If you’re a law student with ADHD, you’ve come to the right place! We’re excited to welcome Emory Robertson for a two-part FAQ covering some of the common questions asked by law students with ADHD.
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Questions for Law Students with ADHD:
- Question 8: What can I do to improve focus during lectures and long study sessions?
- Question 9: How do I set myself up for success when there is only one exam or paper per semester? How do I know if I am on track?
- Question 10: I think I might need accommodations. Where do I begin?
- Question 11: I struggle during lectures because it’s hard for me to listen to what’s going on, take notes, and be prepared to answer cold-calls. What can I do?
- Question 12: How do I find balance between school and my personal life?
- Question 13: How do I take better care of myself during law school?
- Question 14: How do I learn how to better advocate for myself?
Question 8. What can I do to improve focus during lectures and long study sessions?
Difficulty focusing is one of the hallmark symptoms of ADHD, and as you know, law school requires long hours of sustained attention. Learning more about the different types of ADHD may help you identify specific challenges you experience related to focus and you can then tailor the strategies you try to your specific challenges.
As a practical matter, the tools and strategies you use to support your ability to focus during class may be different than the tools you use when studying at home. In lecture, you will need to make sure that you remain minimally disruptive. If you experience predominately hyperactive/impulsive ADHD, try using quiet fidget toys and taking short breaks (at non-disruptive times) to release excess energy.
If you experience primarily inattentive ADHD, explore strategies for improving mental clarity and internal focus, like using a sticky note to create a “parking lot” for unrelated thoughts. Place a sticky note next to your computer or notebook and if you find yourself thinking about other things, jot down 1-2 words to capture your unrelated thought. Then, visualize “parking” the thought on the sticky note, and turn your attention back to focusing on the lecture. This can help you offload and externalizing distracting thoughts so that you can focus on the lecture. You can revisit your unrelated thoughts after class or after you finish working.
In independent study, you have more freedom to try different strategies and tools to improve focus because you don’t have to worry about distracting others. If you have excess physical energy, take regular breaks while you study to move your body. Try using cognitive triggers to help you transition between free time, independent study, and lecture time.
As much as possible, resist feeling shame about your struggles with focus by reminding yourself that you care about your performance in law school, and you have a desire to learn. Your ADHD makes this challenging sometimes, but remember, there are strategies and tools that will help you work with your brain’s natural tendencies.
Question 9. How do I set myself up for success when there is only one exam or paper per semester? How do I know if I am on track?
In law school, most courses only provide one opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned. This can be challenging for students with ADHD, who often struggle to maintain the stamina necessary to succeed in environments where there aren’t many external benchmarks or opportunities for feedback. As writer Jessica McCabe said in How to ADHD, “[t]ime horizons – the point at which events are close enough to begin to feel real – tend to be much shorter for those with ADHD.” Having shorter time horizons may make it difficult to feel the significance of a final exam or seminar paper until the last minute. While law school curriculum and course delivery might not be ideal for the ADHD brain, you can set yourself up for success by scheduling self-imposed benchmarks for each of your courses by using tools like backwards planning.
If you struggle to know how you are doing in class without external benchmarks like midterm exams, consider if there are ways that you can create opportunities for informal feedback throughout the semester by asking others for help. Look at the plan for the semester you created through backwards planning. Would it be helpful if you scheduled a regular check-in with your student mentor, tutor, or a supportive professor to ensure that you have accountability as you work towards your goals and deadlines?
If you need more help staying on track and monitoring your progress throughout the semester, consider seeking tutoring or coaching services. If you can’t afford to pay a tutor, some law schools have mentors, volunteer tutors, teaching assistants for core courses, and volunteer student notetakers. You can also reach out to your office for student services to ask about available resources.
Question 10. I think I might need accommodations. Where do I begin?
Being able to acknowledge that you need support is a crucial step in your journey to learning how to work with your ADHD brain. It’s not easy to admit that you have different needs and that you need help.
Think about the parts of law school that are most difficult for you. Try to identify the root cause of the problem, not just the issue it presents. For example, if you identify that you are struggling to finish your reading assignments, try to identify what is causing you to run out of time. If it takes you a long time to get through the reading because you struggle to read large blocks of text, that might require different solutions than if you are taking a long time to read because you physically struggle to sit still. It can also be helpful to research ADHD traits and common academic struggles that students with ADHD often experience.
Once you’ve identified the root cause of what is causing you the most difficulty with your ADHD and law school, start to research types of accommodations that may be supportive. The National Disabled Law Students Association has helpful resources for law students with disabilities, including an Accommodations Menu that may help you identify the support you need. The Job Accommodation Network has a helpful tool that allows you to search common accommodations for different types of disabilities, including ADHD. This tool is useful for identifying accommodations that may support your needs in the workplace and in your personal life.
Once you’ve identified the main challenges you’re experiencing and possible solutions, reach out to your law school’s office for student services to discuss the process for applying for accommodations at your school.
