Becoming an Expert Learner

Self-Assessment is one of the most important skills an aspiring legal professional can and should cultivate early. Let Professor Tania Shah guide you through some best practices as you learn what to do after receiving your first set of grades. Whether your grades were exactly what you expected or not quite what you hoped for, you need to assess what worked, what did not, and how to continue to improve for future learning. Before moving to new projects, lawyers often are expected to use their self-assessment skills to determine areas of success and areas for improvement.

As a law student you are always working towards exam preparation through midterms, practice essays, and practice questions. Therefore, assessing your work is an invaluable skill. Professor Tania Shah will guide you through the most effective way to do this. This is a skill you will continue to sharpen through law school and well into your professional career.

Obviously, becoming an expert in legal rules is big part of law school. However, this can be daunting with the various types of rules and statutes. Let Professor Liam Skilling walk you through the different rule types, how to spot them, and how to use them most effectively on exams.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Do I really know this or did I just memorize what’s on the page?” The law school experience is a delicate balance of authentic comprehension and rote memorization. Professor Toni Miceli will take you through the differences between memorization and understanding. In addition, she provides strategies on how to effectively improve comprehension and thus make memorization easier!

Let’s face it. There are just some things in law school that simply require memorization. Thankfully, there is a science behind the most effective way to do this. Professor Gabe Teninbaum will guide you through the spaced repetition method, which is the science of memorization. As you become more adept in spaced repetition, you can experience a more efficient use of your study time.

We have heard that law school can feel overwhelming, and students often feel they have very little time for anything outside of school. Let Professor Danielle Kocal illustrate how to establish balance as you navigate law school, and eventually the legal profession. It is necessary to create health habits that not only support both your mental and physical health, but help you manage your time well.

Moving beyond balance, conditioning and strengthening your mental health muscles just as you do for your physical muscles is fundamental. Professor OJ Salinas will walk you through concrete techniques that promote mental health and you can utilize through your academic journey into your professional legal career.

For many law students the second semester includes being graded on an oral argument. This legal skill is not only central to your first year of law school, but more importantly to your future as a professional in law. Let Professor Margaret Hannon lead you through tips and best practices on oral advocacy.

In the legal field there are numerous professional choices and options. So, it is necessary to thoughtfully explore what professional path works best for you, your goals, and your professional identity. Dean Yolonda Ingram will provide direction for how to do this, and how to network when you feel like you do not know where to begin.