Student's Guide to Law School
What Counts, What Helps, and What Matters
Law school can be a joyous, soul-transforming challenge that leads to a rewarding career. It can also be an exhausting, self-limiting trap. It all depends on making smart decisions. When every advantage counts, "A Student's Guide to Law School" is like having a personal mentor available at every turn.
As a recent graduate and an appellate lawyer, Andrew Ayers knows how high the stakes are – he's been there, and not only did he survive the experience, he graduated first in his class. In "A Student's Guide to Law School" he shares invaluable insight on what it takes to make a successful law school journey. Originating in notes Ayers jotted down while commuting to his first clerkship with then-Judge Sonia Sotomayor, and refined throughout his first years as a lawyer, "A Student's Guide to Law School" offers a unique balance of insider's knowledge and professional advice.
Organized in four parts, the first part looks at tests and grades, explaining what's expected and exploring the seven choices students must make on exam day. The second part discusses the skills needed to be a successful law student, giving the reader easy-to-use tools to analyze legal materials and construct clear arguments.
The third part contains advice on how to use studying, class work, and note-taking to find your best path. Finally, Ayers closes with a look beyond the classroom, showing students how the choices they make in law school will affect their career – and even determine the kind of lawyer they become.
The first law school guide written by a recent top-ranked graduate, "A Student's Guide to Law School" is relentlessly practical and thoroughly relevant to the law school experience of today's students. With the tools and advice Ayers shares here, students can make the most of their investment in law school, and turn their valuable learning experiences into a meaningful career.
About the Author
Andrew B. Ayers is an appellate lawyer in Albany, NY. He graduated first in his law school class at Georgetown in 2005 and clerked for Sonia Sotomayor on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and for Gerard E. Lynch on Manhattan's federal trial court.
Reviews
"At the beginning of law school, everything feels like the hardest part. You don't see things clearly yet. You don't know what's important and what isn't; what to focus on and what to skim. Andrew B. Ayers wrote A Student's Guide to Law School to help law students see those choices clearly" – Daily Journal
"'A Student's Guide to Law School' eloquently captures the journey of the novice to the professional by focusing on how to immerse oneself in the culture of law. Ayers aptly delves into approaches to class work and studying for exanimations without losing sight of the larger goal of becoming a practice-ready and ethical professional – a connoisseur of the law" – Catherine L. Carpenter, Southwestern Law School
"Andrew Ayers has provided a straightforward and witty guide to getting the most out of legal education for the right reasons: to develop legal competence, cultivate professional judgment, and become a lawyer of credit. An admirable book" – William M. Sullivan, co-author of "Educating Lawyers"
