281579/Frcp-Chart

Here's how 90% of my classes went:

• 900 pages in the text book,
• 400 pages required in the syllabus,
• 150 pages tested on the final.

But you don't know what 150 pages are going to be on the final, so you study everything that's on the syllabus.

Most of my exams were open book/open note exams. But the limiting factor in your exam is not your knowledge, it's time. So you don't have time to go looking up too much doctrine, just something to refresh your memory.

So you make an outline. You study your notes. You make an outline. You study your outline. You revise your outline. You study it some more, and keep revising it until all your notes are down to 20ish pages. Then it's basically an index that's workable to reference something, without being cumbersome.

Example: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_IUEXXtLd_iSXFmRmU5eEtXbWc/edit?usp=sharing

edit: I passed, but I make no clams to the accuracy of my example outline.

You could try ones called dry highlighters. They're also called solid/solid gel/bible highlighter sometimes.

Here's an example from amazon example

I'm also a fellow 66 degreer. First, I want to echo/stress what u/txlaw20 said and that unless you're in court business casual is normally acceptable. I keep a tie in my desk and a sports coat on my coat rack for surprise trips to court because I usually wear a button down or polo and slacks to work.

When I know I am going to have to wear a suit, I wear short sleeves under my jacket often. I saw these and similar on Amazon and thought about it.

I took both in school. Trial ad is infinitely more useful. Even if you don't try a case for years, it teaches you how to handle, present and argue evidence. And set a case up for those who will be trying it. This is also useful if you are just the one writing the motions. It's all the same idea.

You can't find work as a mediator out of law school. Mediators have decades of practice experience, and are often former judges. Nobody is going to hire a recent grad to mediate a case of any importance. And you can learn almost anything you'd get from a mediation course by reading a book called "Getting to Yes" by Robert Fisher. No employer is going to care that you took a mediation course.

With that said, mediation is an easy A. Trial ad will be maybe 8 students, and maybe one A is given out. If getting the grade point is important to you, then there's that.

Here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1URuoq9y4bSbjJtWVpJRkZIR28/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1URuoq9y4bSdUxadFYwYlRPekk/edit?usp=sharing

Biz Orgs is less “flow-y” than some of the subjects, at least the overall outline. You have to pick which subsections apply...then there’s issues in each subsection.

You may qualify for an exemption if:

• You’re uninsured for less than 3 months of the year
• The lowest-priced coverage available to you would cost more than 8% of your household income
• You don’t have to file a tax return because your income is too low (Learn about the filing limit.)
• You’re a member of a federally recognized tribe or eligible for services through an Indian Health Services provider
• You’re a member of a recognized health care sharing ministry
• You’re a member of a recognized religious sect with religious objections to insurance, including Social Security and Medicare
• You’re incarcerated, and not awaiting the disposition of charges against you
• You’re not lawfully present in the U.S.

As someone who is well outside your personal situation, it sounds like you're internalizing some of the external stress of law schools. A lot of your fellow students are competing for the first time in their academic career. Let's face it, high school and undergrad was not a competition for a lot of these folks. They are used to being one of the smartest people in every single room they walk into. Always the smart one in their group of friends. Now that position is being challenged. People act in funny ways when a position they've held since the age of 4 or 5 is challenged. I already see people trying to regain that position by running their mouths and other antics. Take for example the people who brag about all the time and nights spent in the library as if it were the Hotels.com rewards program. You know what you get after ten nights in the library? The eleventh night free. Your free night is only equivalent to the average cost of the other nights. It's not a great rewards program and I really don't need to hear about it. Definitely don't need to stress about it. I really wouldn't worry about all the crap that comes out of people's mouth at the start of law school. Keep putting in the work and you'll be fine. Don't worry about people bragging on their study habits. Most of them are full of ish anyway. If you really want to be a lawyer stick it out. Law school is the cost of admission for the career you want. If you don't want it then it's ok to be done. When it comes to lost money and student loans, your first loss is your best loss. Makes no sense to take on $150k in debt when you realized this wasn't for you after the first $26k. If it makes any difference I hope you stick it out. Can't tell you things will magically get better, but you will get better at dealing with these issues and managing time constraints. That will make it feel easier.

