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Ben Nelson

About Ben Nelson

Ben Nelson was a law school and California bar exam tutor for Law School Toolbox and Bar Exam Toolbox. As the oldest child of two professors, he realized from an early age that he wanted to strike out on his own. He eventually settled on law school and graduated from Columbia in 2014 as a Kent Scholar and a Stone Scholar. While in school, Ben served as the Notes Editor for the Columbia Journal of Race & Law, helping eight 2Ls conceptualize and write law review notes. In 2016, he will be clerking for a federal district court judge.

Why Take-Home Exams Should Be Banned and Five Tips for Conquering One

April 20, 2016 By Ben Nelson 3 Comments

take-home exams

The first time I was assigned a so-called eight-hour take-home exam, my professor suggested that we take a couple hours to plan out our answer, a couple hours to write, a couple hours to take a nap or do something else, and then a couple hours to put the finishing touches on our exams. This was terrible advice, and I sincerely hope that nobody followed it.

Law school is a competition. The tough reality is that you need to work harder and smarter than other students if you want to get top grades. You could produce fantastic work and not make an A if several others in your class also turn in their best work. [Read more…] about Why Take-Home Exams Should Be Banned and Five Tips for Conquering One

How to Get Involved in the World Outside of Law School

March 23, 2016 By Ben Nelson Leave a Comment

Having a Life in Law schoo

Law school is an insular place. There’s something about spending three years with your head buried in 1,500 page casebooks that makes it tough to relate to the world outside of the law school bubble. You’re not acting very normal when someone asks you what you’ve been doing lately, and the only thing that comes to mind is footnote four of United States v. Carolene Products Co. That’s why it’s crucial to resist the bubble mentality and find ways to stay connected to the real world. After all, where are you going to go after those three brief years of your life are over (answer: back to the real world)? Here are some great ways to get involved in the outside world during law school: [Read more…] about How to Get Involved in the World Outside of Law School

Approaching Your Legal Writing Assignment Like a Jazz Solo

March 16, 2016 By Ben Nelson Leave a Comment

Legal Whiting

Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Lester Young. “Great lawyers” would probably not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear these names. These are all great jazz musicians famous for playing standards, but they could have also been lawyers. That’s because jazz standards and legal writing are really quite similar. They’re both vehicles for expression that channel creativity into a few common forms. [Read more…] about Approaching Your Legal Writing Assignment Like a Jazz Solo

Surviving a Law School Winter With Indoor Hobbies

February 23, 2016 By Ben Nelson Leave a Comment

shutterstock_93224269 (1)

Law school is a time-consuming and often solitary experience. Although classes and study groups often give you time to interact with other students, you’ll spend a lot of time reading by yourself in the library, in your apartment, or outside. In the summer, you might take brief walks outside before every thirty or so pages or just take your books to the park, but it’s not so easy to feel refreshed with quick breaks in the winter. When the temperature is in the teens, taking a walk outside turns into an annoying chore. Apart from spending time with your fellow law students or the few non-law students you may be lucky enough to call friends, I recommend trying out a few different quick hobbies in your apartment to briefly take your mind off your reading and help maintain your sanity. The best hobbies are those that you enjoy and can periodically spend a few minutes on while you read. [Read more…] about Surviving a Law School Winter With Indoor Hobbies

Legal Films for the Aspiring Lawyer

January 27, 2016 By Ben Nelson 1 Comment

Law Library

As a lawyer, I often find myself being asked for my opinion on the latest legal drama, so I thought I’d start taking notes on what I’ve been watching lately. This list is geared towards the law student who’s looking to take a law-related study break. [Read more…] about Legal Films for the Aspiring Lawyer

How to Get Answers from the Bluebook

January 7, 2016 By Ben Nelson Leave a Comment

Bluebook

In August before my 1L year, I went to the campus bookstore to pick up a huge stack of law books for my courses in the fall. I remember flipping through some of these books at the time and feeling a sense of awe at what I would be learning in the next few months. Although I lost my fear of the casebooks after the first few weeks of assigned readings, I stayed pretty scared of the Bluebook until somewhere near the end of the school year. But I didn’t need to be scared of the Bluebook and neither do you. The Bluebook can be a stress-reducing tool that helps answer all of your citation questions. You just need to know how to use it quickly and efficiently:  [Read more…] about How to Get Answers from the Bluebook

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About Us

If you find law school tough, you are not alone! The Law School Toolbox team is here to help you through it. Check out our helpful free content, podcasts, courses and one-on-one tutoring. Thanks for stopping by and drop us a line if you have any questions. We also invite you to join our weekly mailing list, for advice right to your inbox.

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