I periodically ask law students the following question: "Is there anything that you know now that you wish you would have known prior to law school?

One student responded: "I think it is important to realize that while professors may be brilliant they may not be the best teachers. I had to teach myself in a few classes."

Good point!

Law school professors' scholarship skills are often prized more highly than their teaching skills. Law school professors generally have no formal training in how to prepare, organize, and conduct a class, and for those who are excellent teachers, it is difficult for them to secure tenure if they do not publish.

So what do you do if you do not understand what a professor is teaching?

There are many resources available in law school to assist you. Some of those resources are provided by the school, and other resources you will have to locate on your own.

First, law schools usually have an academic success/support department. The professors that staff these departments are often excellent at explaining difficult legal topics in a way that can be easily understood. If you are having trouble understanding a topic, do not be ashamed of seeking out these professors' help because if you do well in law school and get that coveted job, nobody will know, or even care, that you developed a relationship with the academic success professor.

Second, your classmates are another source of assistance in law school. They better than anyone know exactly what you are experiencing. When I was in law school one of my classmates was very instrumental in my learning of the law. She was a very successful student, and we had similar learning styles, so I began copying many of her habits and that helped me learn the law better.

Lastly, there are dozens of law school supplements available. The first website below is an excellent guide to law school supplements and study aids. The second website provides a variety of supplements and study aids offered by LexisNexis.

http://www.lawtutorial.com/Guide%20to%20Supplements.htm

http://www.lexisnexis.com/student/lawschool/

Other related articles on this website include Case Briefing and Academic Support.

Good luck with your studies!

Michael Santana

michael.santana@lawboost.com