1l Would You Need Your Casebooks Again Reddit

Law school is challenging because students get very little feedback throughout the semester, so it can be difficult to know if you're on the right track. Imagine having a trusted resource to track your progress and answer questions! Our students find that working one-on-one with a tutor helps them feel confident going into final exams and ensures their results reflect all their hard work.

Get the Support You Need to Do Your Best

We get that law school can be confusing and overwhelming! There is a ton of misinformation on how to outline, how to study, and how to write the best exam possible. It's a lot to sort through.

• Would you like a one-on-one guide to make sure you're ready for your law school exams? At your service!

We've helped law students around the country turn their law school grades around and find the success they expected (or to do well from day one, which is of course preferable).

Who do we work with?

We've recently worked with law students at:

Abraham Lincoln University of Law, American University, Baylor University (TX), Berkeley, Birmingham School of Law, Boston College, Boston University, California Western School of Law, Capital University Law School, Cardozo, Chapman School of Law, Charleston School of Law, Charlotte School of Law, Columbia, Concord University, Cooley School of Law, CU Law, Cumberland School of Law, DePaul, Drake, Faulkner, Fordham, George Mason, Georgetown, George Washington University Law School, Georgia State, Golden Gate University School of Law, Harvard, Hofstra University, La Verne College of Law, John Marshall, Massachusetts School of Law, McGeorge, New York University, North Carolina Central University, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Pepperdine, Rutgers-Camden, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, Seattle University, Seton Hall, Southern Methodist University, Southwestern, Stanford, Stetson University, St. John's University, SUNY Buffalo, Taft, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Tulane, Tuoro School of Law, UCLA, University of Alabama, University of Baltimore, University of California at Hastings, University of Denver, University of Indiana, University of Kansas, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of Montana, University of Nebraska, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, USC Gould, University of Texas, University of Virginia, University of Washington, University of Windsor, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Western New England, Western State College, and the College of William and Mary.

Assistance is available for all levels — from incoming 1Ls to upper-class students who need to improve a disappointing GPA or save a scholarship:

• If you've just started law school, tutoring can help you succeed in the all-important first year.
• If you've been in law school awhile but aren't getting the results you want, personalized tutoring can help — whether you're facing academic probation or just want to turn those Bs into As.

Whatever your goals, we can help you reach them, with less stress and effort!

You can use our handy Tutoring Contact Form to let us know what you're looking for (or to set up a complementary call to discuss your individual situation), orSign Up for Law School Tutoring Now.

Get Started

What Does a Personalized Law School Tutoring Program Look Like?

The beauty of personalized law school tutoring is that it can be different for each student:

• Some students want weekly meetings for help with class preparation, substantive law, and exam writing skills.
• Some students want to start meeting mid-semester for more targeted work on outlining and exam preparation.
• Some students simply want feedback on hypos, practice exams and other non-graded assignments (which usually can be done over email).
• Some students also want personalized assistance with their summer job hunt — which we're happy to provide. (Alison was a summer associate at three different law firms, so it's an area she knows a little bit about.)

It's your choice, and we're here to support you!

What sort of assistance would be helpful?

Not sure? Get in touch and we'll be happy to talk about what would work best for you! Please fill out the Tutoring Contact Form to provide a little basic information, and then you can immediately schedule a complimentary call with Lee or Alison.

Who will you be working with?

Alison & Lee

Tutoring is offered by the Law School Toolbox® team. All of our tutors are carefully trained and supervised by the Toolbox founders, Lee Burgess and Alison Monahan. Each tutor is highly qualified, has an extensive background in law school tutoring and teaching, and received academic awards in law school. Law School Toolbox® tutors are also required to have experience practicing law, so you'll be able to get targeted career advice as well. To learn more about our current awesome tutors, please visit Meet the Law School Toolbox Tutors.

We have a passion for helping law students find success! We'd love to help you on an individual basis, to ensure you get the most out of your law school experience.

How does it work?

Law school tutoring is available remotely via phone, email, or video-chat. Even local students find virtual tutoring more efficient than coordinating in-person meetings with a busy law student schedule.

We'll work with you to set up a program that addresses your specific concerns, so you'll have the best possible shot at the results you want. (Naturally, we can't guarantee you'll receive any particular grades, but tutoring will give you the skills and feedback you need for law school success.)