Question 11. I struggle during lectures because it’s hard for me to listen to what’s going on, take notes, and be prepared to answer cold-calls. What can I do?
The law school classroom requires students to pay close attention to detail, track conversations with multiple speakers, and manage the stress of being called on to speak. This can be challenging for any student, but for those with ADHD who struggle to multi-task, it can be overwhelming.
Consider where you sit and whom you sit next to in class. If your professor has opening seating, experiment with how your attention is when you sit in different places in the room. Sitting where you cannot see the door or other students’ screens may help you pay better attention in class. Think about who you sit next to as well, and if possible, sit near students who pay close attention and take notes during class. Having the visual cue of another person paying close attention and taking notes may help remind yourself that you are supposed to be focused on lecture. Body-doubling is not just for independent study; you can do it in the classroom, too!
If you struggle with verbal communication and thinking on your feet, recognize that your performance during lecture may not be as strong as your peers. This doesn’t mean that you will not perform well in law school overall, and it also doesn’t mean that you won’t be a good attorney. Dialoguing with your professor and peers in class is important because it allows you to practice verbal communication skills that will be necessary in legal practice, but lecture is just one of the tools for learning the law. You can supplement lecture with a diligent reading schedule, regular visits to office hours, and studying in small groups.
Question 12. How do I find balance between school and my personal life?
To avoid burnout and maintain stamina throughout the semester, it’s important to make time to take care of yourself and do things that you enjoy. If you struggle to maintain boundaries between work and your personal life, remember that taking breaks is crucial to learning and retaining new material.
You may find that you could benefit from viewing law school as if it is a 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. job. Realistically speaking, you may not be able to complete all of your work in 40 hours each week. You may need to use an 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. schedule, and you will likely need to work during the weekend. If possible, try to schedule one day or one half-day completely off per week. Creating clear boundaries between school and your personal life is critical to maintaining the endurance necessary to complete law school. Structuring law school like a fulltime job can also help with the transition to working life after you graduate.
However you choose to structure your time, it’s important to build in time each day for things that are not related to law school, even if it’s just for an hour. Find something that restores and energizes you – whether exercise, going for a walk or hike, reading for fun, crafts, baking, or spending time with friends. Put this recreational time on your calendar as a task to complete. Try to respect that time by committing to follow through with these tasks even if you feel overwhelmed with school.
Finally, be sure that you schedule time to see friends or family who are not involved with your school life. Neuroinclusivity expert and peer support specialist Suzanne Sophos notes the value of a peer support and caring for your ADHD in community, stating “while ADHD is a personal journey, it doesn’t have to be a solitary one.” You are working hard to manage your ADHD in a difficult academic environment, and a call or visit from a supportive friend can remind you that life continues to progress outside of law school.
Question 13. How do I take better care of myself during law school?
Caring for yourself is just as important to your success in law school as completing your readings and participating in class. While structured routine, quality sleep, regular exercise, and a balanced diet are all important for ADHD symptom management, people with ADHD often struggle to complete tasks necessary for daily living. Caring for yourself is essential to preventing ADHD burnout – you won’t be able to graduate and prepare for the bar if you are burnt out by the end of your first year.
Taking better care of yourself during law school starts with remembering that you are a person first, and a law student second. As much as possible, try to schedule tasks like cooking meals, exercising, and even sleep as required items on your to-do list, just as you would with a legal writing assignment.
If you need support to keep up with daily tasks and chores, consider how you might be able to body-double in your personal life. Do you have a roommate or group of friends that you can grocery shop and meal prep with during the weekend? This can be a good way to connect with your classmates and take a break from school together. If you enjoy exercising, try taking a group exercise class with a friend. Law school is done best in community with others.
Question 14. How do I learn how to better advocate for myself?
It can be difficult to ask for help in a professional and competitive environment like law school. Acknowledge the challenges that come with being a law student with ADHD – you may have to work longer hours and seek support from others more often than your peers. Self-advocacy can be emotionally draining, but it is a skill that you can practice and one that will be valuable to your career.
Try removing yourself from the equation and anonymizing the issue here – a student needs support and modifications to succeed in school. Solving a students’ access issues involves identifying weaknesses of the current environment, determining necessary supports, researching creative remedies, asking for a change to be made, and advocating for a position. These are all skills that are essential for legal practice, and learning how to advocate for yourself in law school gives you additional opportunities to refine these skills. This will make you a better attorney and a better counsellor when you graduate.
If you feel shame about having ADHD or struggle to feel that you deserve accommodations, seek out positive representation of neurodiversity and disability in the legal field. Read work from experts in disability justice, accessibility, and neurodiversity to learn more about how others navigate life with disabilities.
Remember – you belong here, and in fact, your unique and creative brain makes our field better.
Was this helpful? Don’t miss part one of our ADHD in law school FAQ! Want more sent to you? Sign up for our free newsletter. And reach out if you’d like to talk about law school tutoring help. We work with many students with ADHD and other types of neurodiversity.
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