Law Schools

3 Summer Books For Incoming Law Students

The experience of law school is like nothing else, and these books will help you to prepare.

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“Wake up Mr. West, Mr. West / Mr. Fresh, mister, by himself he’s so impressed / I mean damn, did you even see the test?” — Kanye

There will be plenty of time to sweat over the various syllabi once the school year starts. As I tell every incoming law student I speak to, make sure you get plenty of rest before your first semester begins. For now, take the time to focus on creating good habits, setting a study schedule, and becoming mentally prepared for the three-year mental marathon.

The experience of law school is like nothing else. It is grueling. It is a grind. And it will knock you out if you aren’t ready to enter the ring. Once the school year commences, it is important to be all in. There is no dipping your toes in the water here. Immerse yourself in your studies and make sure to focus on what works best for you.

To assist in your law school preparation, I’m recommending three fun and easy-to-read books for the summer:

  1. One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School by Scott Turow (affiliate link)

One L provides plenty of insight regarding the thoughts, anxiety, and emotions one feels throughout the first year of law school. The last line of this excerpt really stood out to me:

In a few weeks, it will be fall again and the Harvard Law School will open its doors to another entering class. As we did, they will bring with them their academic accolades, glittering like rows of military medals; they will bring a hunger for the law.

They will bring their own great talents, energy, ambition, intelligence, charm. They will bring their enemies unmet.

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Turow repeatedly speaks of the ugliness he saw in others as well as himself during law school. Turow’s sentiments remind me of a quote from Eilene Zimmerman, who penned an article on drug use in the legal profession and the death of her ex-husband, a well-known patent lawyer.

While appearing on National Public Radio’s (NPR) Here and Now radio show, Zimmerman told the host, Robyn Young: “People enter law school with a certain set of values and a certain level of passion and humanity. They come out the other side without it. It gets stripped out.”

Turow’s book is a prescient warning to keep your wits about you during law school. Don’t get too high or too low. Don’t worry too much about how others are doing. In other words, make sure to wear sunscreen this summer and remember: “Don’t waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.”

  1. The Partner Track by Helen Wan (affiliate link)

The Partner Track is an illustrative example of all the speed bumps and potential roadblocks a first-generation law student will face on her way to becoming partner at a prestigious law firm. Perhaps Susan Cain, a former attorney and New York Times Best Selling Author, sums it up best in her review of the book:

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Smart, incisive, and fast-paced, The Partner Track is a sparklingly readable look at the inner workings of a Wall Street law firm — from the vantage point of a brainy, beautiful and self-doubting Asian-American associate. Wan has the remarkable ability to make you feel as if ‘you are there’ — inside the law firm, inside protagonist Ingrid Yung’s head. I did not want to put this book down.

I still remember tweeting to @helenwan1 after I read the “A1 sauce” scene.

While witnessing her fellow summer associate make a foolish demand at dinner, Wan’s protagonist states:

I wanted to reach out, give him a hug, and march him out of that tent and back to the safety of the NYU Law dorm where he was living that summer. I know, I wanted to tell him. It’s not fair, and it’s not easy. But you’ll learn. You just practice until it looks natural, that’s all. Fake it til you make it.

Whenever I witness an awkward moment in the legal universe, I often think of Wan’s words coupled with the common Texas expression, “Bless your heart.”

  1. The Start-Up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha (affiliate link)

This last read is not as legally focused as the former two books, but it is just as applicable to future attorneys. In The Start-Up of You, Hoffman and Casnocha provide a tactical playbook on how one should build his or her career in this fiercely competitive economy. As Hoffman and Casnocha write:

Whether you’re a lawyer or doctor or teacher or engineer or even a business owner, today you need to also think of yourself as an entrepreneur at the helm of at least one living, growing start-up venture: your career.

This book is not a job-hunting manual… What you will find are the start-up mind-sets and skill sets you need to adapt the future. You’ll find strategies that will help you expand the reach of your network, gain a competitive edge, and land better professional opportunities.

Too often I meet attorneys who followed the most frictionless path possible to their current lots in life. Some are unhappy and searching for a better alternative. The Start-Up of You provides a fantastic roadmap for someone at the beginning of his or her career or who is simply looking to pivot from his or her current position.

So there you have it, my three book recommendations for the summer. If you are an incoming law student, be sure to also check out Law School Advice For 1Ls From Amal Clooney, Chief Justice Roberts, And Other Notable Legal Figures.

Enjoy the summer. In a few months, it will be fall again. Law school awaits.

Renwei Chung is the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law. You can contact Renwei by email at [email protected], follow him on Twitter (@renweichung), or connect with him on LinkedIn. 

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