What does it cost?

Different students have different needs, so we offer a variety of packages to suit any student. Please see below for details:

• Tutoring hours to use for:

• Feedback on practice essays

• Help understanding the substantive law

• Review of your old exam answers & writing assignments

• Expert advice on your outlines & study tools

• Career guidance

• Lifetime access to our flagship course materials

• Concise video overviews of 1L substantive classes

• Ongoing accountability

• Time management help

• Hourly pricing:

• Perfect for: Quick help on a specific problem or concern.
  Fix it fast!

• 3 hours

• $198/hr

• Perfect for: Starting strong, or changing course after disappointing grades.

• 5 hours

• $188/hr (5% discount)

• Perfect for: Frequent help during the semester or intensive exam help.

• 10 hours

• $178/hr (10% discount)

• Perfect for: Ongoing weekly calls and feedback + extensive exam prep. Full service!

• 20 hours

• $168/hr (15% discount)

* We offer a 10% discount on any tutoring package to military veterans. Just contact us for the relevant discount code!

What do our students have to say?

Here are just a few comments from prior students:

My only regret is not hiring Tyler for the fall semester! Anytime I sent him a practice exam, Tyler promptly responded with precise criticism and positive feedback. With his help, I turned Bs into As and rose over 40 spots in the class rankings. Tyler helped me finally understand exactly what law professors want to see from their students on exams.

Thanks again to everyone at Law School Toolbox for your help! You guys are the best! — N.

Tyler Coulson is great. He truly cares about his students' performances and is very fast in responding and communicating and always puts in 100% and always made me feel comfortable and good about myself despite how lost I would feel in Bankruptcy. (Even though I love Bankruptcy law). — D.

It brought my hope back that I can successfully complete law school. — E.

Overall, glad I did this – I think it has put me on track with exam-writing and legal analysis in general. Now I can focus on exam strategies rather than stressing out mostly about the content/formatting of content. Definitively an improvement substance-wise compared to last semester's exams. — Y.

Rose was so calming, and she let me vent (I'm very boisterous) without interruption and then she encouraged me to continue and assured me that things would get better and that I could improve. She also provided me with helpful techniques (handouts) that absolutely helped me.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure that you all [could] do what I needed done, but Rose proved me wrong. This is my first year, second semester in law school and it was an adjustment but Rose helped me … so much so that I added more hours to my bank and I'm sure I will be adding more over the next four years… I really appreciate the service you all offer. — R.J.

Mihal has been a fantastic resource for me this semester. She taught me what kind of writing is required on a law school exam, and how to improve my performance so that I am prepared to go in to exams this semester. I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to improve this semester, and Mihal helped me drill down and make a plan about how I would do that. Mihal was an accountability buddy in addition to being a great tutor. — K.F.

Doretta was a godsend. Whether it was helping review practice exams, helping me form a first semester study schedule, or just helping me through the emotional turmoil that is 1L, Doretta took the time to fully address my concerns.

Doretta was always very positive and helpful. Even when it was clear I didn't understand a doctrinal area, the attitude was always that the misunderstanding could be cured in time for the exam. — M.

Whitney was very accommodating and friendly. If there were adjustments that needed to be made, she was very flexible, and she made sure that I was comfortable throughout the semester and finals. — L.K.

Just wish I had hired Whitney in the fall… I don't think I "got it" until several sessions of working with her this spring. I don't know my grades yet, but at least I felt like I knew what I was doing during my exams.

I loved how Whitney would give me detailed feedback, promptly, and would give me specific suggestions on my essay exam practice to take in to the final. I know she was busy with her own life and other students, but somehow I felt like I was her only client. I also loved the Trello dashboard for my sessions and for my law school life in general. –R.N.

I liked how Whitney gave specific feedback regarding how I could improve my essay writing. I followed her advice and received an A- in Civil Procedure! — K.

