What Law School Doesn't Teach You: But You Really Need to Know

Rating:
Summary: A must-have for Summer Associates
Review: Although I was very skeptical when I first bought this book, I was pleasantly surprised. I want to work in a law firm but was very disappointed with my first summer associate experience (and the outcome). I turned to this book to offer a fresh perspective and insight. I found it.

In this present climate of law firm cut-backs and recession, law students need all the help they can get. This book is very informative and offers great tidbits to keep the summer associate on his/her toes. It offers great stories (some ridiculous and others sad), humor, and a easy to read style. It also presents a multitude of information about a young associate's life in the law firm. Most importantly (for a law student), the book gives the reader the inside scoop on what law firms want and how to best go about showing your best side at all times and to keep your eyes on the "prize" (a job offer).

This book does not offer jobs and it is not a cure-all for personality problems or adverse attitudes. But it does offer the reader insight into what law firms want out of their summer associates and young associates. It also gives insight into the reality of work and play at a law firm.

Listen, the book is not expensive - but it could be costly if you don't read it and want to work in a law firm. I have given the book to friends and they have all stated that they wished they had read it LAST year! I strongly encourage 1Ls, 2Ls, and (especially today) 3Ls to read this book and to take a fresh look at the way they handle themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely a must buy for any law student
Review: Although I was very skeptical when I first bought this book, I was pleasantly surprised. I want to work in a law firm but was very disappointed with my first summer associate experience (and the outcome). I turned to this book to offer a fresh perspective and insight. I found it.

In this present climate of law firm cut-backs and recession, law students need all the help they can get. This book is very informative and offers great tidbits to keep the summer associate on his/her toes. It offers great stories (some ridiculous and others sad), humor, and a easy to read style. It also presents a multitude of information about a young associate's life in the law firm. Most importantly (for a law student), the book gives the reader the inside scoop on what law firms want and how to best go about showing your best side at all times and to keep your eyes on the "prize" (a job offer).

This book does not offer jobs and it is not a cure-all for personality problems or adverse attitudes. But it does offer the reader insight into what law firms want out of their summer associates and young associates. It also gives insight into the reality of work and play at a law firm.

Listen, the book is not expensive - but it could be costly if you don't read it and want to work in a law firm. I have given the book to friends and they have all stated that they wished they had read it LAST year! I strongly encourage 1Ls, 2Ls, and (especially today) 3Ls to read this book and to take a fresh look at the way they handle themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Read it early in law school.
Review: Great advice on making the most out of clerkships, classes, professors, law review, and volunteering opportunities that arise in law school. I wish I had read this book before going to law school.

Rating:
Summary: Useful at any point...
Review: I'm a starting 1L at Univ. of Houston Law this Fall and bought this book initially because the title got my attention. Boiled down, it's a refreshingly informal "How to" guide for summer internships and new associates. Some of the advice (e.g. on etiquette) might strike you as "Yeah, well of course...everyone knows that", but that doesn't mean we can't benefit from the occasional reminder! The bulk of the advice in the book though will be new information and most helpful in avoiding the common pitfalls...someone else has been there already and either done it very well or done it very badly - this book helps you benefit from their experiences.
There's commentary throughout from practicing law firm recruiters, associates, partners, professors - seems that input is included from just about every facet of the legal world. The book is primarily of value (I think) for it's new associate centric advice (versus summer internship or while you're in law school). That being said, as a soon to be 1L it was definitely valuable to me to get a sense beforehand of how law firms do business (particularly before I even begin shopping for internships.
I say buy it, it was definitely worth the time/cost, particularly because it's so easy to read.

Rating:
Summary: Read it early in law school.
Review: I'm a starting 1L at Univ. of Houston Law this Fall and bought this book initially because the title got my attention. Boiled down, it's a refreshingly informal "How to" guide for summer internships and new associates. Some of the advice (e.g. on etiquette) might strike you as "Yeah, well of course...everyone knows that", but that doesn't mean we can't benefit from the occasional reminder! The bulk of the advice in the book though will be new information and most helpful in avoiding the common pitfalls...someone else has been there already and either done it very well or done it very badly - this book helps you benefit from their experiences.
There's commentary throughout from practicing law firm recruiters, associates, partners, professors - seems that input is included from just about every facet of the legal world. The book is primarily of value (I think) for it's new associate centric advice (versus summer internship or while you're in law school). That being said, as a soon to be 1L it was definitely valuable to me to get a sense beforehand of how law firms do business (particularly before I even begin shopping for internships.
I say buy it, it was definitely worth the time/cost, particularly because it's so easy to read.

Rating:
Summary: Um...yeah
Review: This book is well written and has a lot of do's and don'ts of the practical legal world. The author speaks a lot about what to do on the job and frequently gives a few good ideas. A huge percentage of those ideas are supported by real-life anecdotes from various legal professionals. The major problem I had with it, is that throughout almost the entire book I kept finding myself saying, "Yeah, duh." As just one of many many potential examples, there is an anecodote about a summer clerk who goes into a firm, whines that he needs his own office and is allowed to use the office of a lawyer who is out sick. The lawyer wants to connect to her computer from home, so the summer clerk is told he absolutely cannot touch the computer. The clerk does so anyway thus preventing the lawyer from being able to connect to the computer and gaining for the clerk the contempt of everyone in the office. There are a lot of little stories like this where somebody does something just blatantly stupid (and a smaller number where somebody does something blatantly correct). Some of the stories are amusing but are almost always connected to advice that seems really obvious. If you think you have really poor judgement then by all means read this book.

I also found the organization a little irritating. There were no distinct chapter breaks. Although it's got a very methodical organization scheme, it READS as though it's one big continuous text. I like to read at night and stop at the end of a chapter. I kept feeling as though if I were to stop reading I would be cutting an idea midstream and that irritated the heck out of me.

In the book's defense, it is well written and the text flows nicely. There's a wonderfully colloquial feel to how it reads.
I've been reading a lot of law school prep-type books of late and this one was not my favorite. It's not terrible, but it doesn't seem entirely useful to me either.

Rating:
Summary: Decent book, but mostly common sense.
Review: This book was very informative as far as a typical 9-5 workday of a lawyer, but most of her strategies are common sense. Seriously, anyone who doesn't know business manners shoudln't be a lawyer anyway. Its common sense to dress appropriately, to never crack raunchy jokes to a partner, or to speak of how hot another attorney's wife is. If you have any common sense, spend your money on a more practical book with better advice or educational value.

Rating:
Summary: OK, but new lawyers need to be effective advocates
Review: Walton's book is OK, but if you want to become an excellent advocate, you should read Keith Evan's Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers." This is a great book for new associates and 3Ls.

Mr. Evans practiced as a trial lawyer in California for many years after a decade as a barrister in England. He also taught as an adjunct law professor and gave many presentations to American Inns of Court.

More information about Evans' book is available on its web site: RulesOfAdvocacy.com or search Amazon for ISBN 1587330059

If you want to be a excellent advocate, you should buy Common Sense Rules of Advocacy for Lawyers." If you want to learn how to suck up to senior partners, buy "What Law School Doesn't Teach You."