I read this book a while ago, and am just getting around to writing about it. It was the last book on my pre-law reading list, which also included Law School Confidential and One L. All three were worth reading.
I read Law School Confidential about a year ago, when I first got serious about applying to law school. It was a good introduction to what law school would be like, who should go, and what I'd be able to do afterwards. I don't think I'd get much out of it now, but I'm glad I read it then.
I wrote about One L a few days ago; I probably liked it more than most because I recognized so many of the names and places Turow mentioned. I found it well-written and a quick read, but I wouldn't say it's required reading. (Maybe, like some people suggest, it should be required reading for law school spouses.)
And finally, Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law, a Nutshell book by Professor Kenney Hegland. This was the best of the three, although not as widely known. Unlike the other books, this one does not focus solely on what law school will be like. Instead, Hegland tries to explain the fundamentals of studying law: how to read and understand a case, how a trial works, how to write effectively.
The book is divided into five parts: Legal Analysis Made Simple; Study Skills; Litigation; Legal Writing and Oral Advocacy; and Finishing School and Beginning a Career. Hegland suggests reading these at different times, since some chapters are relevant as a lowly 0L and others won't come into play until later in our law school careers.
My favorite was the first section, about "Your Very First Case." Hegland introduces a running example about a landlord who puts an exculpatory clause into tenants' contracts, stating that tenants can't sue for the landlord's negligence. (Later, in part 3 of the book, this case is brought to trial.) He brings up a related case and explains how to distinguish the two, talks about the concept of stare decisis (obeying precedent), and asks the reader to come up with arguments for both sides. He makes a few points in this section that are probably obvious to current law students and lawyers, but not to me. First, he warns readers not to fall into the trap of sympathizing with one side, and reminds us that cases do not come to trial unless both sides believe they have a good chance of winning. Second, he points out that judges do not just fabricate opinions out of whole cloth. Judges' opinions are based on arguments that the lawyers have made. So, when reading a case, think: which side made this argument and why? How did the other side counter it and why did the judge not find their reasoning convincing?
I didn't think the section on study tips would be that useful, after reading so much advice in blogs and in other books. But again, Hegland brings in examples and exercises. For example, he has the reader brief a short case, and then explains what goes into a good brief. He even has a tiny version of an exam, which he encourages you to try on your own before reading his analysis. This was actually kind of fun (which I'm sure it won't be next year), and provided a concrete way to digest his advice.
The next sections, about a trial, legal writing, and career choices, were all fairly interesting. But I think I'll find them more relevant later on. Unlike the rest of my pre-law reading, I think this is a book I'll refer to again when I'm in school.
