Distance learning

Distance Learning: Direction on the Road to Success

Distance Learning: Direction on the Road to Success

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a permanent shift in the way all students, not just law students, experience the learning process. The physical move and mental transition from classroom to the bedroom have presented new challenges, if not obstacles, for teachers and students alike. Distance learning is a reality that demands students adapt to achieve and maintain academic success. Law school is much more intense than undergraduate studies and demands more time and commitment. Adhering to a predetermined and well-thought schedule that optimally takes advantage of the ways that you learn as an individual is a good way to start. Get...

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Pre-Exam Feedback: Where To Get It

Pre-Exam Feedback: Where To Get It

There are various options to help prepare for law exams. You can receive valuable pre-exam feedback from any available source, but some are better than others. Here are a few ways that can help you collect feedback before a law exam. Professors Of course, this is obvious. But think of all the times that you may have taken a test and never discussed the exam with your professor. Unfortunately, many of us have, in fact, approached and taken an exam without meeting with a professor beforehand for a one-on-one meeting. As a result, we miss valuable insights that our professor may add...

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I’m Unprepared For The Exam, Now What?

I'm Unprepared For The Exam, Now What?

It happens to many law students, hopefully, no more than once. But, for whatever reason, an exam approaches and you realize that you are unprepared. You fear the worst. While this is not an ideal situation to be in, but it might be possible to avoid an exam disaster. Here are a few tips: An important thing to remember is that this approach will likely not produce an A+ for the exam. The purpose of these suggestions is to help you avoid the worst possible scenario. I would not recommend these suggestions under normal circumstances. *Gather the proper materials. This approach does not greatly involve...

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Attributes of A Good Law Outline

Attributes of A Good Law Outline

Every law student is familiar with the benefits of a well-written outline but not every law student knows how to write one.  There are certain attributes that a good law outline contains. It is important to start outlining as soon as possible in the semester or quarter. Organizing your class notes is not the equivalent of making a comprehensive, quality outline. Also, consider doing your outline yourself without any assistance from your fellow students. A self-written outline should mirror your learning style. Here are some attributes of a good law outline. *The outline is well-organized Review your course syllabus as well as the...

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Time Management Goes A Long Way In Law School

Time Management Goes A Long Way In Law School

The perception, or myth, that law school consumes every moment of a student’s time and energy is alive and well. Of course, students that manage their time effectively are much more likely to succeed in law school than those students who do not. Here are some time management tips. *Calendar your activities Once you receive your class schedule, calendar it. Review the syllabus for each class. Get an idea of when you will prepare for each class. Calendar your study time windows for the current week. Try to stay, at least, one week ahead. *Determine what routine works best for you Adhering to a...

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Law School Is A (Daily) Commitment

Law School Is A (Daily) Commitment

More than a few undergraduate students are scared by the commitment that succeeding in law school seems to demand. They seem to believe that success is directly related to committing every hour of their day, at least, that they are awake, to studying, preparing for, and attending class. Is the notion that law students do not have any free time a myth or a reality? Perhaps, a better way of looking at it is that law school is not some unrealistic hourly commitment, but a daily commitment. Making a commitment involves dedicating yourself to something, whether it is a cause or individual. Any...

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Summer Law Jobs 101

Summer Law Jobs 101

For law students, it is hard enough to get a good summer law job, whether at a private firm or public agency. Once this is achieved, the elation is immediately tempered with a stark fear of failure. You experience the realization that you will soon be making the transition from student to lawyer, albeit in a limited sense. Once you have a summer job at a firm, how can you ensure that the people who hired you will be satisfied with your performance and, more importantly, remember you as a worthy candidate for an associate’s job in the future? *Always exercise...

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Things Every Law Student Should Do Over The Summer

Things Every Law Student Should Do Over The Summer

For law students, “summer vacation” typically means only one thing - work. Law students shift their focus from studying and school to working and employment. This job may be in the form of an internship or clerkship. A summer legal job provides an excellent, if not the best, opportunity for a law student to apply basic lawyering skills and gain real, practical experience. However, work should never consume any law student’s summer. These hot months also provide a chance to recharge for the following school year. The following are some things every law student should do during the summer. Focus Most law students work...

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Maintaining Your Focus as A Law Student: Finding A Routine

Maintaining Your Focus as A Law Student: Finding A Routine

Law school is a grind. Make no mistake. Law school is a marathon rather than a sprint. All cliches aside, law school requires law students to maintain an intense focus for the duration of their academic lives. Whether it is a three-year or four-year program, law school is a protracted undertaking into a vast, complex area of study. Maintaining your focus as a law student is therefore of the utmost importance. One good way to maintain focus is to create a routine and observe it each day. Doing so may be crucial to enjoying any success in law school. Establishing a...

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Can I Study Law Online?

Can I Study Law Online?

The legal profession and law schools have traditionally been conservative and slow to adapt to change. That is until the COVID-19 pandemic gave them no choice. Of course, some legal institutions such as the California Desert Trial Academy took a progressive approach to legal education on the day they opened their doors. Even before the coronavirus pandemic necessitated some transition from the live classroom to distance learning, studying law online was becoming a reality at schools like the California Desert Trial Academy. In 2021, anyone with a computer can study online. While online law programs have existed for quite some time,...

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