Campbell Law professors collaborate for book on first year of law school

RALEIGH, North Carolina – A trio of Campbell Law professors have collaborated to author a book on excelling in the first year of law school. “Navigating the First Year of Law School: A Practical Guide to Studying Law,” is intended as a road map for entering law students and law school orientation programs. The text is a collective effort by Campbell Law professors Zac Bolitho, Melissa Essary and adjunct faculty member Nick Herman. It is available via Carolina Academic Press.

“When law school begins, students typically feel as though they’ve been thrown into the deep end of a muddy pool,” said Essary. “Our book helps clear up that water and gives students tools for success, even before their first law school class begins. It’s also a resource that students can return to time and again during their first year of school.”

Throughout the book Bolitho, Essary and Herman convey how lawyers use the law, how the legal system works, how to study, how to read and brief case decisions, how to participate in class, how to prepare course outlines and how to study for exams and write essay exam answers. It also includes a chapter with pointers about legal research and writing due to the significant importance of these subjects in the first-year curriculum. 

“Law school is notoriously demanding and rigorous. We wrote this book with the goal of helping future law students be as prepared as possible on day one,” said Bolitho.

The book has been vetted by more than 25 reviewers, consisting of law professors, current and prospective law students and practicing lawyers. For more information, visit the Carolina Academic Press website.