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.

Daniel A. Farber is Henry J. Fletcher Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Research, University of Minnesota. Suzanna Sherry is Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law, University of Minnesota.