Ahead of the Curve: Top Supplements for Every 1L Course

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we may be (minimally!) compensated if you purchase after clicking the link.

Welcome to Ahead of the Curve, our new series for incoming 1Ls. We’re getting lots of questions about what law school to attend, how to pay for it, and what people can be doing now to set themselves up for success in law school. Stay tuned, and be sure to sign up for our free mailing list and check out the Start Law School Right course to ensure you’re ready to go on Day One!

Choosing the right supplement depends on a myriad of factors such as: the subject matter, particular professors, how far into the semester it is, your personal learning style, or perhaps even costs. The goal is to find one that simultaneously serves all of these functions. Focusing on one supplement, as opposed to several per class, not only saves you money, but also time and any confusion that may occur from cross-referencing various sources. The following list is crafted from what the general majority of law students have relied on as their best resource for each 1L class:

General Supplements

The Ultimate Precursor: Since law students tend to be natural gunners, many of you are most likely reading this post to either prepare during the summer, or to stock-up immediately once law school begins. I have two essential tips: First, try to keep the same pace in your supplement as to what is being covered in class. This will help you understand the material better and will save you time on your outline as you near finals. The second tip is an absolute must: Read and re-read Getting to Maybe. I cannot stress this enough. Read it once over the summer, then use it to refresh yourself before finals. It includes essay examples tailored specifically for some 1L classes: Contracts, Con Law, Property, and Torts. It’s a valuable tool for learning how to form legal arguments and will come in handy for your first semester finals.

Barbri Videos: Watch these closer to finals. The videos are a great way to refresh every concept covered within a course and there are bonus questions to test what areas you still need to work on. *Notably: Civil Procedure, Real Property, and Torts are the most helpful videos to watch.

Misc. Commercial Materials: Anything commercial: books, outlines, charts, and so forth, should be used sparingly. They provide a general overview of a subject, but do not go too in-depth. Often, they are missing specific cases covered in class. They are best used for doing a quick recap, reviewing sample answers to essay exam questions, and most importantly, for practicing with any multiple choice or short answer questions that they offer. The more practice you have with hypos, the better equipped you will be for finals.

Hornbooks: These are not technically supplements, but they are useful for when you are having trouble understanding a specific topic. Hornbooks are a type of legal treatise. Do not buy these! They are not meant to be used as full study guides. Every law school library should carry them, so check there first.

Specific 1L Course Supplements

Contracts: Although not the most conventional when envisioning what a supplement should look like, Concepts and Case Analysis in the Law of Contracts is one of the most practical Contracts supplements that exists. Instead of definitions and charts, it reads like a short, non-fiction novel. It’s meant to help students understand the more difficult concepts taught in Contracts such as consideration. If you need something that incorporates more quiz-type material, Emanuel CrunchTime for Contracts has functional diagrams and exam tips scattered throughout.

Criminal: Dressler’s Understanding Criminal Law seems to be the number one answer elicited from both professors and students when it comes to the best criminal law supplements. My own professor recommended it on the very first day of class without anyone even prompting him for one. Though it’s more of a secondary textbook, it will help clarify many of the topics that 1L students cover in class.

Torts: Emanuel CrunchTime’s series tend to be hit or miss depending on what class it’s for, but their Torts supplement happens to be one of their best. The explanations are very clear and all of the practice material is relevant for present day Tort classes. Also, the exam tips happen to be very on point in this particular course.

Property: A good property supplement tends to be one of the hardest ones to find. This is most likely because every property professor focuses on different material and property offers a vast range of topics for in-depth coverage. Currently, many property supplements have not been updated since 2012. Since it truly depends on the subject matter being covered in class, you may want to ask your professor for their personal recommendation. Otherwise, Examples & Explanations released their 5^th edition in 2015. Though the layout of their example problems are not the most reader-friendly format, they do a solid job not only covering virtually all property topics, but the answers to their examples go extremely in-depth. If your final is open book, which most 1L finals are, E&E is an optimal choice.

Civil Procedure: Civil Procedure is all about rules. Thus, many students find it helpful to create flowcharts for studying. The Acing Series’ Civil Procedure supplement provides the perfect combination of explanations, flowcharts, teaches you how to create your own flowcharts, and best of all, it’s short and to the point. It covers all the major cases including a full chapter dedicated to Erie. If you prefer materials that are more in-depth, E&E does a fantastic job for this particular course.

Constitutional Law: Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies by Erwin Chemerinsky is considered the ultimate Con Law supplement. Despite the fact it could double as its own stand-alone textbook, don’t be intimidated by it’s size. It’s meant to cover both Con Law I and Con Law II courses. If you plan on taking both classes, it is an absolute must-have as far as supplements go. It covers every topic studied in constitutional law, public policy discussions, and justifications for both sides of every potential argument. Best of all, it’s the only supplement that universally covers all cases studied in Con Law I. As an added bonus, an abridged version of the Constitution is included in the front.

Remember, while these supplements are continuously cited as top picks, they are solely recommendations. Always choose what works best for you. Hopefully, some of them do!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we may be (minimally!) compensated if you purchase after clicking the link.