What Every Law Student Really Needs to Know: An Introduction to the Study of Law

With the aim of decreasing students anxiety and increasing their chances of achieving academic success What Every Law Student Really Needs to Know: An Introduction to the Study of Law prepares students to get through their first year of law school. As a valuable reference over an entire law school career it will continue to contribute to students academic success. With a friendly and informal writing style this orientation to law school features: Insight into how and why law school works the way it does; Tools techniques and information for understanding first-year substantive law as fully as possible; An overview of the American legal system and court structure; A concise review of basic civics including the structure of American government and sources of law; Introductions to analytic tools and methods of reasoning; Clear descriptions of basic legal concepts such as standards of review and burdens of proof; A look ahead at the goals of a legal education -- and the life duties and responsibilities of being a lawyer; Exercises that allow students to independently test their understanding of the material in a particular section; Visual aids that help students grasp and remember the material; A short primer on American history and legal philosophy as each is relevant to the study of law; Provides a self-study resource that students may use as they need.