Ariel was an incredibly helpful tutor this past school year (1L) and I am so happy I decided to sign up with her before classes started. When 1L begins, you're very busy and things can get crazy and Ariel helped me with a good start my first semester. After understanding how much law school was truly about the ability to write great essay answers, I decided to force myself to dedicate more time to sessions with Ariel and practice hypo-writing more often with her. I'm happy that I made that decision because I ended the last semester with all A's and I definitely couldn't have done it without Ariel's help. She's super sweet, very flexible, and will let you know what you're doing wrong, the last being something crucial that you will most probably not be getting much of in law school. — J.

I was in the middle of my 2L year when I realized I still did not know how to properly study for my classes, even though I was putting in the work.  I found The Law School Toolbox Website and signed up for personal tutoring.  There are a lot of costs associated with the process of law school and this was by far the best money I've spent towards my education.

Ariel was honest and identified a triage solution for how to optimize the rest of my year.  Our calls and emails were full of valuable advice and feedback, and it felt good to talk to someone candidly about my shortcomings.

My final grades after working with Ariel were all As and A-s.  I could not be more grateful and I plan to keep working with Ariel going into my 3L year and for the bar.  It is never too late to improve the way you study. — A.

Having Ariel as my tutor is the only way I could have made it through this semester. My grades first year were poor, and if something didn't change there is a good chance I wouldn't have been able to come back to school. I found the Law School Toolbox in the summer after my 1L year and signed up for tutoring. Ariel walked me through what I had done wrong my first year and what I would have to do to improve my grades. It was so comforting to know that she was always there to answer any questions I had, and that by following her instruction, I was taking the necessary steps to do better my 2L year. She taught me how to study efficiently and not waste my study time doing things that were probably not helping me prepare for exams. After one semester working with Ariel, my grades improved from mostly C's, to mostly B+'s. I can't wait to see what I can achieve this semester, having Ariel there to help me through the process. My only regret is not finding her sooner!! — K.

Just like every law student, I felt I was under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform well. Going into my second year as a transfer student, I thought I understood how to properly take notes, outline and then apply that knowledge to an exam setting. However, after receiving poor midterm grades, I desperately needed some extra guidance and support.

The best part about Law School Toolbox is that they are there for YOU! Although initially hesitant about the lack of face-to-face interaction, I decided to give it a shot and this semester's grades speak for themselves. Ariel and the rest of the team are the best!

They cater directly to your specific needs as well as provide you with positive and constructive insight. Ariel was able to pinpoint my weaknesses by providing me with advice and feedback that simply can't be found in any hornbook or outline.

Whether over the phone or though email, Ariel was there for me and helped guide me to success in my second year! There is no doubt I made the right decision in choosing Law School Toolbox! I cannot thank them enough! — Seton Hall Law Student

Tutoring with Ariel was by far the best decision I made in the middle of my 1L semester. I was grasping the material but realized I needed to get up on my exam strategy since my three substantive courses first semester only had one grade. Although the bulk of my tutoring was actually during reading week itself, it was an invaluable experience. I received a B+, A+ and A for my first semester. The feedback from Ariel was critical and probably the most important factor in obtaining my stellar first semester grades. Knowing the law for law school exams is not enough, it is truly about strategy and I am positive I would not be in this position if I didn't have them to show me the way. — R.

Ariel was my secret weapon this semester! I felt so much more confident and prepared from working with Ariel. She was responsive, friendly, encouraging, and her feedback was truly invaluable. My ability to write hypos and analyze issues quickly changed dramatically from working with with her. Perhaps most importantly, I felt confident in my abilities and in the way I was choosing to study and spend my time. The first year of law school is overwhelming and confusing, and Ariel helped me come up with a study plan that worked for me. I am so glad I signed up for tutoring and feel so lucky to have been paired with Ariel. I don't know what I would have done without her! — Allison

I wanted to check in with you because I just got my last grade yesterday. I received all A's and B's with a solid A in Property (who would have guessed that). Also, I wanted to thank you both for all of your help. I understand the law and law school exams more clearly and will now be able to continue my legal education and hopefully graduate in 2015! Thank you both very much again! — Elizabeth

Working with Lee has been amazing. Coming into this, I had no idea how useful this would be. Lee taught me how to approach my classes so that I was preparing for exams from day one. With her help, I hit the ground running my fall semester, and that paid off big time when exams came. The feedback she gives for practice exams is gold.

