Have you ever heard of Christopher Columbus Langdell? I’ve talked about him before. He is known for developing the “case method” of legal education, which is now commonly used in American law schools. Langdell also established the standard 1L curriculum that is still utilized by many law schools today. This curriculum covers topics like Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, and Torts (including some Constitutional Law).

Why Understanding the 1L Curriculum is Essential for Law Students

The 1L subjects of Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, and Torts are key to success in law school and serve as the foundation for when you prepare for the bar exam. Even though the format of the bar exam is about to be dramatically altered, these subjects will still be on the revised bar exam. And, you will re-encounter the concepts in these subjects when you take upper-level courses like Wills, Corporations, Family Law, etc. Some of these subjects will also be on the bar exam.

The first-year curriculum is the building block of your law school experience. You will have a much easier time preparing for the bar exam if you get a firm grasp of the 1L subjects the first time you see them.

From 1L to Bar Exam: How Understanding the Basics Can Make a Difference

A law degree is an academic degree, much like a college degree. To get a license to practice law, you must pass the bar exam.* Before sitting for the bar exam, you will most likely take a bar “review” course. To “review” something means you have seen it before and grasp its essential concepts. For a lot of people, this is not the case. For many people, the 1L subjects are not any clearer on graduation day than they were at the end of 1L. Most bar review courses teach these entire subjects in condensed lectures set forth in a few hours. This does little to clarify what was left unclear at the end of 1L.  

How to Maximize Your Success in Law School: Focus on 1L

If you dedicate yourself to mastering the 1L subjects, you do yourself several huge favors: good grades, an enjoyable, potentially prestigious job for the summer after 1L, a better grasp of upper-level courses, and an easier time preparing for the bar exam.

As you see, 1L makes all the difference!

Schedule a free consultation today and take the first step towards mastering the 1L subjects.

* Graduates of ABA-accredited law schools in Wisconsin gain automatic admission to the state bar through what is known as “diploma privilege.” For the rest of us, there is the bar exam.