Baez's Law School Success: Advice from a Law Professor, 2d

Law School Success: Advice from a Law Professor is a book every law student should read before or during law school. Many enter law school unsure of what to expect, and few have all the skills necessary to succeed. This is because the skills learned in college are not the same as those needed to reach one’s full potential in law school. The mistake most law students make is relying on those old college skills, thinking that what helped them succeed in the past will help them in law school.

This book focuses on helping law students develop new and essential law school skills. For example, learning how to focus on what really matters: the final exam. Not just any final exam, but one where cramming a few days before the exam does not work. Included exercises explain how to use new study tools and help students begin practicing new skills. There are cases, model case briefs, and an explanation on how to use the FIRAC case briefing method. Also, different types of sample law school exams are provided, which help students understand what they will face during their first year of law school. The final part of the book examines the inward journey—the parts of our personality that keep us back from success. Topics in this section include concentration, procrastination, willpower, and mental health. To improve understanding, the book is written in a conversational tone, is based on scientifically based learning, and includes real life stories of law students who overcame their initial obstacles.