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Letters to a Law Student
A guide to studying law at university, this text will help those who are thinking about studying law at university decide whether doing a law degree is the right option for them. It offers helpful advice on various aspects of the study of law, including how to choose where to study.
415 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
December 24, 2018
A slow and careful read. Normally I could read 30 pages per hour but with this one it was almost 15. I used a pencil to underline useful and particularly important advice and knowledge. I have only read the first 2 parts of the book for preparation to university application, and will finish the rest of it next year. However, it had undoubtedly been useful and gave me a lot of insights into what I need to start to do if I want to be a successful law student.
A very very brief summary:
1. Being a law student requires a variety of different skills and it is better to start acquire them now; the areas of knowledge can be political theory, philosophy, psychology, economics etc.
2. Read a lot. Useful books and books that you won’t have time to read once you are in university.
3. Be organized, always have your goals in mind.
I hope I’m a Oxford Law student of 2020:))
A very very brief summary:
1. Being a law student requires a variety of different skills and it is better to start acquire them now; the areas of knowledge can be political theory, philosophy, psychology, economics etc.
2. Read a lot. Useful books and books that you won’t have time to read once you are in university.
3. Be organized, always have your goals in mind.
I hope I’m a Oxford Law student of 2020:))
October 14, 2017
“Law isn’t for everyone. But as a subject for study, I think it’s tough to find another that is as fascinating, as significant, and as transformative as law is.”
“Tyranny is better than anarchy, and the worst Government better than none at all.”
“Some judges like to say that the most important person in court is the party who is going to lose. Every effort must be made to persuade him that his views have been listened to.”
“I have made this letter longer than usual, because I lack the time to make it short.”
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
“Studying law at university requires you to make much more of an effort to acquire more in the way of general culture than you would have to if you were studying, say, mathematics or classics.”
“Doing well in studying law shouldn’t be beyond anyone; whether someone does well or not depends in whether they want to become the sort of person who can do well at law.”
“To be successful, a law student has to be able to defer gratification- to put off what it is attractive now in order to achieve the sort of success that will allow him or her to obtain even more attractive things in the future.”
“The law tends to be pretty boring when you view it from a great distance- it’s only when you get close up to the law and see it in all its glory that you can give yourself a chance of getting really interested in it.”
“To do well as a law student you need to feel driven not to approach the subject superficially, but to try to achieve a very detailed understanding of the law. In other words, you need to feel curious about the law.”
“Law is a more personally transformative subject than any other you can study at university. Studying law properly - leaves its mark on you. You leave university able to think more clearly, argue more effectively, reason more carefully and with greater insight than you could ever do when you were at school.”
“However much you may know about the law, there is always more you could know.”
“The common law can be best compared to a coral reef - it is formed by, and emerges out of, the decisions of thousands and thousands of individual cases, with each case - each decision as to what the common law says in that case - adding to and altering the existing structure.”
“Tyranny is better than anarchy, and the worst Government better than none at all.”
“Some judges like to say that the most important person in court is the party who is going to lose. Every effort must be made to persuade him that his views have been listened to.”
“I have made this letter longer than usual, because I lack the time to make it short.”
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
“Studying law at university requires you to make much more of an effort to acquire more in the way of general culture than you would have to if you were studying, say, mathematics or classics.”
“Doing well in studying law shouldn’t be beyond anyone; whether someone does well or not depends in whether they want to become the sort of person who can do well at law.”
“To be successful, a law student has to be able to defer gratification- to put off what it is attractive now in order to achieve the sort of success that will allow him or her to obtain even more attractive things in the future.”
“The law tends to be pretty boring when you view it from a great distance- it’s only when you get close up to the law and see it in all its glory that you can give yourself a chance of getting really interested in it.”
“To do well as a law student you need to feel driven not to approach the subject superficially, but to try to achieve a very detailed understanding of the law. In other words, you need to feel curious about the law.”
“Law is a more personally transformative subject than any other you can study at university. Studying law properly - leaves its mark on you. You leave university able to think more clearly, argue more effectively, reason more carefully and with greater insight than you could ever do when you were at school.”
“However much you may know about the law, there is always more you could know.”