I'm lucky that I stumbled upon Lee very early in my 1L year because I now realize that it would have been foolish not to have worked with her. I had a successful and relatively stress-free 1L year, and that's largely thanks to Lee. She both knows the law and is a great teacher. Working with her gave me a huge leg up. — N.

Lee is both knowledgeable and a great motivator. In first-year Contracts, Lee helped me raise my final grade — over the course of a semester — by a whole letter. I definitely recommend Lee to all those students who want additional assistance outside the classroom. – Cameron C.

I highly recommend Lee. She is by far the best tutor I've ever had. She made complex legal concepts easy to understand and gave me the tools to help me memorize the material. – Yolanda P.

At Columbia Law School, Alison stood out as the super-star Teaching Assistant in my Civil Procedure class. As any law student knows, Civil Procedure is one of the biggest terrors of 1L year, but Alison guided me through with enlightening study tools and a positive, supportive attitude. She has a way of boiling down a lot of information into easily digestible concepts and presenting the information in a beguilingly simple way.

I'm not surprised that Alison ended up developing the Law School Toolbox; she is the perfect person to share her learning/teaching style with every law student. I'm glad that others besides me will be able to benefit from her skills! – Rebecca N.

I first met Lee after my first semester of 1L year. I had done very poorly, and was feeling miserable. Over the next few months, she not only helped me pick up my grades, she helped me pick up my spirits. She helped me target the areas that had been my downfall on exams and we worked together on a weekly basis to improve those areas. I ended my second semester of 1L year in a much better place.

I kept working with Lee throughout my entire 2L year as well. All of her advice, from when and how to approach outlining, to how to properly structure an essay led to a change in my study habits that not only improved my grades, but improved the way I approached law in school in general. Her advice gave me a lot more confidence, and helped me realize that first semester grades do not have to define your entire law school career.

Not only did Lee give me all the support I needed to successfully make it through law school, but her advice has carried over into studying for the Bar. She has calmly taught me that if you know the way to study that is most efficient for you, and you have the right tools, you can be successful in law school and the Bar. – Sarah S.

I was fortunate enough to take class with Professor Burgess to improve my less than stellar grades from 1L year. Professor Burgess was professional and helpful from the beginning. She quickly identified my problem areas and helped me create a plan to improve. To top it all off, she was always available to answer my questions and helped me tweak my plan when I lost my way. Within a few months, not only did my grades improve but myself confidence went up. Since, taking her course I feel more confident sitting in class and feel I can handle anything that my professor throws at me.

I would highly recommend her course to every student not only those that are struggling! – H.D.

After having an average first semester my 1L year I wanted to find a way to improve my grades and exam writing skills. The Law School Toolbox and Keri helped me apply my knowledge of the law to my law school exams. Keri was able to find the weaknesses in my exam writing skills and helped me target certain areas in order to improve. She sent me numerous practice essays and provided valuable feedback catered directly to what I needed to work on. Keri got back to me almost immediately whenever I had a question, even late at night!

I called Keri almost every week my second semester to discuss practice essays and study strategies. During the reading period leading up to exams I talked to Keri every few days and had a specific strategy for each class. I felt prepared going into exams and was not nervous at all, unlike my first semester. I finished at the top of my class after doing extremely well my second semester and was able to transfer to my top choice law school. I would not have been able to improve my exam taking skills so fast if it were not for Keri and the Law School Toolbox. – K.B.

As an immigrant, and the first in my family to attend law school, I knew receiving extra guidance during my first year of law school was pivotal. I chose to prepare for law school with The Law School Toolbox flagship course, Start Law School Right (SLSR) because the program was the most user friendly, step-by-step, neatly tailored program that addressed the essential skillsets every student would need to succeed their year of law school. I chose to continue my relationship with Law School Toolbox after receiving meticulous feedback on my SLSR assignments.

Working with Alison, Lee, and Ben during law school was the smartest decision I ever made. I would not have had such a rewarding professional trajectory and robust first year law school experience, if I had not worked with Alison, Lee, and Ben. Their exemplary professionalism, and support kept me focused and calm during the most stressful times in law school.

