Your first year of law school comes with a steep learning curve. You must prepare for class, complete legal writing assignments, begin building professional relationships and adjust to an entirely new way of thinking, all at the same time.
With so many competing demands, it is easy to feel as though there are never enough hours in the day. The following time management tips can help you stay organized, reduce stress and make the most of your 1L year.
Outline throughout the semester.
You will hear a lot of conflicting advice about when to begin outlining in law school. Some students wait until halfway through the semester. Others do not begin until the final exam study period. Waiting this long to begin outlining is a recipe for stress.
Instead, begin outlining early and update your outlines consistently throughout the semester. Set aside time each week (or better yet, each day) to review your class notes, organize the material and condense it into a clear outline. This process forces you to actively work through the law and identify concepts you do not yet understand.
Note that your class notes should not simply become your outline. Class notes are usually too detailed and disorganized. Similarly, do not rely exclusively on a commercial outline or an outline created by another student. A commercial or former student’s outline can be a helpful reference, but creating your own outline is an important part of the learning process.
As legal writing deadlines, networking events and interviews begin to fill your calendar, you will be grateful that you did not leave all of your outlining until the end of the semester.
Prepare for class efficiently.
Preparing for class is important, but spending hours creating a formal written brief for every assigned case is not the best use of your time.
Instead, use book briefing as a tool. Rather than typing a separate case brief, use a consistent highlighting or annotation system in your casebook. For example, you might mark the issue in one color, the rule in another and the holding in a third. You can also write a few key notes in the margin so you can quickly locate the relevant information if you’re called on in class.
It may also be helpful to read a short case summary before reading the full opinion. This gives you context and helps you recognize the important facts, legal rule and reasoning as you read. This will save you time. The goal is not to replace the assigned reading, but to complete it more efficiently and with better comprehension.
Experiment with different approaches during the first few weeks and choose a preparation method that helps you understand the material without taking up all of your study time.
Be selective about networking events.
Legal recruiting continues to occur earlier each year, and many 1Ls feel pressure to begin networking almost immediately after the semester begins. At some law schools, students have opportunities to attend firm receptions, panels, informational sessions and other events nearly every day.
Networking is important, but you do not need to attend every event.
Be strategic. Consider where you may want to work, which practice areas interest you and which organizations or attorneys you genuinely want to learn more about. Then prioritize the events that are most relevant to your goals.
Attending too many events can take time away from studying and other priorities. And if your grades suffer significantly, attending every reception will not make up for it.
Remember that you also do not have to stay for the entire event. In many cases, you can attend, speak meaningfully with a few people and leave once you have accomplished your purpose.
Plan backward from major deadlines.
Do not wait until an assignment or exam is approaching to decide when you will work on it.
At the beginning of the semester, enter every known deadline into a calendar, including legal writing assignments, midterms, interviews, networking events and final exams. Then work backward from each major deadline and identify the smaller tasks you will need to complete along the way.
For example, instead of writing “legal writing assignment due Friday” on your calendar, schedule separate blocks for research, outlining, drafting, revising and proofreading. For final exams, schedule time to finish your outline, memorize the material, complete practice questions and take timed exams.
Schedule time to take care of yourself.
Do not treat sleep, exercise and personal time as activities you will fit in only after all of your work is finished. There will almost always be more work you could do.
Instead, include time for your well-being in your weekly schedule. This should include:
- Consistent sleep
- Regular exercise
- Breaks from studying
- Time with family and friends
- At least some time to relax and recharge
I graduated as the No. 1 student in my law school class. During law school, I exercised six days a week, slept approximately eight hours a night and took every Sunday off.
Those habits did not take away from my studying. They helped me study more efficiently. When you are well rested and take meaningful breaks, you can focus more effectively, recall information more quickly and maintain your motivation throughout the semester. You are also developing positive habits that can carry over into your career.
Law school is a marathon, not a sprint. You do not need to manage every day perfectly, and you will likely adjust your routine several times during your first semester.
The goal is to develop consistent habits that allow you to complete your most important work without sacrificing your health. By outlining throughout the semester, preparing for class efficiently, choosing networking opportunities carefully, planning backward from major deadlines and protecting your personal time, you can build a more manageable and successful 1L year.
