What to Expect in Law School

Most, if not all, of your law school lectures will be based upon the Method of Elenchus (aka Socratic Method). Your law school professors will engage in various series of inquiry and debate to stimulate critical thinking. We understand that some of you will be scared out of your mind to engage in an open dialogue in front of your classmates. Some of you will relish the opportunity to speak in front of your peers and share your opinions. Keep in mind that your law school success will not have anything to do with how you perform in class. Please note, some law school professors have begun to offer “extra credit” if you attend all the lectures and participate in class. If this is the case, the impact on your grade is still minimal. To succeed in law school, you will have to perform well on your final examinations period.

We suggest going to your law library at the start of your classes and obtaining copies of previous final examinations written by your current professors. You should immediately notice that there are some questions that you will more than likely never be asked. These are the definitional questions, such as the following:

What is Common Law Murder?

What is the concept of Vicarious Liability?

What is an Easement?

What is Original Jurisdiction?

What is Negligence Per Se?

You will not be asked to define any particular rule of law. Instead, you will more than likely be given long hypothetical essays or short hypothetical questions where you will be require to analyze a situation and provide an answer. Sometimes the answer will not be clear-cut. Nevertheless, we recommend that you take a position and explain why you have taken that position. As an attorney, you will always be required to take a position.