BIC MMLP31AST Retractable Ballpoint Pen/Pencil Black/Blue/Red Ink Gray Barrel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GWZXQF9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_PPF8VKV9VD1WWJ17XY0N

Buy him these! They are incredible for note taking, for the occasional prof that won’t allow laptop or just using different colors to organize thoughts. Loved these in law school.

Plus reusable waterbottle, Thule backpack, and Quimbee subscription. Must haves.

Get a sturdy workbook PC. Lenovo (IBM's old laptop division) is currently top dog there but is not the only good brand. Shop around online, it shouldn't be hard to find the right mix of power, portability and price.

The only hardware specs I recommend worrying about is battery life and getting an SSD instead of an HDD. The improved boot time and OS performance of an SSD is amazing.

School workhorse laptop with good portability & power should cost around $600 at most. $1000 is the price range for gaming laptops and creative/studio machines. Apple is a waste of money; you pay a big premium just for the brand. A Microsoft Surface is a waste unless you like tablet computing. You can get decent machines as low as $350, but I wouldn't recommend that unless you're willing and able to upgrade the hard drive, battery, etc. if you decide it's not cutting it.

I toyed around on Amazon for 3 minutes and found this laptop. $600, has an SSD and a 9-hour battery. That's something like what I would try to buy if my current laptop died.

what the fuck did I just read? Three years of school (presumably with debt) for a $20/hour job. Sounds like she is trying to convince herself she made a good decision. Girl is delusional.

https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/navigator/ http://washingtonexaminer.com/tens-of-thousands-obamacare-navigators-to-be-hired/article/2526167

Self control

It's a great app that blocks you from visiting a list of websites you designate for a period of time you set. You cannot turn it off even if you restart the computer. It's the only way I can stay off Reddit during finals!

Look at "Getting to Maybe" a book on how to take law school exams. There's an art to it.

I used flash cards, purchased outlines, supplements, made my own outlines and used other people's. Also bought audio-book versions of lectures for listening to in the car and on the subway. (If you convert it to MP3, you can then listen to them at 1.25 or 1.5 speed, cramming more information in a shorter amount of time.)

I think I did the best in the classes where I got lots of sample exams and worked through as many as I could. If you can find a good study partner, work through the test separately, then compare answers. Quiz each other by trying to come up with hypotheticals that fit and test each point of the law in your outline.

Also, look at cram.com - it's a flash card site. I did my bar-prep cards there:

http://www.cram.com/user/gentrfam9

The black-letter law is pretty similar from state to state.

I use the free version of Freedom for my mac (which also has an iOS app) and the free version of Offtime for my android.

The latter also specifically blocks SMS and phone calls (altho it will allow people through if they call me twice and I can whitelist some people) and sends them an autoresponder via text. It also lets me whitelist pandora and gmail so I can still access them when I've shut everything else down.

don’t stay in secured just because it’s on the bar. you’ll get way more detail in that class than you need for the bar and you can pass the bar without taking secured (i did).

but if you’re going to stay in it: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Me-Secured-Exploring-Crayons/dp/0692927913/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=secured+transactions+coloring&qid=1610227741&sr=8-3

Get "Logic of Subchapter K." It helps. Here is the Amazon link for it: https://www.amazon.com/Logic-Subchapter-Conceptual-Taxation-Partnerships/dp/0314199853

EDIT: I still have this book. If you're interested in the book, PM me

Dyslexia is an actual learning disability. Feel free to educate yourself https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dyslexia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353552. This is Reddit not a source of scholarly reading material, so who really cares. Maybe ask yourself why you feel the need to try and make someone with a real life, diagnosed learning disability feel stupid for making a silly grammar mistakes.

Also there is a good one I learned everything from...It is an audio lecture by Arthur Miller. I believe it is from the "Sum and Substance" audio lectures. I used these Sum and Substance audio lectures for all 1st year classes and they really helped. The Arthur Miller lectures have some old rules, but you can make up for that by updating the information with what you have learned or researched.

Here is the link to an outline I made off of the audio lecture for Civ Pro by Arthur Miller

You just described an actual case that happened in Illinois. It's in Prosser and I teach it in Torts.

