Law School Success Book Reviews for Law School Applicants

For quick reference, here are links to related books we have reviewed:

We have reviewed books related to the following subjects:

You have worked too hard to get into law school to allow a bad first semester or year to derail your dreams. These books have received favorable recommendations from our previous clients.

1L of a Ride: A Well-Traveled Professor’s Roadmap to Success in the First Year of Law School by Andrew J. McClurg

Ask any law student and they’ll tell you the hype that 1L receives is well justified. Enter Professor McClurg who offers a perspective on the 1L experience in this third edition that few others can match and he deftly uses humor and a first-person narrative backed by substantive research to help readers get the most out of that crucial first year of law school. Please, please, please do NOT overlook his advice on pre-planning!

How to Crush Law School: Graduate at the Top of Your Class and Land the Job of Your Dreams by Charles Buist, Esq.

This book gives excellent insights on how to succeed in your law school classes and graduate near the top of your class. You will learn both essential study skills and, how to prepare yourself mentally for the tasks you will face. When you’re done reading this book, pass it on to a friend — even if your friend isn’t law school bound. Mr. Buist’s advice is also applicable to med school students, business school students, etc.

Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams by Richard Michael Fischl and Jeremy R. Paul

There is no way around it. Law school work is voluminous. This book is the second edition to the original and ground-breaking 1999 publication. It contains good tips for how to quickly identify the areas on which to concentrate your studies. It also advises you on how to prepare your arguments.

Thrive in Law School!: A Friendly Guide to the Most Important Educational Experience of Your Life by Dr. Jeremy Stipkala

Dr. Stipkala attended law school as a part-time evening student, but he is an accomplished attorney and we believe his advice and viewpoints are equally applicable to the more traditional, full-time law school students as well.

The Eight Secrets to Top Exam Performance in Law School by Charles H. Whitebread

This is a must read for any incoming law student. Reading this book will not take the place of studying – but it will help you move along the law school learning curve much more quickly, by helping you study more efficiently and preparing you to face those law school exams with more confidence.

Reading Like a Lawyer: Time-Saving Strategies for Reading Law Like an Expert by Ruth Ann McKinney

This book is in its third edition – a rarity for these types of “success” books. If you are worried about your ability to quickly read and comprehend legal material, this book may be able to make a world of difference in your law school performance!

Writing Essay Exams to Succeed in Law School, 4th Edition by John C. Dernbach

Writing induces more anxiety than any other aspect of law school for most prospective applicants. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. This fourth-edition book authored by a professor at Widener University Law School does a great job of simplifying the law school essay writing process. This is certainly not a book to rent. Buy it. It’s a great reference you will refer to often.

Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams by Kimm Walton

This is a very comprehensive and well-researched book on law school job placement. We’ve had alumni give this book as much credit as their schools’ placement offices!

The Law Career Playbook: The Guerrilla Guide to Getting a Legal Job You Actually Like by Rachel Gezerseh

This is the best law career book we have found. It takes a holistic view of the job search to consider how to best marry your career interests to available opportunities in the legal job market. While career services should be able to help you with cover letters, interview preparation, and salary negotiation, this stellar guide helps with the more overlooked personal branding strategies.