"Letters to a law student"

Chris007

I'm considering studying law at uni next year, I've been trying to find some books that could give me an insight into studying law and all it's joys (or not) and i came across 'Letters to a Law Student' By Nicholas J. McBride. Has anyone read it? And if so, would they recommend it? Or does anyone know of any other similar books that they could recommend, possibly one based on the Irish legal system as opposed to the Brithish one as in this book?

Either way i would much appreciate any input

ronnie3585

My letter to a prospective law student;

"Don't do it. Seriously."

Tom Young

Byrne & McCutcheon, The Irish Legal System 4th Ed. (2001), Butterworths. Or there is a new Ed. coming out this year. This is an academic text and might be a little turgid.

The best small book is Learning the Law by Glanville Williams 1969 Ed. now by A.T.H Smith before 2005 edition. It is UK but close enough to give you a technical feel.

Novels: Book of Evidence by John Banville.

Jurisprudence text: Law's Empire, Harvard University Press (1986) by Ronald Dworkin.

Just some suggestions.

Tom

Chris007

ronnie3585 wrote: »

My letter to a prospective law student;

"Don't do it. Seriously."

Very informative :P

Tom Young wrote: »

Byrne & McCutcheon, The Irish Legal System 4th Ed. (2001), Butterworths. Or there is a new Ed. coming out this year. This is an academic text and might be a little turgid.

The best small book is Learning the Law by Glanville Williams 1969 Ed. now by A.T.H Smith before 2005 edition. It is UK but close enough to give you a technical feel.

Novels: Book of Evidence by John Banville.

Jurisprudence text: Law's Empire, Harvard University Press (1986) by Ronald Dworkin.

Just some suggestions.

Tom

Thanks Tom, i'll look into them.

Jev/N

Tom Young wrote: »

The best small book is Learning the Law by Glanville Williams 1969 Ed. now by A.T.H Smith before 2005 edition. It is UK but close enough to give you a technical feel.

I'd second this. Won it as a prize years ago and only got round to reading it recently but well worth the read!

the_wheel_turns

I think you should check out a book by Scott Turow called "One L", it deals with his experiences as a 'one L' or first year at Harvard Law School.

Although it was originally written in 1979 I believe, and is based inside the American law school network, which is a whole different ball-game, it does provide an excellent insight into the rigors and challenges that you will face in studying Law. I read it in February of this year and it really is a remarkable little book - only about 200 pages long aswell!

hada

the_wheel_turns wrote: »

I think you should check out a book by Scott Turow called "One L", it deals with his experiences as a 'one L' or first year at Harvard Law School.

Although it was originally written in 1979 I believe, and is based inside the American law school network, which is a whole different ball-game, it does provide an excellent insight into the rigors and challenges that you will face in studying Law. I read it in February of this year and it really is a remarkable little book - only about 200 pages long aswell!

Picked up this book and browsed through it in the states a few years back.

It certainly is enthralling stuff as it plays out like a movie, but having gone through undergrad, it does seem a little over the top.


Still makes me want to study at Harvard though!!

EdgarAllenPoo

Tom Young wrote: »

Byrne & McCutcheon, The Irish Legal System 4th Ed. (2001), Butterworths. Or there is a new Ed. coming out this year. This is an academic text and might be a little turgid.

Jurisprudence text: Law's Empire, Harvard University Press (1986) by Ronald Dworkin.

Jesus not Law's Empire, if someone thinks they might want to study law that'll turn them right off....could just be me but I think the reason Jurisprudence isn't taught in first year is that so many people would drop out if they thought that's what a degree course was like.

Byrne/McCutcheon is handy as an intro if you've pretty much set on studying law, either that or Principles of Irish Law by Brian Doolan, if I had to decide between the two I'd go for B/M but Doolan is a good way to ease yourself in.

Tom Young

Ha ha, yep! I do agree, unless you actually can step back and get it!

Which I somehow did.

Point taken on why JP is not taught in year one, though aspects of it should be in my view. Las has many angles, many are undesirable!

Tom

pandos

GDM wrote: »

Jesus not Law's Empire, if someone thinks they might want to study law that'll turn them right off....could just be me but I think the reason Jurisprudence isn't taught in first year is that so many people would drop out if they thought that's what a degree course was like.

Byrne/McCutcheon is handy as an intro if you've pretty much set on studying law, either that or Principles of Irish Law by Brian Doolan, if I had to decide between the two I'd go for B/M but Doolan is a good way to ease yourself in.

Agree 100%

_JOE_

GDM wrote: »

Jurisprudence isn't taught in first year is that so many people would drop out if they thought that's what a degree course was like.

I actually loved it, and i could never really understand why others wouldn't. Many students seem to think it's very abstract or "airy fairy"...

fmcdaid

hi there only started law this year! loving it,

hear is a few law books:
1. principles of irish law... bit expensive, but tells you in simple language what sertain parts of the mean
2. law express...there like little study books for law, and only €13.50 in waterstones, theres also law books that are called 'nutcrackers' ment to be good to!

_JOE_

fmcdaid wrote: »

hi there only started law this year! loving it,

hear is a few law books:
1. principles of irish law... bit expensive, but tells you in simple language what sertain parts of the mean
2. law express...there like little study books for law, and only €13.50 in waterstones, theres also law books that are called 'nutcrackers' ment to be good to!

I think you mean nutshells?