EDIT: Dug through my casebook: it's actually a note case for Polemis, but the story is basically told and I thought it was so bizarre I dug up the whole case and used it in a classroom hypothetical. Here it is via Google Scholar.

tl;dr casebook summary: "driver who negligently backed into building, severing natural gas line of air conditioning unit was responsible for explosion that destroyed building even though he might not have foreseen the exact manner in which damage from his negligent driving would occur."

Wouldn't recommend the Macbook Air unless you are REALLY needing to do things on the cheap - the screen is awful compared to the Retina displays on every other Macbook. It does make a difference when staring at documents all day.

Look at a 13" Macbook Pro - you should be able to score one for $1075 from Best Buy: https://slickdeals.net/f/10435876-apple-macbook-pro-13-3-laptop-2017-core-i5-128gb-ssd-8gb-ram-from-1075-225-off-with-edu-coupon?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

Only other recommendation I'd have is to buy a Dropbox subscription and get in the habit of saving everything in your Dropbox folder. Will automatically back everything up and you never need to worry about a crashed/lost/stolen/broken computer.

Looking at a screen 6+ hours a day, every day i found these helped me a ton. https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Shield-Computer-Reading-Glasses/dp/B071V6YMTL/ref=pd_sbs_229_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B071V6YMTL&pd_rd_r=c6f8bb05-f5d5-4696-b6cd-baf00d7af60a&pd_rd_w=RcxgE&pd_rd_wg=DZqqm&pf_rd_p=ed1e2146-ecfe-435e-b3b5-d79fa072fd58&pf_rd_r=8RCDR36RSMGSA1E18A0Z&psc=1&refRID=8RCDR36RSMGSA1E18A0Z

I bought this one a year and a half ago at $99 (currently $75) and I use it a LOT and have only changed the ink once or twice (with the cheaper non-brother ink cartridges on amazon). I've used it mostly for law school related reasons. It is black and white and I have no use for color printing. If I did need color, I'd print at the library or some printing service.

It's a little over the top in tone (intentionally), but the substantive advice in the Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law is something that has helped me a tremendous amount in my career. It's a lightning fast read, and I've probably read it three times now (and might read it again soon).

Just a warning, family law usually DOES mean litigating, or going to court at the very least. Very few people are going to shell out the cash to do a deposition or a full trial to get a divorce, but it can get nasty. Lots of awkwardness and confrontation and a big part of being a lawyer is not hanging up when people want to vent or cry about something. I wouldn't worry about being too nice or not being naturally extroverted, but if social weirdness makes you freeze up you should probably work on it. You have to at least be able to show up to court or somewhere and say "Anyone here on blah blah case??"

Maybe try joining Toastmasters, read Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends and Influence People, or just practice making small talk and getting used to people. Campaign work/volunteering is a HUGE help and this is the time for it, you can knock on doors, coldcall people, deal with rejection, and by the time you get through with it you'll be less nervous in situations where people actually WANT to talk to you.

Absolutely!

https://www.amazon.com/Far-Out-Awards-Hot-Trophy/dp/B0082BRFH0

There you go!

I’m right there with you a lot of weeks. Things get kind of better 2L and 3L; especially once you start getting electives.

Here’s the one piece of advice I give to everyone:

Never give up.

You’ll get where you’re going.

Do you mean an alternative tool for memorizing things? I like using Anki as I can write my cards while I'm outlining and then have them available on my phone to just flip around through: https://apps.ankiweb.net/

https://justgetflux.com/

Try f.lux. It lets you adjust the color temperature of your monitor and can help reduce eye strain.

It's also free and doesn't require admin permission to run on your computer.

The analysis thing was odd to me, doing practice exams, reading the notes cases and surprisingly this podcast helped

https://www.buzzsprout.com/138309

You're not going to hear anything mindblowing, but it does a pretty good job of showing how one can flesh out legal analysis.

Alternatively, download the Barbri lecture videos using Video Download Helper. Then Convert the video files to an MP3 using foobar2000. Then go out for a walk and listen to the lectures while walking. You get to enjoy the outdoors, exercise, and study all at the same time. I suggest listening to the same lectures repeatedly and increasing the playback speed each time.

