1L PREP PROGRAM
PREPARING FOR THE FIRST “HELL” YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL
The first year of law school (1L) is often considered the most challenging and crucial period, especially for those aspiring to secure positions in major law firms, prosecutorial offices, government agencies, financial regulatory bodies, or judicial clerkships after graduation. Most students will spend at least 20 hours per week on reading cases alone. Grading vastly differs from past experience as one final exam often accounts for the entire semester grade. Successfully navigating the first semester of the first year is paramount, with one of the key reasons being preparation for On-Campus Interviewing (OCI).
OCI involves prestigious law firms and public institutions visiting law schools to conduct interviews with outstanding and exceptional first year law students before their second year for summer internships. Excelling in classes during the 1L first semester is crucial for positioning oneself at the top, as OCI serves as a critical opportunity for securing summer internships that usually lead to permanent employment offers after law school.
The success in the summer internship is pivotal, as employers often extend permanent employment offers to law school graduates who have demonstrated exceptional performance during their internships. This underscores the significance of achieving success in the first semester of the first “hell” year, as it becomes the sole and decisive factor that employers consider when selecting candidates for interviews.
First-year grades in law school are crucial, and achieving a position within the top 20% can significantly enhance one's chances of securing a desirable job. Given the challenging nature of the first year, where students are introduced to unfamiliar legal concepts and must grapple with a substantial amount of case law, 1L prep can indeed be advantageous. Mastering a substantial volume of cases and understanding legal terminology can be overwhelming, but undertaking preparatory studies can increase the likelihood of landing within the top 20% of your class.
During the first year, students typically engage with the case method, a pedagogical approach where they study materials through legal cases. This involves reading and analyzing judicial decisions, followed by participating in class discussions about them. Law professors often use the Socratic method to facilitate these discussions. In this method, students are randomly called upon to answer the professor's questions, leading them to articulate their conclusions regarding legal rules, underlying theories, assumptions, and policy considerations.
In U.S. law schools, the core courses for the first year are generally divided into the following subjects: Contracts, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Real Estate Law, Torts, Civil Procedure, and Legal Writing. Let's take a closer look at the content of the first year in law school.
Contracts: This course analyzes the legal principles regulating the elements required for the formation of a valid contract and the circumstances under which a contract may be breached. Through examination of past judicial cases, students explore the legal framework governing the conditions and obligations expressed in contracts. In the event of a breach of contract, they will also study the legal remedies that may be applied depending on the situation.
Constitutional Law: Constitutional Law provides an introduction to the United States Constitution and the various branches of the U.S. government. It explores not only the separation of powers but also individual constitutional rights and decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court. The course often focuses on the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment.
Criminal Law & Procedure: Criminal Law teaches the general principles of what is classified as a "crime" and the basis of criminal liability. The course analyzes the rules governing sanctions (punishments for actions violating rules or laws) for individuals accused of committing crimes. While you may not encounter the specific crimes discussed in this course in real life, the scenarios presented, such as someone shooting a person they believe to be dead or threatening someone with a gun, serve as thought experiments. The course heavily relies on Socratic dialogue, and the exam questions from Criminal Law professors are known for their complexity, making it one of the most interesting courses for many law students.
Property Law: Similar to many laws in the United States, property laws regulating the purchase, ownership, and sale of property often trace their roots back to English common law. Those interested in understanding broader policy issues will recognize the significance of this subject. Many property-related courses emphasize the economic analysis of property law to varying degrees.
Torts: Torts refer to harmful actions that can lead to legal liability under civil law. In this course, students study the basis for judgments in civil cases. An acronym often used to conveniently remember the major categories of torts, particularly those primarily dealt with in the United States, is FITTED CAB: False Imprisonment, Trespass (to land), Trespass (to chattel, or personal property), Emotional Distress, Conversion, Assault, and Battery.
Civil Procedure: While Contracts and Torts teach what attorneys do in civil court, Civil Procedure instructs on how they go about doing it. Studying "Civil Procedure" involves delving into often intricate and convoluted rules that regulate not only who can sue whom in civil court but also when, how, and where such lawsuits can be filed. Civil Procedure rules govern the proceedings in court and the steps leading up to it, including discovery, filing complaints, raising preliminary objections, and more.
Legal Writing: Regarded as one of the most useful courses in the law school curriculum, Legal Writing teaches the logical and persuasive methods for crafting legal research memoranda, correspondence, and briefs. This course also often covers the skill of presenting oral arguments in front of a judge.
At YES Consulting, a Vanderbilt Law School graduate can provide you with 1L Prep. Our services include virtual 1:1 weekly meetings to instruct the elements of legal writing using the IRAC method. The legal writing program instructs you on how to write with clarity and persuasively. Our 1L Boot Camp and Fundamentals Courses provide students with foundational skill sets to succeed in law school. Students receive one-on-one instruction and feedback through weekly virtual meetings throughout the different courses during which they will read and analyze actual cases, learn how to outline cases, and review law school exams. By learning fundamental legal principles and how to outline cases, our program will provide you with foundational knowledge so that you can succeed during the critical first year, which in turn, will allow you to achieve the job of your choice.
1L Prep spots are limited to ensure that students receive proper individualized attention. We encourage you to schedule a complimentary virtual consultation to design a program tailored to your needs.
Ready to learn which plan is right for you?
1L Boot Camp
4 hours of one-on-one instruction for those who want a primer on the basics. Learn how to read a case court opinion, outline a case using the IRAC method, apply exam-taking strategies, and more.
1L Fundamentals
12 hours of one-on-one instruction covering major case law and legal principles for all six 1L courses including contracts, constitutional law, criminal law, property law, civil procedure, and torts.
Legal Writing
4 hours of one-on-one instruction on legal writing. Learn how to write with clarity in the art of persuasion.
Please email us to schedule yourcomplimentary 30-minute virtual initial consultation
Email: graduate2@yesuhak.com