Law school is a scary place for any new student. For an older (“non-traditional”) student, it can be intimidating as well as being ill-designed for the needs of an older, second-career student with children, mortgages, and the like. This book compiles advice from the author, lawyer-editors, and dozens of current and former law students, on such matters as dealing with families and children, the LSAT and GPAs for the older student, the law school application process and law school rankings for non-traditional students, paying for law school, surviving first year and non-academic hurdles, and the occasional skeleton in the non-traditional closet.

Using a format that resembles FAQs, the book is an easy read no matter which chapter you open up to. What appreciated about this book compared to some other know-it-all law school guides was its willingness to let the reader hear varying viewpoints on topics ranging from how to pick a school, how to maintain your sanity (and humanity), to how to steer towards a job you’ll like. The book doesn’t approach the subject as if you will be screwed if you don’t take its advice; it’s more a gathering of intelligent, thoughtful comments from a large number of people who have presumably made it through to the other side of law school. Read the rest of this entry »

This book, which was written in the 19th century, is as vital and significant today as the Constitution and perhaps more important to the modern reader because of changes mad within the court system (but not the legal system) in the past century. This is a very short book, but covers a very important and neglected part of the limitations of Government power: the trial by jury.

Jury trial rights predate the foundation of the United States, beginning with the signing of the Magna Carta in England in 1215. So the principles of jury trial were long established in the British Common Law upon which US Federal Law and most states.

This book gives an eye opening look at our judicial system and why the trial by jury is so important. As one of the checks and balances of our constitution, it allows “the people” to keep government from issuing oppressive laws. Read the rest of this entry »

Anyone thinking about attending law school faces three years of discipline and hard work. Miller, an attorney and 1998 University of Pennsylvania law school graduate, shares his knowledge about getting through.

Miller covers every aspect of the law school experience-from surviving the first semester to seeking summer internships-which makes this book unique. He presents experiences of other law students to help readers understand what is expected of them and how these expectations will affect heir social and personal lives. The author emphasizes that discipline and conviction are the keys to successfully completing law school. Chapters are of course included on how to study for entrance tests and select an appropriate school. Read the rest of this entry »

There are two kinds of knowledge law school teaches: legal rules on the one hand, and tools for thinking about legal problems on the other. Although the tools are far more interesting and useful than the rules, they tend to be neglected in favor of other aspects of the curriculum. In The Legal Analyst, Ward Farnsworth brings together in one place all of the most powerful of those tools for thinking about law.

From classic ideas in game theory such as the “Prisoner’s Dilemma” and the “Stag Hunt” to psychological principles such as hindsight bias and framing effects, from ideas in jurisprudence such as the slippery slope to more than two dozen other such principles, Farnsworth’s guide leads readers through the fascinating world of legal thought. Each chapter introduces a single tool and shows how it can be used to solve different types of problems. The explanations are written in clear, lively language and illustrated with a wide range of examples. Read the rest of this entry »

Carolyn J. Nygren has been a legal education consultant for Franklin Pierce Law Center, Harvard University Law School, New York University School of Law, Southern New England School of Law, and Suffolk University School of Law. The result of eight years of Nygren’s work with first-semester students in five different law schools, this book melds information about the legal system usually found in legal methods books with information about study skills usually found in books with a “how to succeed in law school” focus.

The book uses one area of law — the implied warranty of merchantability as it applies to food — to illustrate various legal issues and the skills needed to master them. It introduces basic legal concepts and vocabulary in the context of one hypothetical case, and then focuses on the structure of cases and types of reasoning courts use. When finished with the book, readers will have the background they need in order to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of legal materials. Read the rest of this entry »

In this brilliant and immensely readable book, Lawrence M. Friedman tells the whole fascinating story of American law from its beginnings in the colonies to the present day. By showing how close the life of the law is to the economic and political life of the country, he makes a complex subject understandable and engrossing.

A History of American Law presents the achievements and failures of the American legal system in the context of America’s commercial and working world, family practices, and attitudes toward property, government, crime, and justice.

Now completely revised and updated, this groundbreaking work incorporates new material regarding slavery, criminal justice, and twentieth-century law. For laymen and students alike, this remains the only comprehensive authoritative history of American law. Read the rest of this entry »

Comprehensive, relevant, and meticulously up-to-date, BUSINESS LAW, Eleventh Edition, combines in-depth coverage of business law in a unique student-friendly format. It delivers a classic blend of black letter law and cutting-edge coverage of contemporary issues and cases – making the law accessible, interesting, and relevant for readers.

It provides an excellent assortment of cases, ranging from precedent-setting landmarks to the most recent decisions. Ethical, global, and e-commerce themes are integrated throughout the text, which also emphasizes critical-thinking skills. Numerous features and exercises ensure that students have a solid understanding of chapter concepts. Read the rest of this entry »

A solid reference for both the everyday and the unexpected legal issues, written by practicing attorneys

Law 101 is an essential reference that explains:

• How laws are made
• How the court system works
• How each area of the law impacts your daily life

Key information for important questions:

1. How does a lawsuit begin?
2. How do civil and criminal law differ?
3. When do state laws trump federal laws?
4. What makes a contract solid?

Read the rest of this entry »

Picking up where The Secret left off, this book shows readers how to harness the power of positive thinking to get more of what they want and less of what they don’t out of life. They’ll learn how the LAW OF ATTRACTION is responsible for attracting people, jobs, situations, and relationships—both good and bad. And by following its three-step formula, tips, tools, and exercises, readers will be able to make the LAW OF ATTRACTION part of their daily life—improving relationships, increasing wealth, and discovering their true desires.

You may be wondering What is the Law of Attraction? Simply put, the Law of Atraction states: “I attract to my life whatever I give my energy, focus, and attention to, whether wanted or unwanted”. Everything in the world is made up of energy which vibrates at a certain level. When someone has “bad vibes”, they are sending off negative energy. Have you ever heard the phrases like attracts like, birds of a feather flock together, and misery loves company? These popular phrases are evidence of the Law of Attraction. There are other phrases and words that describe this universal law, including:

*Serendipity
*Synchronicity
*Fate
*Karma
*Luck
*Meant to be Read the rest of this entry »

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: Principles and Policies continues to serve as an incomparably clear introduction to both doctrine and policy in its Third Edition.
This highly successful student treatise offers distinct advantages:
* Thorough treatment of all areas of constitutional law covered in both beginning and advanced courses
* Direct, unambiguous identification of the issues
* Takes a neutral approach that examines all sides of constitutional law debates
* Presents both the doctrines and the underlying policy issues of the law, unlike many other texts which emphasize one or the other
* Flexible organization allows the chapters to be used in any order.

For the Third Edition, the author:
* Updates the entire text, with new material introduced throughout
* Pays special attention to developments between editions, particularly in regard to presidential power in the war on terrorism, the many decisions concerning state sovereign immunity, the controversial rulings concerning the takings clause, the important decisions concerning affirmative action by colleges and universities, and significant developments concerning the Establishment Clause (such as the approval of vouchers and the Ten Commandments decisions) Read the rest of this entry »