“The common law can be best compared to a coral reef - it is formed by, and emerges out of, the decisions of thousands and thousands of individual cases, with each case - each decision as to what the common law says in that case - adding to and altering the existing structure.”
August 21, 2021
highlighted what i need for my personal statement and closed it
September 18, 2022
idk its easy to read which is all that matters
March 11, 2021
Very clear, concise and incredibly easy to read as it is nicely laid out. Apart from addressing general misconceptions about law and becoming a law student it gives you tips and insights about all aspects of life as a student including how to get the most out of your time.
July 31, 2023
Easy to read, insightful, and I liked the way the book was structured.
March 18, 2023
Have you ever been stressed about college or graduate school before? Fearful of the stress, challenges, and unknown of where you want to go, what you want to study, and anxious about the new experience? Something that I can recommend to you would be reading a book specifically and intentionally giving you specific and strict advice on the topic; moreover, on what you want to study and work for. Think about those books like “Physics for Dummies” but surrounded by the graduate school or college because that would be a perfect book. For me, I am set and stone on going to college and then law school; yet, despite my excitement, deep inside I am apprehensive and uneasy about the tests, grades, studying, passing, and constantly questioning myself if I am intelligent enough to conquer one of life’s most unique challenges. Before reading a book prepared me, I was still prepared. Sure, I may be scared and have much more areas to learn, but I can at least say that I was far from how most high school students are.
Many studies and surveys have shown a minimum of 40% and others have shown that up to 75% of all high school graduates are not prepared for college or work. To be frank, that is just sad. Not only is our “normal” education system failing many but also, causing a sticky situation for so many young people that affects the rest of their lives. Therefore, books that strictly send advice to anyone on graduate schools or colleges are world-changing. We need a change. We must help those who have a wonderful life ahead of them but don’t know what they want to do, how they get there, and the things they need to be equipped with. If you feel stuck like most high school students, I implore you to read a book similar to the one I read, Letters to a Law Student by Nicholas Mcbride.
Nicholas Mcbride is a professor, lawyer, and author in the United Kingdom. He has published over five books and all of which teach other aspects of law and advice. He is very well known for his excellent teachings and most for his book, Letters to a Law Student. In fact, in an article called mcbridesguides, there are many testimonials in comment sections where people have noted the extraordinary ways Mcbride has affected their lives. A few examples are: “Never felt more confident after reading your book many thanks. A wealth of information that will be useful to any nervous potential law student”, “Read your book and I don’t think I will ever find a comparable and avid teacher and author in one”, and “This book is a classic and should be required reading for any high school senior or college freshman – and not just academically but even for how to live a good life.”
As you can see, Nicholas Mcbride is an intelligent man and his book has greatly impacted lives, saved grades, rescued many from endless stress, and helped many improve not only how they work in school, but also, at work!
I may be fairly prepared for my life, yet, I still read Letters to a Law Student because I knew I needed to read to help me conquer the detrimental challenges when going to law school; luckily, this book lived up to my expectations! I learned many different lessons that I believe will not only help me in school but in life. While there are many, here are my top lessons:
Research / Case Reading
Mcbride had many “letters” and lessons on what is good researching, what should you research, how to read a case thoroughly and excellently, and how to even save yourself time yet get more information than you would have if you read the whole story. To be more specific, something he stressed to us what not reading certain articles and cases word-by-word. Instead, do two run-throughs. The first one, you’ll quickly read through it and get the jist of it by asking yourself certain questions like “who is the complaining party?” or “what are the charge(s) or what is the issue?” Afterward, it is suggested you read again but search for answers to different questions. Even better, Mcbride organized all of this information and specific question into different areas of law. There was a lot of information provided on reading cases and researching and because of it, I now know that when I study cases, I should read through the case or an article twice with different kinds of questions each run-through, take thorough but concise notes, and ask myself questions!
Studying and Avoiding Stress
Something I deal with is burnout. It has hit me hard at times when2 I push and pushes meanwhile that light and spark slowly begin to fade. Something I know I am likely to face in law school is exactly this. Many studies, articles, and polls have proven that law school students are at high risk for depression and other mental issues. - The stress, work, competition, and idea of perfectionism are detrimental. Thus, I knew that it was perfect for me to hear out what Mcbride had to say on this matter.
