Brown Boy Goes to Law School

I got an e-mail today from a law professor at Suffolk Law School up in Boston. I thought I’d just share the entire e-mail…

Dear Junaid:

Every year, new students contact the law school and ask: “Is there anything I can do to get ready for law school?” As for the substantive courses you will be taking during your first year – Criminal Law, Contracts, Constitutional Law, Torts, Property, Civil Procedure, and Legal Practice Skills – do not worry. We will teach you everything you need to know once you arrive at Suffolk.

If you truly want to work on something prior to your arrival, there are several books out there that address what it takes to excel in law school. These books can answer many of your questions before you ever attend orientation, and can be an important source of information throughout the school year. In addition, I have listed a book – The Buffalo Creek Disaster – that illustrates how good lawyers can make a positive difference in the lives of the people they represent.

Succeeding in Law School, Professor Herbert N. Ramy (Published by Carolina Academic Press), ISBN-13: 978-1594601897. The unifying concept behind this recently completed text is that students must become active participants in their own education. Classroom lectures and textbooks are merely the jumping off point for each student’s exploration of every topic. Approaching law school in this fashion is the key to oft stated goal of “thinking like a lawyer.”

Plain English for Lawyers, 4th Edition, Richard C. Wydick, ISBN#: 0-89089-994-0 – Despite what many of you may have heard or read, lawyers write best when they keep it simple, concise, and to the point. Through the use of examples and exercises, this outstanding book points out all the writing pitfalls into which new law students fall.

1000 Days to the Bar, Dennis J. Tonsing, ISBN# 0-8377-3726-5 Written by the former Dean of Students at Roger Williams University School of Law, this book is “designed to empower first-year law students by presenting the components for academic success is a step-by-step format.”

The Buffalo Creek Disaster, Gerald M. Stern, ISBN#: 0394723430.

All of these books are in paperback, and you should be able to find them at the Suffolk Law School bookstore or through Amazon.com. Keep in mind that these books are “suggested” reading, and that we will not be testing whether you read them when you arrive in the fall! We hope that this list helps, and we look forward to seeing you in August. In the meantime, you may contact me at hramy@suffolk.edu if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Professor Herbert N. Ramy, Director