I think this might be it

It doesn't have Prosser, but it has his torts casebook co-author Robert Keeton, and it has Soia Mentshikoff. It's also a video series and not a single video, but I think there's a good chance this is what your professor is thinking of. Nothing comes up on WorldCat when I search videos for William Prosser, and the only two results for Soia Mentschikoff are in that series.

I've been plugging this book all over, because I found it extremely helpful during write-on, especially when it came to tabbing and using my Bluebook (though the new online Bluebook is pretty slick): Winning Law Review

It's a short read, I got on my Kindle and read it in an evening. It explains the different positions you can take when writing a note, basically explains the genre of the write-on paper so you know how to write it.

https://www.cali.org/ - go to the property course and do the exercises you think will be helpful.

Also, the E&E for property. Here's the link on Amazon, but check to see if your school library has it: https://www.amazon.com/Examples-Explanations-Property-Barlow-Burke/dp/145485006X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523798146&sr=8-1&keywords=property+examples+and+explanations

Nope, but I don't use them regularly FWIW. I'm sure you can read the warnings and such. And it doesn't seem to prevent you from being able to pee/or making pee, just you don't feel the "i need to pee right now" signal.

It's a clear film that you have to stick around your abdomen. One patch lasts up to four days - though they fall off of me before that. They're a little annoying - they itch and crinkle - but totally worth it.

I get them from amazon, but they can be found in Target too. Idk where else.

Bluebooking is the best way to increase your objective score, but I'd recommend reading it all the way through and focus particularly on Rules 1 through 10, which can affect any citation. Ignore the blue pages if you're writing an academic paper. Before the competition, read some actual student notes/comments your law review published to get a sense of what they think it looks like (assuming you're writing the same format). For writing, you only have a few basic arguments, but take detailed notes while you read (read first), and take notes as you go. Footnote as you write, and make a citation for basically every sentence. Do the proofreading/bluebooking part as a break, and get multiple passes in.

There's a lot more -- FWIW I wrote a short ebook guide to write-ons that might help you/others here as well. I gave it away for free here a week ago but Amazon won't let me give it away anymore. It's still free if you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber or a Prime member who can use your 1-free-ebook-a-month credit. Otherwise it's only $5 (can read on kindle, phone, or browser in one sitting).

Hacking Law Review: The Concise Guide to Write-Ons https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CM7S8NC Just FYI, I transferred between two T10 law schools but wrote-on to both law reviews in the process of transferring. After doing two write-ons (both a 3-day and 12-day) and later becoming a grader for law review submissions, I think at least some of my tips will be useful.

This book is a bit dated at this point but is a pretty good resource. It profiles about 30 practice areas and contains interviews from practicing attorneys in each area. You can pick up a used copy on Amazon or Ebay for very cheap.

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Not all of it is applicable, but writing is the most important skill you need to succeed in law school. It's a simple, easy to read, SHORT book that will help a bit. Super cheap. Read it once a semester.

Oh boy sovereign citizens. I've seen a few here in FL while interning.

In one case, the defendant "accepted" a contract with her Federal Defender where he would resolve her "civil" case within days or else her lawyer would owe her 80% of his pension, 30% of annual income, all of his gold, stocks, home, car, etc. Here is the document she sent to her attorney (and CC'd the USAO and FL Secretary of state). It is actually a pretty fun read.

how's this?

Erwin* Chemerinsky's Constitutional Law treatise, 4th edition is a very good and respected treatise. It's long, though.

If you are in crunch mode and happen to have access to Barbri or other bar prep courses' 1L subjects lectures, watch those and fill out their lecture handouts as you go. If this sounds unfamiliar, ask some bar prep reps about free 1L course review videos.

Good luck.

Edited to fix Erwin from Edwin.

>How important are factors such as major/what undergraduate school a law school applicant attends? (I attend a Jesuit university)

Virtually zero. The metric most law schools use weighs LSAT scores and GPA at a 2:1 rate, with other factors as tie-breakers. But take a philosophy course in formal logic if you want to learn the kind of short-hand that is so helpful for the LSATs that it's like cheating. I was a philosophy major and I used formal logic notation on the LSATs so much I was worried that I had an unfair advantage.

>Any preferred LSAT prep books I should look into buying?

Testmasters or, if you can afford it, take a Kaplan prep course.