Mcbride pushes out the advice stating that you can’t overwork yourself. You have to take the occasional break and watch out for yourself; or else, you end up in a really bad situation where your work will inevitably decrease in excellence and everything will be so much harder on you. However, while he does express the importance of breaks, he still values focus. “Any student who is restless and easily distracted will tend not to do very well in studying law.”
Essays / Problem Questions / Assignments
I was honestly quite impressed with the amount of information Mcbride included about assignments you would be given in law school. He taught me that problem questions will be tricky to get just right. You are judged harshly and it is overwhelmingly easy it get a bad grade off of the tiniest mistake. Thus, if you have an option, you should almost always choose to write an essay over a problem question. In other words, you should choose the option that you feel most confident about and the one you feel like you’ll succeed with.
Being a Successful Lawyer
To lightly touch on this, Nicholas Mcbride included many extra details in the book that gave you a few extra tips on how you can succeed in law school and outside of it. I appreciated these extra touches of advice! While I learned many things, these were definitely my top, selected few.
This book really opened up some questions in my mind that I wish could have been answered. The biggest one I still have would be “how long does it take to master these skills?”
I thought that the author did a very excellent job at organizing and simplifying practically everything in the entire book. Mcbride organzied his advice and lessons in “letters” which were chapters and he sectioned each secondary main parts into sectioned areas of the overall main subject. This helped me learn better and his simple wording and explanations truely left me learning everything he was trying to teach. The only negatives or feedback for the book that I have would be that the author was from the United Kingdom and therefore, there were many pieces of valuable information that I would have liked to learn if only it was related to the United States; however, I don’t think that it would be fair of me to say that the author was in the wrong for doing this since he was from the United Kingdom. Thus, if you were to read this from the United States, you may just want to skip those chapters! Finally, I thought that Mcbride did repeat himself multiple times when I think it could have been more concise and still have gotten his point across perfectly!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has a passionate or minor interest in law simply because I think that this book tells you the truth which could steer you away or pull you in deeper and it prepares you for law school, college, work, and many life aspects in general. Overall, I rate this book a solid 8/10. I found a few areas where the book could have been improved; yet, it was still very educational and helpful!
Many studies and surveys have shown a minimum of 40% and others have shown that up to 75% of all high school graduates are not prepared for college or work. To be frank, that is just sad. Not only is our “normal” education system failing many but also, causing a sticky situation for so many young people that affects the rest of their lives. Therefore, books that strictly send advice to anyone on graduate schools or colleges are world-changing. We need a change. We must help those who have a wonderful life ahead of them but don’t know what they want to do, how they get there, and the things they need to be equipped with. If you feel stuck like most high school students, I implore you to read a book similar to the one I read, Letters to a Law Student by Nicholas Mcbride.
Nicholas Mcbride is a professor, lawyer, and author in the United Kingdom. He has published over five books and all of which teach other aspects of law and advice. He is very well known for his excellent teachings and most for his book, Letters to a Law Student. In fact, in an article called mcbridesguides, there are many testimonials in comment sections where people have noted the extraordinary ways Mcbride has affected their lives. A few examples are: “Never felt more confident after reading your book many thanks. A wealth of information that will be useful to any nervous potential law student”, “Read your book and I don’t think I will ever find a comparable and avid teacher and author in one”, and “This book is a classic and should be required reading for any high school senior or college freshman – and not just academically but even for how to live a good life.”
As you can see, Nicholas Mcbride is an intelligent man and his book has greatly impacted lives, saved grades, rescued many from endless stress, and helped many improve not only how they work in school, but also, at work!
