I brief the cases so I can gain insight as to why the courts concluded as they did. While most feel briefing cases is a waste of time (I do admit it is most time consuming), I'm trying to immerse myself into law as much as I can. I am aware of the need to ease up on this practive and focus on outlines...I try to balance this as much as I can. I don't read all cases word for word but I try not to breeze by them either. I'm also zeroing in on the black letter law...but I want some context with it.
And no...I'm not a "gunner"...I'm as lazy as the next guy...but if I'm going to become a lawyer then I think it's best I get what I can out of law school...since I am paying for it.
I do refer to commercial materials when I'm in time crunch but I don't rely on them...they just supplement my learning. Rarely will I look to the canned brief BEFORE I read a case; I use the canned brief afterwards to see if I was on target or not.
Does this method work? Who knows...my first finals (ever) are in 2 weeks. We'll see.
I have extensively read PLS, Law School Confidemtial (higlighter book briefing), etc. I am aware that most methods/systems are "anti-briefing".
Lastly,
I find myself picking up more legal terms when I brief (res ipsa loquitur, etc.). Lord knows I need practice learning these terms that are mostly new to me.
Got my eyeballs popping out from working through a Civ. Pro outline for 5(+) hours so far today (going to do some hypos the rest of the night).
Got 100 or so pages to read/brief for Torts on Sunday for Monday's class.
Finals are a couple of weeks away now and I can feel the vice tightening up on my nuts right now.
You still brief cases?
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