>How important is it to get into a top law school, especially in this economy?

A law school degree from a fourth-tier school is, empirically speaking, a net lifetime financial loss. The data gets fuzzier above the bottom tier, so the answer to your question is, kind of: if you get into Harvard, go to Harvard, if you get into Shit Bumsville School of Country Lawyerin', go to business school instead. Anything in between will depend on your performance in that school.

>Any other advice as far as applications go?

Own the LSATs. Don't stress anything else.

I'd suggest Louis Loss' Fundamentals of Securities Regulation. Try searching http://www.worldcat.org to locate a library near you.

It's not free, but Bloomberg BNA's Securities Regulation & Law Report would probably have case law on the issue you're working on.

Here ya go!

Let me know if there’s others you want. And let me know if they’re of help. I also posted them on the outline board.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1URuoq9y4bSNGJvLVRMMDRGSWM/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1URuoq9y4bSTW41d3pLNXd4bGs/edit?usp=sharing

There are free services just for someone to talk to, like what's called a "warmline" (because where a hotline is for an immediate crisis, a warmline is for any type of problem) -- here is one for NYC: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/

and this is a national service: https://www.7cups.com/

The segment of the legal profession that will hire you prior to you receiving your license is actually tiny. I know in law school you feel like OCI is the entire legal profession but it is NOT, not at all. Most of the profession is out there waiting for you. Just take it a step at a time.

https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app

I don't use this app; however, it's an absolutely phenomenal approach to help us beginners. I use an app called Insight Timer that is more community-based with tons of guided meditations.

When you start, it may seem impossible to focus, but that's the point. Meditation is one of the keys to unlocking true human potential... It's an absolute shame that the majority of western culture still dismisses it as phony garbage while simultaneously over-medicating, over-feeding (and under-nourishing), and over-diagnosing themselves.

GL with your effort, I really hope it works well for you!

I went with Critical Pass but I think I am going to use Brainscape as well. I was thinking during the initial review of the subjects, I will enter the CP flash cards into Brainscape (Even though they have their own bar prep cards) and then review them over the next two months. The site and app allow you to rate how well you knew the card and will vary how often it is presented to ensure you focus on the ones you don't know as well.

Google Docs might be an easy solution.

*Edit: Here's an example: Table of Consanguinity for anyone in Estates and Trust. Save yourself some annoying typing.

The basic cheap one Maitys 2 Pieces Book Stands, Adjustable Reading Stand, Music Book Easel Display Holder, Fold-n-Stow Metal Bookstand, Small Book Rest for Kitchen Countertops (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QMRBZN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_2YMZTJBHVTH4EGYCWHXV

I have a 24 inch monitor and it has been a good size for me.

Not a direct answer to your question but this monitor arm has been a lifesaver for 2 monitors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009S750LA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Saves a ton of room on the desk, keeps you from having your head/neck down all day, and helps with wire management.

Been through OCS in Quantico. Unlike letters, packages are opened in front of the sergeant instructors (staff). Would recommend footcare items (e.g. something like this) and a stick of bodyglide. Keep the personal stuff to the letters - and good on you for sending him anything! Getting mail was the best!

I read this book before my exams first semester. I think it helped out a lot. It’s a really short read too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1531005454/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_EFF14AFPF0ZNT0C3CW25?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This Acer is a pretty good laptop for $550.

Also, I’m far from a computer pro, but I’m pretty certain windows S-mode can be turned off (i.e., converted to regular windows). It will slow down performance on a cheap laptop, but it will work.

Re tabbing the Blue Book, I read this bookand tabbed according to its recommendations and it's been super helpful for law review and ever since. The book was really helpful overall for figuring out how to write my note for write on.

So this is the one I have: https://www.amazon.ca/Patagonia-47925-Chacabuco-Pack-Black/dp/B003M9Q40Q but it’s obviously out of stock.

It’s called a Chacabuco backpack and you can find newer versions on Patagonia’s website. They’re for sure a little pricey but like I said it’s the only backpack I’ve needed for close to a decade with no real signs of quitting 😂

I had one like this. It lasted me all through law school, and I STILL use it in the office.

This one. I've got two - one at my desk and one in my backpack. And then for finals I have 'em side by side to spread out my outline.