I may be fairly prepared for my life, yet, I still read Letters to a Law Student because I knew I needed to read to help me conquer the detrimental challenges when going to law school; luckily, this book lived up to my expectations! I learned many different lessons that I believe will not only help me in school but in life. While there are many, here are my top lessons:
Research / Case Reading
Mcbride had many “letters” and lessons on what is good researching, what should you research, how to read a case thoroughly and excellently, and how to even save yourself time yet get more information than you would have if you read the whole story. To be more specific, something he stressed to us what not reading certain articles and cases word-by-word. Instead, do two run-throughs. The first one, you’ll quickly read through it and get the jist of it by asking yourself certain questions like “who is the complaining party?” or “what are the charge(s) or what is the issue?” Afterward, it is suggested you read again but search for answers to different questions. Even better, Mcbride organized all of this information and specific question into different areas of law. There was a lot of information provided on reading cases and researching and because of it, I now know that when I study cases, I should read through the case or an article twice with different kinds of questions each run-through, take thorough but concise notes, and ask myself questions!
Studying and Avoiding Stress
Something I deal with is burnout. It has hit me hard at times when2 I push and pushes meanwhile that light and spark slowly begin to fade. Something I know I am likely to face in law school is exactly this. Many studies, articles, and polls have proven that law school students are at high risk for depression and other mental issues. - The stress, work, competition, and idea of perfectionism are detrimental. Thus, I knew that it was perfect for me to hear out what Mcbride had to say on this matter.
Mcbride pushes out the advice stating that you can’t overwork yourself. You have to take the occasional break and watch out for yourself; or else, you end up in a really bad situation where your work will inevitably decrease in excellence and everything will be so much harder on you. However, while he does express the importance of breaks, he still values focus. “Any student who is restless and easily distracted will tend not to do very well in studying law.”
Essays / Problem Questions / Assignments
I was honestly quite impressed with the amount of information Mcbride included about assignments you would be given in law school. He taught me that problem questions will be tricky to get just right. You are judged harshly and it is overwhelmingly easy it get a bad grade off of the tiniest mistake. Thus, if you have an option, you should almost always choose to write an essay over a problem question. In other words, you should choose the option that you feel most confident about and the one you feel like you’ll succeed with.
Being a Successful Lawyer
To lightly touch on this, Nicholas Mcbride included many extra details in the book that gave you a few extra tips on how you can succeed in law school and outside of it. I appreciated these extra touches of advice! While I learned many things, these were definitely my top, selected few.
This book really opened up some questions in my mind that I wish could have been answered. The biggest one I still have would be “how long does it take to master these skills?”
I thought that the author did a very excellent job at organizing and simplifying practically everything in the entire book. Mcbride organzied his advice and lessons in “letters” which were chapters and he sectioned each secondary main parts into sectioned areas of the overall main subject. This helped me learn better and his simple wording and explanations truely left me learning everything he was trying to teach. The only negatives or feedback for the book that I have would be that the author was from the United Kingdom and therefore, there were many pieces of valuable information that I would have liked to learn if only it was related to the United States; however, I don’t think that it would be fair of me to say that the author was in the wrong for doing this since he was from the United Kingdom. Thus, if you were to read this from the United States, you may just want to skip those chapters! Finally, I thought that Mcbride did repeat himself multiple times when I think it could have been more concise and still have gotten his point across perfectly!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has a passionate or minor interest in law simply because I think that this book tells you the truth which could steer you away or pull you in deeper and it prepares you for law school, college, work, and many life aspects in general. Overall, I rate this book a solid 8/10. I found a few areas where the book could have been improved; yet, it was still very educational and helpful!
March 20, 2024
This book delves into numerous areas of study and what is it like to be a student as a whole.From what is it like to be a law student; different area of law; practical tips, this book goes as far as describing how you should treat your exams, lectures, tutorials, your fellow students and so much more.
After failing my studies to the first university I have attempted , I was very close to deciding to not attend university ever again, to get a simple 9-5 job or something non academically related and just live the rest of my life like that. However, I found the initiative to apply to a few law schools ( as legal-work in general has been an interesting subject to me lately), to which I got accepted. This of course led me to reading this book.
Before opening it I was excepting just pages and pages of theory with little implications of what is it like to be a student and just a lot of unstructured information, but I was wrong.
This book really made me consider restarting my university life, and enabled me with practical tips on how to do it ( besides all the useful information given on law, the type of mentality you should have when studying law, little insights on philosophy, etc.)
The author really has an unique way of writing and doesn’t hesitate on being honest with himself when he give s advise to others. Indeed a very special book!
