How should you take notes in law school?

Asked by: Gina Price  |  Last update: January 17, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (42 votes)

Make Notes Brief Here are some tips that will help you keep your notes brief and concise: Use abbreviations and symbols. You can design your own system or take inspiration from those commonly used in legal documents. Jot down unfamiliar words or concepts you don't understand; you can look them up later.

What is the hardest year in 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.

What are the 7 rules of note taking?

Here are seven note-taking tips.
  • Do take notes. Students who take notes during a lesson achieve more than those who listen to the lesson without note taking. ...
  • Take complete notes. ...
  • Take detailed notes. ...
  • Look for note-taking cues. ...
  • Revise your notes. ...
  • Replay lectures. ...
  • Take handwritten notes.

Does law school require memorization?

Memorization is key not only to your success in law school, but on the bar exam and in your future legal career. The type of memorization required for law school is a bit different than what you dealt with in undergrad and high school. You'll need to memorize a lot more in a shorter amount of time.

What is the Cornell method of law notes?

Cornell Method. The Cornell Method uses a differently ruled sheet of paper. Rule your paper with a 2 ½ inch margin on the left leaving a 6 inch area on the right in which to make notes, and a 2 inch space on the bottom to summarize the page. During class, take down information in the six-inch area.

How I Take Notes (at Law School) - The SOAR Framework

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How do law students take notes?

Many find a case nicknaming system helpful so that it's obvious which notes are related to the same case without having to re-write the entire case out each time. Writing frequently used words and terms out fully once and then abbreviating in future uses also saves space and time.

Are Cornell notes actually effective?

However, many successful students and business people have found that the Cornell note taking system is very effective for lectures or reading that is organized around clearly defined topics, subtopics, and supporting details. The Cornell System is both a note taking and a study system. There are six steps to it.

How do lawyers memorize so much?

Spaced Repetition

The less often you visit a location, the harder it is to remember how to get there. In the same way, reviewing a law every day, then every other day, then every week, will leverage your mind's tendency to prioritize information that frequently appears over a prolonged period.

How smart do you have to be to go to law school?

According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), students need a GPA of at least 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more to get into any top 10 law schools. However, that is the bare minimum, and you should aim higher if you want to increase your chances of getting into the top 3.

Do law schools look at pass fail?

Earning good grades in challenging courses demonstrates academic excellence. Compiling an impressive record is a critical first step in the process of getting admitted to the law school of your choice. Avoid using the pass/fail option as it doesn't give enough information to evaluate your performance in that course.

What are the 5 R's of note-taking?

This format provides the perfect opportunity for following through with the 5 R's of note-taking:
  • Record. During the lecture, record in the main column as many meaningful facts and ideas as you can. ...
  • Reduce. As soon after as possible, summarize these facts and ideas concisely in the Cue Column. ...
  • Recite. ...
  • Reflect. ...
  • Review.

What are the 6 most common mistakes in note-taking?

In this article, we'll go over some common note-taking mistakes and how you can make sure to avoid them.
  • Mistake #1: Taking Too Long Notes. ...
  • Mistake #2: Not Organizing Your Notes. ...
  • Mistake #3: Not Reviewing Your Notes. ...
  • Mistake #4: Copying Information Verbatim. ...
  • Mistake #5: Not Personalizing Your Note-Taking Method.

What type of lawyer makes the most money?

Patent Attorney Salary

Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.

Is law school harder than med school?

Each path demands extensive education and a commitment to rigorous training before becoming a qualified professional. 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.

What LSAT score do I need for Harvard?

So let's take a look at what it actually takes to have a chance of being admitted to the most prestigious and preeminent law school in the world. As you can see from these numbers, an LSAT score of 170 or higher and a GPA above 3.75 will give you a chance of gaining admission to Harvard Law School.

Is law school harder than college?

Law school is almost universally harder than college—but this is a good thing. It's designed to prepare you for the rigors of your legal career.

What GPA do most law students have?

The average GPA for law school is between 3.91. However, like LSAT scores, it's important to understand that the specific average GPA can differ depending on the law school and its level of competitiveness. Top-ranking law schools often expect higher average GPAs, typically ranging from 3.8 to 4.0 or even higher.

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.

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.

Do lawyers do 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 many hours do lawyers study?

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 are 2 disadvantages to Cornell notes?

Disadvantages. Not visual: Not ideal for visualising information, or for subjects that require diagrams. Time-consuming: Setting up the page requires time, especially adding cues and summaries afterwards. Limited space: Handwritten notes may feel cramped.

What is the best note-taking method?

The Cornell method

Divide your page into two columns (make the right column wider than the left). The right column is for taking notes, while the left column is for jotting down key phrases associated with those notes. Then add a small section at the bottom of your page to write a summary of the main ideas.

Do you skip lines in Cornell notes?

During the lecture, record the main ideas and concepts on the right side of the page. This is the notes column. Skip one line between ideas and several lines between topics. Avoid writing in complete sentences; use symbols and abbreviations instead.