Don’t want to be repetitive so I’ll keep this brief. I was in your exact shoes a year ago. I was inches away from dropping out, for the same reasons. I started going to therapy. It helped — a lot. I didn’t drop out and today I can say honestly I’m glad I didn’t. I would have rolled my eyes had I read this comment a year ago. you are better off than many of your peers in recognizing that law school is NOT your life. It’s not you. It’s just something you’re doing, a means to an end. By the way, I did not do the write on competition and I’m so glad I did. Also, please check out this book: How to Be Sort of Happy in Law School https://www.amazon.com/dp/0804799768/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_UkzeGbMTADJHW feel free to PM if you want to chat more.

E&E for property was really good, and had good hypos. Also this book for the process of identifying future interests and applying the relevant common law rules. Waited until my professor had covered things to dive into it, but it helped me solidify an approach before the exam.

In addition to "Logic of Subchapter K," I'd recommend the Partnership Tax Exam Pro by Wootton. There are questions throughout the chapters, but there are answers (and explanations) in the back of the book. Wootton is a total boss, too.

EDIT: Amazon link

Apparently he's no longer doing the Barbri lectures. Heres an amazon link for his "Law School Legends" series of lectures https://www.amazon.com/Law-School-Legends-Audio-Contracts/dp/0314282599/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510583928&sr=8-3&keywords=David+Epstein+Contracts

But before you buy them, check with your school's library to see if they have a set that they lend out (mine did).

Order this book on Amazon for sample essays, outlines, and rule explanations. It helped me and everyone I know who used it pass the CA bar, better than using Barbri

I bought this back massager on Amazon about 2 years ago. It has really helped. I don't use the heat option. I got it as a law student when I couldn't afford a professional massage.

BTW I wrote and published a very short ebook on Amazon the other day about writing on -- it will be free from tomorrow (Wednesday 4/25/18) through this Friday, so wait until tomorrow to get it (it's also free right now if you have Kindle Unlimited).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CM7S8NC

Honestly, there's really no replacement for reading through the Bluebook, cover to cover (minus blue pages at the front). Once you are exposed to the litany of random rules it contains, and all the source types you might come across, it'll start to make sense when you're actually fixing citations on the write-on.

Rules 1 through 10 you can regard as "universal" in that almost every citation might be affected by them -- they affect structure, relationships between footnotes, etc. Rules after that until the tables are specific to sources. Then the tables at the back are generally abbreviations for everything. I recommend adding tabs for every rule, and writing a two-word title for that rule on the tab, so you can look at a glance and see where everything is (if you're using the book).

The online Bluebook is also amazing (if allowed in your comp), but it won't tell you if Rules 1 through 10 apply. You just have to know. (i.e., format of 49 vs. 50 word quotes, use of italics, 5 footnote rule for short cites, order of authorities, signals). You can't just use the search function unless you're aware it exists, so at least read those first 10 rules.

BTW I wrote and published a very short ebook guide on Amazon the other day about write-on strategies and tips, including tips on Bluebooking -- it will be free from tomorrow (Wednesday 4/25/18) through this Friday, so wait until tomorrow to get it (it's also free right now if you have Kindle Unlimited).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CM7S8NC

Agreed with k8burnz.

There's really no replacement for just skimming the entire Bluebook, and tabbing each rule (with a two-word summary written on the tab) so you can have a shortcut and way of consolidating your knowledge. Aim to be familiar with where in the Bluebook things are, and always look up every rule every time (until you're confident your previously corrected footnotes are 100%, then just copy those).

There is an online Bluebook which is amazing for keyword searching, but note that there are rules you have to just be aware of and can't search for, specifically Rules 1 through 10, which are basically universal; they could apply to any citation and people often forget those. Rules beyond those until you hit the tables are specific to certain sources. Tables apply depending on what is being abbreviated.

Some common trip-ups are testing things like the 5 footnote short cite rule, the 49 vs. 50 word quotes rule, signals, order of authorities, etc.

BTW I wrote and published a very short ebook on Amazon the other day about write-on competitions -- I have additional tips in there about the Bluebook and the writing and proofreading components themselves. It will be free from tomorrow (Wednesday 4/25/18) through this Friday, so wait until tomorrow to get it (it's also free right now if you have Kindle Unlimited).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CM7S8NC

Bluebooking is the best way to increase your objective score, but I'd recommend reading it all the way through and focus particularly on Rules 1 through 10, which can affect any citation. Ignore the blue pages if you're writing an academic paper.

FWIW I wrote a short ebook guide to write-ons that might help you/others here as well. I gave it away for free here a week ago but Amazon won't let me give it away anymore. It's still free if you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber or a Prime member who can use your 1-free-ebook-a-month credit. Otherwise it's only $5.

Hacking Law Review: The Concise Guide to Write-Ons https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CM7S8NC

Just FYI, I transferred between two T10 law schools but wrote-on to both law reviews in the process of transferring. When I was writing-on, I never found any good guides out there that provided concrete tips. But after doing two write-ons (and later becoming a grader for law review submissions), I am confident that at least some of my tips will be useful.

It's totally worth it. I don't think I'd have gotten my firm job without it.

FWIW I wrote a short ebook guide to write-ons that might help you/others here as well. I gave it away for free here a week ago but Amazon won't let me anymore. It's still free if you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber or a Prime member who can use your 1-free-ebook-a-month credit. Otherwise it's only $5 (can read on kindle, phone, or browser in one sitting). Hacking Law Review: The Concise Guide to Write-Ons https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CM7S8NC Just FYI, I transferred between two T10 law schools but wrote-on to both law reviews in the process of transferring. After doing two write-ons (both a 3-day and 12-day) and later becoming a grader for law review submissions, I think at least some of my tips will be useful.

I bought these Duco computer glasses off amazon last year and I really like them. They clip on to my normal glasses, but really help with looking at screens. They weren't super expensive either because they were on sale when I bought them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IIGK8RS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TPPoBbDJGEYTX

I keep a strict budget, but I was always that way before law school. I made a spreadsheet on Google Sheets and after every transaction I input it on my phone and then check myself every few days. I meal prep, I bought containers on Amazon and pack snacks and meals, and it helps me to cut down on stress during the week and saves a lot of money.

I also find that these Fresh Works boxes pay for themselves with the extra life they give to produce.

I found this on Amazon. Price is decent. Will likely use on Test Day.

https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Read-California-State-McNally/dp/0528881108/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531947460&sr=8-1&keywords=california+map

You can go to the poor house purchasing study aids in law school. While very good, the Examples & Explanations series are REFERENCE books -- something that you should refer to when you're casebook author (or professor) may not be clear on a particular topic. Therefore, I don't think students should be reading those titles cover-to-cover, rather referencing them when you need clarification on a discrete rule or topic. That said, most law school libraries keep them on reserve behind the reference desk . . . so instead of spending the money, use them when you're in need of clarity . . . or at least test drive them before buying.

Incidentally, the most popular E&E (Civil Procedure by Joe Glannon) may be one that you want to purchase. Unless you came to law school with an intimate knowledge of the civil justice system, you're likely going to find the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) confusing. Joe Glannon does a clarifying many of the obscure (but really exciting) rules of Civ Pro. You can find it on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Civil-Procedure-7th-Examples-Explanations/dp/1454815485

Other than that, if I had a limited budget I would focus my resources on two types of study aids: (1) a study aid that explains in straight-forward terms how to write a killer exam answer and (2) study aids that help me practice applying the black-letter rules to hypothetical fact patterns (e.g., self-quizzing). In the end, your professors can only test black-letter rules a certain number of ways, so seeing hypotheticals where each rule survives/fails (and understanding why that's the case) will help you greatly when you sit for your finals. Of course the fact pattern on your exam will (likely) be different different from the hypotheticals you self-quizzed with, but the analysis will be exactly the same.

The thing that made estates and future interests click for me was just doing A LOT of practice questions. I also liked our workbook, Amazon Link

I bought one from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HD8B9SP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I found this helpful on a lighter scale, and you can save it for BAR prep. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423238621/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I love this one!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07459P7BF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I agree with the others to take some days to grieve. You tried, you made it this far, and that is something to take pride in. Often it is not our accomplishments, but our attempts that make us stronger.