P.S - The only remark about this book would be that is generally directed towards students that want to study law in the UK. Thus, certain chapters can be completely skipped as they don’t provide any information for students that want to study law in other international environments.
After failing my studies to the first university I have attempted , I was very close to deciding to not attend university ever again, to get a simple 9-5 job or something non academically related and just live the rest of my life like that. However, I found the initiative to apply to a few law schools ( as legal-work in general has been an interesting subject to me lately), to which I got accepted. This of course led me to reading this book.
Before opening it I was excepting just pages and pages of theory with little implications of what is it like to be a student and just a lot of unstructured information, but I was wrong.
This book really made me consider restarting my university life, and enabled me with practical tips on how to do it ( besides all the useful information given on law, the type of mentality you should have when studying law, little insights on philosophy, etc.)
The author really has an unique way of writing and doesn’t hesitate on being honest with himself when he give s advise to others. Indeed a very special book!
P.S - The only remark about this book would be that is generally directed towards students that want to study law in the UK. Thus, certain chapters can be completely skipped as they don’t provide any information for students that want to study law in other international environments.
August 10, 2013
I'm almost done with this book - as I'm not at uni yet, I haven't actually bothered to read past the pre-degree chapters as I have loads of other reading to catch up on. So far however, I have found this a pleasant and engaging read, less stiff and boring than other law-prep/law-related books. It maintains an informal and comfortable enough tone without seeming cheesy, while including all terminology and in-depth explanations without alienating the reader. I have, admittedly, a short attention span when it comes to non-fiction, but I glided through this and found myself remembering lots of things I've read about. Definitely recommend if you want to become more comfortable with law in general, applying to uni and doing a degree.
January 5, 2013
This book is very insightful and I feel more prepared as a law student now for what I will need to do to become better.
October 13, 2017
swag
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2019
**Warning: this text may contain spoilers** Good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2021
Really useful and encouraging. I recommend this to anyone wanting the study Law.
November 18, 2022
This book was written by ex-Oxford law student Nicholas J.McBride and is a guided reference for those considering taking law as an educational course in university or as a career. This piece of writing was divided in a few chapters in order to separate the different sections and fields of law. For instance, the initial few pages are in the chapter "What Is Law?" while the final few pages are in the chapter "How to Prepare for Exams." Those chapters are only condensed versions of the five larger concepts presented in the book: "Thinking About Studying Law?," "Preparing To Study Law," "Studying Law," "Writing Like A Lawyer," and "After Studying Law". Not only do all those chapters give the reader critical information on different fields of law (a more educational aspect) but it also gives the reader important tips and advice which gives it a "friendly" aspect therefore the name "letter" to a law student. When I finished reading the book I was even thinking of sending a gratification letter to the author due to the way he writes so personally throughout the book😅.
In my opinion, this book would be in my top ratings and definitely categorised as a must-have for anyone interested in pursuing law. Although this book is little under 400 pages, it is a slow and careful read due to all the critical information you get through every page (I advise you to highlight/take notes in the book). The only negative aspect if this book would be that some of its chapters are mainly directed towards UK law students which could be penalising for someone who would like to study somewhere else. Regardless, this book generally gives an international law knowledge except for a few minor sections. I would certainly recommend this book to my surrounding or to anyone who is interested in pursuing law.
In my opinion, this book would be in my top ratings and definitely categorised as a must-have for anyone interested in pursuing law. Although this book is little under 400 pages, it is a slow and careful read due to all the critical information you get through every page (I advise you to highlight/take notes in the book). The only negative aspect if this book would be that some of its chapters are mainly directed towards UK law students which could be penalising for someone who would like to study somewhere else. Regardless, this book generally gives an international law knowledge except for a few minor sections. I would certainly recommend this book to my surrounding or to anyone who is interested in pursuing law.
January 6, 2025
Actually really informative and thorough, the method of conveying the extensive information is also very creative and intriguing (letter format to a fictional student who is looking to pursue law). I can likely look back to this book and gain a fresher understanding if I were to pursue this subject, but I think some parts of the book is not that applicable to audiences that are considering law but more for those who are already studying it, so it could be slightly boring/lengthy in those places compared to other chapters (which is mostly inspiring and eye-opening).
