Do you read a lot in law school?

Asked by: Beaulah Simonis  |  Last update: August 22, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (65 votes)

It is typical for students to be assigned anywhere from twelve to twenty- five or more pages of casebook reading a night in each class. Not count- ing legal research and writing assignments, most first year law students meet with three classes on average per weekday.

Does law school have a lot of reading?

Studying. Law school typically has a heftier work load than undergrad. You should treat it like a full-time job, dedicating at least 40 hours (or more) to reading and studying each week.

How many hours a day do law students read?

First-year law students should expect to commit an average of 30-40+ hours of studying per week (some advocating for more), with around 30-60 pages of reading per class each week.

Does being a lawyer require a lot of reading?

We lawyers spend much of our days reading. We read for multiple purposes: discovering facts, finding legal authority, developing advice, learning about a client, editing a document, preparing for a meeting, studying a new law.

How much reading per class in law school?

Unlike in undergraduate school, law students spend countless hours preparing for classroom instruction. Along with reading around 100 pages a week per class, you'll want to review your notes and create outlines. Plus, many law students find they need to read the same material a few times to grasp it fully.

10 Signs You Should Become A Lawyer

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What is the hardest year of law school?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

Is law school harder than med school?

Although both law and medical schools present their unique challenges, it's generally accepted that medical school demands a higher level of intense coursework and thorough training.

How smart do I have to be to be a lawyer?

On the totem pole of skills essential to being a good lawyer, intelligence is pretty low. Organization, time management, customer service, and an ability to influence people are all more important than how smart you are. The “wins” don't always go to the person who got the law perfectly right.

Do lawyers have to memorize a lot?

Memorization is key not only to your success in law school, but on the bar exam and in your future legal career.

Do lawyers need to be good at math?

Another potentially helpful subject is mathematics. Although not directly linked to legal studies in a formal sense, studying mathematics can definitely aid in the development of thinking and problem- solving abilities, and such skills are essential in the field of law. Philosophy and ethics are a third useful area.

Is law school harder than graduate school?

Yes, grad school requires learning new approaches, new theories, new ways of thinking. Some of this even makes your head spin. But it simply doesn't require the same radical realignment that law school does. What you learned as an undergraduate applies to grad school — but not so much to law school.

What is the first year of law school like?

In law school, however, there is no time to waste. The first year – called 1L – is critical to your career. Most first-year classes are large, intimidating lectures. Grades are typically based on final exams graded blindly using a fixed curve, with percentage quotas for each grade.

How long do law students study a day?

Law Students' Average Daily Study Hours

All in all, however, law students typically spend around 30 – 40 hours per week studying. That may sound like a lot, but a good rule of thumb is that you should be studying at least two hours for every one hour of class time per week.

What is the hardest course in law school?

Some of the hardest classes in law school, according to current and former students, are:
  • Constitutional Law.
  • Civil Procedure.
  • Contracts.
  • Federal Courts.
  • Federal Income Tax.
  • Administrative Law.
  • Partnership Tax.

Is a 3.7 good for law school?

Here, an average GPA in the range of 3.5 to 3.7 is more common. Less competitive law schools may admit students with lower GPAs, often around 3.0 to 3.4 or even lower. These schools may prioritize other factors like diversity and unique experiences over strict academic metrics.

Is law school harder than college?

In summary, law school is hard. Harder than regular college or universities, in terms of stress, workload, and required commitment. But about 40,000 people graduate from law schools every year–so it is clearly attainable.

Is law school mainly memorization?

Misconception #1: Law school is all about memorization

Instead, it's about taking that information and applying it to new situations. The focus is on developing a deep understanding of the law and learning to think like a lawyer, rather than rote memorization.

What is the hardest thing for a lawyer?

12 common challenges that lawyers face
  • Outsourcing. ...
  • Law school debt. ...
  • Establishing a reputation. ...
  • Debate. ...
  • Long hours. ...
  • Challenging clients. ...
  • Work-life balance. ...
  • Occupational stress. Occupational stress refers to the sum of all challenges that a lawyer may face during their career.

What percentage of lawyers never pass the bar?

Wondering how test-takers are doing as a whole? According to the most recent data released by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®), in 2021, of the 64,833 total persons taking the bar exam, 39,873 passed, which is an overall pass rate of 60% (down 1%from the previous year).

What is the easiest lawyer to become?

The easiest law to practice is often considered to be estate planning. This involves helping clients prepare for the distribution of their assets upon death or incapacitation, making it relatively straightforward compared to other legal fields.

What is the average to become a lawyer?

Education. Becoming a lawyer usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school: 4 years of undergraduate study followed by 3 years of law school.

What IQ do most lawyers have?

The average lawyer's IQ is 112, at least 20 points below Mensa membership. A test measuring someone's working memory, verbal comprehension, processing speed, and perceptual reasoning says almost nothing about how interesting a person may be to their peers.

Is it harder to become a doctor or lawyer?

Becoming a doctor would seen to be more difficult than becoming a lawyer, using educational requirements, length of studies, and financial considerations as the metrics.

How hard is the bar exam?

The bar exam is hard. In fact, it may be one of the most difficult challenges you ever embark on. You must memorize numerous laws and consume a lot of knowledge to answer questions correctly. For many, it feels like trying to hold sand in your hands, knowing that you'll inevitably lose much of it.