Alison, Lee, and Ben gave me meticulous feedback on my summer internship applications, practice exams, and coursework and made my first year of law school an exceptionally enjoyable experience (a rarity for most first year law school students!) My successful first year law school experience translated to exceptional opportunities. I was hired as a teaching assistant for one of 1L's core courses, admitted as a transfer to my dream law school. I also interned for a Court of Appeals Judge during my first summer of law school.

My tutor, Ben tailored his explanations to cater to my learning style, continuously checked on me and never gave up on me, during the times I wanted to give up on myself and I was convinced I just could not understand the materials. Ben always looked out for my best interests and was judicious with my tutoring hours. When he felt that my tutoring hours would be used best focused on materials I originally had not suggested, Ben would collaborate with me so that I maximized my hours most effectively. Ben was always available and willing to help. It is a true talent to be able to explain difficult legal concepts in precise concision, and a rarity to find an individual who is extremely bright, down to earth, and kind.

I recommend Law School Toolbox because Alison and Lee are dedicated to ensure that their law school students learn the law effectively while maintaining a healthy mind, body and soul. – M.K.

Inevitably, law school is difficult. Yet more challenging is the reality that most law schools fail to teach students how to study the law. However, there are methods in which a student can learn to study efficiently, which can serve eventually to make the process enjoyable and productive.

After committing a host of classic 1L mistakes during the first semester, I came across the Law School Toolbox podcasts, where Alison and Lee discussed different strategies in which students can make the most effectual use out of their law school studying and critical thinking. Compelled by their personable approach in de-mystifying the challenges of law school, I sought the assistance of Law School Toolbox tutor, Doretta McGinnis. First and foremost, Doretta pushed me to break from undergraduate study habits of memorization in order to embrace an analytical legal thinking style. It was then where I learned to view individual cases with a larger perspective of how its law fit into the classroom curriculum. Using this knowledge as a platform, Doretta then assisted me in adopting a new approach to outlining and practice exams, through which I was finally able to implement a methodical legal writing style and mindset.

Certainly, there are many "fine" tutors in the law field; however, it is quite rare to find tutors like Doretta, whose skills are matched equally by her passion for the subject area and students. Patiently elaborating on each one of my inquiries, Doretta has instilled within me a greater sense of confidence in my test-taking and classroom abilities. Moreover, always searching for extra resources, she is quick to provide me flow charts, explanations, and articles that can more fully explain different areas of the law. Yet most important, Doretta's candor on various methods of studying has proved critical in my change of mindset towards the process of studying law. I am unbelievably grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her, and look forward to continuing to utilize her help throughout my legal education. – C.A.

Ariel's help was a lifesaver!! I signed up for tutoring toward the end of second semester 1L year after disappointing first term grades. Not only did I want to improve, but I was also getting really worried about my then-current classes, particularly the dreaded Con Law. I was so thankful that Ariel was willing to help me with only a little over a month left – and I mean it, she really helped!!

I hadn't been reading nearly at all for Con Law and felt like I knew absolutely nothing and it was April. Ariel was really honest and direct and told me I needed to turn things around, and fast. This wakeup call was much needed and actually pushed me to commit to the process and trust her suggestions.

It was definitely a lot of work, but Ariel made it manageable and I ended up feeling really confident taking my exams. After being convinced I would actually fail Con Law, I received a B+! My other grades improved as well with my best grade first term being my lowest second term.

Ariel works with you and is very willing to adapt strategies to what makes sense for you. Also, and I think most importantly, there is NO JUDGMENT! I was terrified to get a tutor earlier on because I was afraid they would make me feel worse than I already did. Ariel is not only honest, but kind and empathetic – she has been there people, and she understands the temptation of watching Netflix 🙂

I cannot say enough to sing Ariel's praises. Don't wait to get tutoring like I did – sign up now and you'll be so glad you did (although if you do wait, they can still really help you). Thank you, Ariel!!  -K.

Got questions?

If you have any questions about our personalized law school tutoring program, or if you'd like to chat with one of us, don't hesitate to get in touch!

• You can use our handy Tutoring Contact form and we would be happy to answer any questions you have. We're also happy to set up a complementary call to discuss your particular situation — just drop us a line.
• Or, if you know you want to get started right away, purchase law school tutoring now.

Best of luck, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

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Source: https://lawschooltoolbox.com/tutoring-for-law-school-success/