This book is also one of those where I take more time and patience to comprehend every single paragraph and new knowledge, so I did find myself reading this book for quite a long time. With that said, I would consider this a “mini-dictionary/short-introductory book” for law, since each letter is packed efficiently with explanations, references, cases previews, and refreshing tip. I got inspired reading this book, would recommend, 4.5.
This book is also one of those where I take more time and patience to comprehend every single paragraph and new knowledge, so I did find myself reading this book for quite a long time. With that said, I would consider this a “mini-dictionary/short-introductory book” for law, since each letter is packed efficiently with explanations, references, cases previews, and refreshing tip. I got inspired reading this book, would recommend, 4.5.
December 29, 2017
This book can help a law student from day one to graduation and beyond. This book comprises a series of letter to an imaginary law student, Alex. The books give very practical advice on various issues of legal education including but not limited to how to study law, how to write legal essays/dissertation, and how to revise for exams.
The book includes chapters very relevant to those considering studying law and those doing a law degree. The book will help you do better in law school as it teaches various skills required to succeed in law school. This book undoubtedly is the best book that gives orientation on legal education. It also is must have book throughout law school. This book can teach you what you exactly need to know about legal education in your early days.
The book includes chapters very relevant to those considering studying law and those doing a law degree. The book will help you do better in law school as it teaches various skills required to succeed in law school. This book undoubtedly is the best book that gives orientation on legal education. It also is must have book throughout law school. This book can teach you what you exactly need to know about legal education in your early days.
July 17, 2023
Letters to A Law Student by Nicholas McBride is an essential pre-university read for anyone considering or preparing to study Law at University. This book covers a range of topics such as why choose a law degree, preparing to study Law, studying law, writing like a lawyer and the next steps after one's law degree. Written as letters to a student, it makes the book an amiable and conversational book providing future law students and current law students with the first bit of help and advice they will need to tackle their Law degree and reach their ambitions.
For my full review please visit: https://cembookportal.blogspot.com/20...
For my full review please visit: https://cembookportal.blogspot.com/20...
September 16, 2024
A very useful book for the university applicants to Law degree. It is organized in the form of letters answering to questions concerning choosing university, application procedure, education process, preparation for exams and many more. Although many of what is advised concerns the Common Law legal system, a lot can be used in the education process of other legal systems.
January 13, 2021
There was a lot to digest so it was quite a slow and considered read, but it was full of helpful insight. I found it be very informative, I definitely feel much more prepared for my MA, and it was also very inspiring. Couldn't recommend it enough to anyone considering studying Law.
August 7, 2023
Read a majority of the letters that were suggested for ppl who will be studying law and they were really helpful! I would suggest reading the fifth edition instead though which is what I’m gonna do now
August 29, 2023
Probably super good for literally any other law student but didn’t resonate with me bcz I’m ~unique~ and was too stubborn/on drugs/undiagnosed autistic in my first two years of law school to follow any of its advice
December 8, 2024
had no idea about law school so this book really helped making me familiar with different aspects of law school, the law and studying strategies.
in a way, it helped me know what to expect l! defo a good read!
in a way, it helped me know what to expect l! defo a good read!
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Moshe Strugano
Attorney
Tel: +972-3-7501235
Fax: +972-77-4704967
Strugano & Co
Azrieli Towers, Round Tower, 19th Floor
Menachem Begin Blvd
Tel Aviv, 6701101
Israel
Attorney
Tel: +972-3-7501235
Fax: +972-77-4704967
Strugano & Co
Azrieli Towers, Round Tower, 19th Floor
Menachem Begin Blvd
Tel Aviv, 6701101
Israel
January 22, 2020
Extremely useful book. Will keep re-reading it!
May 25, 2020
Almost done with this book (as I haven't actually started studying law yet), but so far it is a useful guide which I will probably keep on referring back to when I start studying law at university.
June 28, 2020
Must read for any year law student, preferably pre-law school read but it is never too late to give it a try !
September 13, 2020
Really helpful, I will be taking this to university so I can refer to it at any time. Thank you Nicholas.
Read
August 25, 2021really useful and resourceful
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews