WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR FIRST YEAR LAW SCHOOL

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR FIRST YEAR LAW SCHOOL

So you just started your first year of law school or are getting ready for the semester to start. At this stage, you are probably feeling a mix of emotions. Excited because you got into law school (congrats by the way!) but also nervous because you’re not sure what to expect in your First Year. You’re sure to have a ton of questions as a first-year law student. But don’t worry, I got you!

Let me be first to admit, I started law school because my parents asked me to. “Anak, try mo lang maglaw-school. Bibigyan ka namin ng sasakyan.” Aba syempre, pumayag ako agad. I started law school because I was “bribed” by my parents with a car because I was the first in my family to pursue law. 🚗

I started law school in the second semester, with a few subjects just so I could get that car. Don’t judge me! 😅Haha. So when I entered law school, I’ll admit I was very intimidated, pero sure ako na hindi lang ako yung student that felt like they didn’t belong and didn’t have everything figured out. At dahil first ako sa pamilya namin na nagpursue ng law school, I didn’t have anyone to turn to and had no one to ask my questions.

Now, It’s my honor to be in a position to pass the knowledge I’ve gained, to current and incoming law students. Today we’re going over what you can expect in your first year of law school: from classes to workload. We’ll also cover some tried-and-true tips to set yourself up for success.

What are law school classes like?

I finished law school in the Province of Leyte, and law school classes in the province are intimidating especially when you enter during the second semester.

The classes you will take as a first-year law student will vary depending on the law school you are attending. Typically, first-year law students take the following courses: Persons and Family Relations, Obligation and Contracts, Statutory Construction, and more. These are some classes in which you will learn the law. You are also likely to have some sort of legal writing or legal research class.

In these classes, you will be assigned cases to read each week. The assigned reading contains the facts, issues, and rulings in each case. The cases you are assigned each week will discuss various legal issues relating to the rules of law that you are studying that week. Your job when reading these cases is to create a case digest for each case and try to identify issues and rule of law that the Court relied on in reaching its decision.

In class, your professor will lecture on the Ruling covered in the assigned reading. Typically, the conversation is centered around the assigned cases, with students being called on to recite and digest the case. For obvious reasons and the infamous lucky index card, you should always be prepared to discuss the cases in class. If you’re lucky (which means index card mo ang nabunot), your professor will ask you to discuss the facts, and then spot the issues, and discuss the ruling. But this is not always the case. Either way, it is your responsibility to identify the rules of law and how they relate to one another. This is essential to your success on the exam.

How hard is law school?

I like to compare law school to parenthood – you never really know how hard it is or what it’s like until you get there. At sabi pa ng mga matatanda, nasa huli palagi ang pagsisisi. Most first-year law students find that law school is more demanding than they expected. So, what exactly is it that makes law school so hard?

For starters, there is a huge learning curve with law school that is different from undergraduate programs. In law school, there is a certain way you need to study and a certain way you need to write your exams. There is a unique set of skills that you must develop to succeed in law school. Unfortunately, however, these skills are typically not taught in law school classes. Rather, law students are often left to figure out how to be a law student all on their own. Stay tuned to my Instagram page as I drop tips on how I graduated law school and then passed the bar exam, even when I had a broken heart and a son.

Then, there’s the reading. You can expect about 30 or more pages of reading per class each week. Many law students struggle, especially in their first year, just keeping up with the reading. To make matters worse, dahil first time mong magbasa ng cases, aantokin ka kasi hindi mo kabisado ang mga gamit nilang words. 💤 In other words, it can be hard to even figure out what the heck you just read because the cases are not written in everyday language. Further, the law school environment can be competitive and there are always a few class napaka-know-it-all (and even impatient professors 🤭), all of which create unnecessary pressure to completely understand the cases and prevent law students from asking questions. Thus, many first-year law students spend too much time on each case because they want to get it perfect.

Ako, I believe the two biggest hurdles you must overcome as a law student are spotting the issue and understanding the ruling. As I stated above, it is your responsibility to figure out what the issues and rulings are, to understand how they relate to one another, and to understand how to use them. Please do not rely too much on ready-made case digest. Even lawyers rely on the long case to help them recall and understand the law. As a law student, you will need to figure this out for yourself using the cases, your professor’s lectures, and whatever other resources you have at your disposal. I hope my posts save you the time and stress of figuring out the rules of law and also include tips that you can use for your exams.

Tips for Success: How to Succeed in First-Year Law School

Now that we’ve covered what to expect in law school and what makes law school challenging, here are some simple, but effective tips to set yourself up for success in your first-year and beyond.

1. Spend your first year building a solid foundation in your study routine. It will take some time and experimentation, but make it a goal to master your day-to-day studies and exam prep. Figure out what study strategies work for you and stick with them.
2. Master the skills of spotting the issue, digesting cases, and memorizing the law. If you don’t master these skills in your first-year, they will haunt you for the rest of your law school journey – and even as you prepare for the bar. Do yourself a favor and make these skills a priority. The best way to do this is simply by doing the work – no shortcuts!
3. Learn how to say no. Set clear boundaries with yourself and others. I always recommend that law students eliminate as many outside obligations as possible, at least for the first year. After the first-year, you can re-evaluate and see what else you can fit on your plate now that you have a better sense of how time-consuming law school is.
4. Create good study habits. Write out your case digest and make it a priority to always do the reading, even if you fall behind. Make your own digest, do not use a ready-made digest.
5. Ask for help when you need it. Whether you are confused on a rule of law or need a helping hand around the house, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Law school will be one of the hardest seasons of your life. Reach out to your people. It takes a village.
6. PUSH: Pray Until Something Happens - you are not and never alone in this journey. 🙏

I hope you found this helpful. Makakatapos ka din ng law school and magiging ganap ka ding ABOGADO!

Laban lang always,

@probinsyanattorney