Best Study Aids?

[Vindigo]

Hey there all, first post so sorryif this is old ground
I am wondering about the rep and utility of the flood of study aids out there? any thoughts on what are the best companys?  any insight on the law in a flash cards or software?
I am pretty much asking about everything outlines, briefs etc.

any and all help would be greatly appreciated
my classes are
Torts
Civ Pro
Contracts
Property
Legal Writing
and a $#!% bomb orientation course that is Pass Fail, yet has ore work than all the others

ps.  Are the first two to three weeks really a bit confusing or am I just screwed?
thanks again
V

[dreamweaver79]

I'm a 1L as well, but here is what I bought based on recommendations:

For Propery, I got Gilberts Law Summary on Property.  It's written by Dukeminier, who also wrote the casebook we use.  Our professor seems to read right out of the thing.  It breaks down the concepts pretty neatly.

For Civil Procedure, everyone recommended to me the Examples and Explanations on Civil Procedure, so that's what I got.

I didn't buy anything for Torts as of yet, since that is the one class that I've been able to easily understand so far.

For Contracts, I have no idea.  Didn't buy anything since nothing really seemed to stick out.

[jeffjoe]

Are the first two to three weeks really a bit confusing or am I just screwed?
thanks again
V

No, you are the first person to ever be confused at law school   

You bet it is confusing.  don't let it shake you.  Study like a demon and it will all come together.  Well, that's what they told me.

[edythec]

The best study aids I have found are the tapes for sale on barristerbooks.com.  I think they are all by Gilbert.  They have them for all the major courses.  I bought them for Torts and Contracts last year.  Loved them so much have now got them for Property, Civil Procedure, Remedies, and Evidence.  Haven't listened to all the new ones yet.  However I will say that the Torts helped me get an A in torts and I never would have figured out Statute of Frauds in contracts if not for the neumonics (I can't spell) on the Contracts tape.  They break the concepts down in to easy to remember concepts.  They are not normally case specific (except for MAJOR cases) nor are they state specific.  They are expensive ($40 to $60) per set, but worth it.

[Coregram]

See the discussion of some study guides and approaches under the PLS Method thread here.  Aspen E&Es for your course topic and LEEWS are recomended (and maybe PLS 

[Dicta]

I agree with Edythe, the Emmanuel series is very good.
Also, Legalines are keyed to certain casebooks, which is helpful.
The Gilberts I don't seem to like as well, just a personal preference.
And I got mine on Barristerbooks.com also.
Somewhere on the board there are postings containing discount codes......
Susan

[dgatl]

i got Gilberts and the E&E's for all my classes.  my friend has emmanuels for all the clases.  so between us, we are covered.  the E&E's help you study the material.  gilberts and emmanuels help you prepare outlines for the final

[uagirliegirl]

Civ Pro - Examples and Explanations by Glannon
Contracts - Examples and Explanations by Blum, Flash Cards by Emmanual
Torts - The Forms & Functions of Tort Law by Abraham
Property - Not taking til next semester
Con Law (which you should have next semester, and I have this semester) - I don't think anything can help. Although I suggest Gilbert Outlines over Emmanuals

[Dicta]

Just got the "Sum and Substance" for Contracts. It is awesome and the pages are perforated and hole punched. Great for study!
Susan

[briarrose]

Gilbert Law Summaries has a first year set in both book and audio cassette format that covers all of the subjects that you're listing. If you buy them together, you save a bunch of money (something like $50 or so, which is almost 2 free books.)  I found them really helpful when I was a 1L, plus the first year topics have all come out new in the last couple of years.