The Law of Law School: The Essential Guide for First-Year Law Students

by Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, Jonathan Yusef Newton

Offers one hundred rules that every first year law student should live by

“Dear Law Here’s the truth. You belong here.”

Law professor Andrew Ferguson and former student Jonathan Yusef Newton open with this statement of reassurance in The Law of Law School . As all former law students and current lawyers can attest, law school is disorienting, overwhelming, and difficult. Unlike other educational institutions, law school is not set up simply to teach a subject. Instead, the first year of law school is set up to teach a skill set and way of thinking, which you then apply to do the work of lawyering. What most first-year students don’t realize is that law school has a code, an unwritten rulebook of decisions and traditions that must be understood in order to succeed.

The Law of Law School endeavors to distill this common wisdom into one hundred easily digestible rules. From self-care tips such as “Remove the Drama,” to studying tricks like “Prepare for Class like an Appellate Argument,” topics on exams, classroom expectations, outlining, case briefing, professors, and mental health are all broken down into the rules that form the hidden law of law school. If you don’t have a network of lawyers in your family and are unsure of what to expect, Ferguson and Newton offer a forthright guide to navigating the expectations, challenges, and secrets to first-year success. Jonathan Newton was himself such a non-traditional student and now shares his story as a pathway to a meaningful and positive law school experience. This book is perfect for the soon-to-be law school student or the current 1L and speaks to the growing number of first-generation law students in America.

Genres: Law, Nonfiction, Audiobook, School

191 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2020

About the author

Andrew Guthrie Ferguson is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia's David A. Clarke School of Law. Professor Ferguson teaches and writes in the area of criminal law, criminal procedure, and evidence.

Prior to joining the law faculty, Professor Ferguson worked as a supervising attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Professor Ferguson is also involved in developing constitutional education projects in the Washington D.C. area.

Reviews

[Carla Gallardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely enjoyed and an easy simple read, took good notes for the future

[Carla R]

“here is the truth about lawyering on behalf of other people, especially those without power: it’s hard…but those people now depend on you.”

read this for class but it’s a great guide, so many great tips

[Saba Rehman · Rating 4 out of 5]

wait this is so funny… if my reaction to starting law school is mass reading “how to law school” books, imagine my goodreads when I become a mother… bro I’m gonna be deep in the “what to expect when you are expecting”

[Zachary Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read for up and coming law students who don't know much about law school. Personally, I didn't learn much in this book that I didn't already know, as much of the study habits suggested, I have already applied during my undergraduate years.

However, I'm sure that some would find this to be incredibly useful.

[Onni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great starting point for those preparing to survive the gauntlet that is law school. What a crazy world.

[Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am about to be a first-gen law student, and this book really takes the time to address exactly what my concerns are entering law school without a parent who has gone through graduate (or undergraduate) schooling. I'll be bringing this with me to law school to test the accuracy, but for now it's nice to feel seen and have reassurance.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t actually completely read this because it’s more of a collection of “rules” (tips) for law school but this is such a good book. The information is not sugarcoated whatsoever and it gives you a very realistic idea of what law school is like, from briefing cases, preparing for internships, managing your time, and much more. Glad my advisor shared it with me.

[Hannah Peeples · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s obviously a bit hard for me to fully judge this book when I have not yet started law school, but I appreciated the list format a lot! It was easy to follow with actionable items. The addition of the authors’ stories was a nice touch.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick listen on Spotify. Informative and wrote some notes down to remember for law school.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

perfect book to read just a week before starting law school

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick and useful read, I found myself marking the majority of pages as “things I need to remember” for law school. This is the kind of read a law student can knock out in an afternoon if they’re looking to get an extra edge in 1L.

[Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved the simple clean advice in a place I could get again when needed