When you are ready to study again, the absolute best study guide I found for the MBE were the Emanuel Bootcamp for the MBE series. There is a book for all the MBE topics except for civil procedure, as well as a condensed book of the six topics. These books refresh the black letter law teach to the test.

https://smile.amazon.com/Steve-Emanuels-Bootcamp-MBE-Contracts-ebook/dp/B00AXD9CSU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3ID99IQZH8O6B&dchild=1&keywords=bootcamp+for+the+mbe&qid=1601957856&sprefix=bootcamp+for+the+mb%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-3

This is the external hard drive that I bought. I also bought a high-capacity thumb drive for additional back-up in case something happens to the hard drive, but that hard drive is pretty heavy duty.

A factory reset will delete every file that didn’t come on your computer when you bought it (assuming you bought it new). It’ll delete every password, customized preference, and document that you’ve put on the computer. Print our that WordDoc with your passwords just to be safe, and if you log into anything after you’ve factory reset the device, make sure to deny the requests to remember your login information.

I have a Mac, so I used Time Machine for my back up. I’m not sure how your computer functions, but you can probably Google it. You don’t have to load every individual file. There should be a back-up mechanism/application on your device. Once you’ve got your bar results and can uninstall ExamSoft, uninstall ExamSoft, maybe do another factory reset, then restore using the hard drive. The hard drive will have literally everything saved, including your settings and preferences.

Also, no need to apologize :) I recently had to teach myself all of this, so I’m no techie either :)

These are really good.

https://smile.amazon.com/Law-Flash-Evidence-Emanuel/dp/1454894881

This supplement is also good- https://smile.amazon.com/Understanding-Evidence-Carolina-Academic-Press-dp-1531009891/dp/1531009891/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

I second highlighting in different colors. I believe I used:

1. Issue
2. Procedural history
3. Facts
4. Reasoning (courts reasoning for the holding)
5. Holding
6. Dissent (if included)
7. Concurrence (if included)

I was also huge on tabbing my books with post it flags. I would try to color code that as well. Like blue flags we major important points/definitions, pink were rule statements/statements of law, etc.

Then I’d write notes in margins and take notes on my laptop in class. This form of book briefing worked the best for me. But I didn’t start this probably until my 2L fall and really got my system down until 2L spring

These are the only highlighters I would use. I love the color intensity and how they came in an individual sleeve that made making sure I had all of them easy. Also I used yellow for my reasoning, my most used color, and you can buy just packs of yellow of this same highlighter. So it was easy to replace.

Best of luck!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZD5H41P/ref=dp_cerb_3?th=1

Something like this. I bought a sturdier/ nicer looking one originally, but this is so much better.

yeah for slides and things it would be difficult but in my experience they rarely use it but I guess you could could use a cord to display it on your tv. amazon idk if this would work well but its only 14$ so worth a try.

You can get the small ones for about $14 for 50 on Amazon. Still a bit expensive, but better than other posts.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Anley-LOT-Wooden-Stick-Flag/dp/B07FS8YVT7/ref=psdc_553792_t2_B016WOFONU

"Wake Up Time" (alarm clock), One Note, Chrome, Flux (always running, really get this)

For online: Zenmate, Dropbox, Ad Block Pro

Also, Westlaw app on my iPhone 7 looks pretty nice. It's just cool having all that info in my palm. Where the same info was in millions of pages on shelves throughout the nation. I like to think it will make me become a casual researcher, but I haven't really used it that much.

Does anyone like the Westlaw app?

In the words of Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: "begin with the end in mind." For 1L's, that means thinking about how to prepare for the final exam from day one. Too many law students begin focusing on finals about three weeks before finals, just like they did in college. That just won't work in law school.

By the way, Covey's book is great. Here is a quick summary that I found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktlTxC4QG8g

That's a tough question without knowing a ton more information. If you see yourself in the corporate world, you're probably going to do a lot more arbitration than mediation. If you see yourself doing any other kind of litigation, be it any kind of tort or negligence action, you're going to do more mediation.

I assume the arbitration class is going to go into the AAA rules and procedures while mediation is going to teach you more about how to negotiate and manage settlements for complex litigation.

A good book to read if you're interested in basic mediation principals is "Getting to Yes". There are some great ALR's on arbitration that are a good way to get an idea of what appeals to you.