How important is case briefing?

[Gwiz]

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[Buddy Holly]

I stopped doing it halfway through my fall semester. Ironically, my grades were better in spring than fall, but I'm not sure this has to do with stopping case briefing.. it just shows it is unnecessary for some people.

[brightline]

Briefing is pretty much a waste of time. I did leews style, very short briefs compiled from the lexis-nexis briefs and/or canned briefs and a quick skim of the text. After awhile I stopped reading the cases altogether.

After the third week of law school I pretty much stopped reading the casebooks, save for a quick skim in class to see if there was an important point in one of them. Most of the time there wasn't. Cases are rarely tested on law exams. If you do need to know a case for an exam, you'll know and even then you'll only need to know the title of the case and a one sentence summary of the holding.

I have done well at my school despite not putting too much stock in the cases.

Many upperclassmen don't read at all. One of the top editors of our law review doesn't read casebooks anymore.

[Weezer1223]

I booked brief most of my cases. I would also use Lexis' case summary as well. They had enough info to get me through being called on.

[Louder Than Bombs]

it is not important at all. in fact, it's not even necessary to read the cases. what is necessary is that you know the black-letter law and how to write a law school exam. you don't learn that from reading (or briefing) cases.

[Buddy Holly]

it is not important at all. in fact, it's not even necessary to read the cases. what is necessary is that you know the black-letter law and how to write a law school exam. you don't learn that from reading (or briefing) cases.

That's true... I had a friend who hit median without buying a single book first or second semester. He's at a V50 BIGLAW firm for his 1L summer, too.

[leostrauss]

Couldn't I just buy primers to learn black letter law? If so, I'll get started on that now.

[Gwiz]

it is not important at all. in fact, it's not even necessary to read the cases. what is necessary is that you know the black-letter law and how to write a law school exam. you don't learn that from reading (or briefing) cases.

That's true... I had a friend who hit median without buying a single book first or second semester. He's at a V50 BIGLAW firm for his 1L summer, too.

Yea I'm gonna risk $45K to do what he did and save on $1200 worth of books.   Are you people nuts.  I'm buying the books, reading the cases and at least try briefing...

I like the ocassional risk but I'm not doin this stuff for shts, and giggles.  $45,000!

[lawchick09]

I stopped briefing second semester and I definitely think my grades improved as a result of the more efficient use of my time. Briefing is a waste and it's tedious as all hell. Spend your time learning the black letter law and you'll be fine.

[kilroy55]

I stopped briefing second semester and I definitely think my grades improved as a result of the more efficient use of my time. Briefing is a waste and it's tedious as all hell. Spend your time learning the black letter law and you'll be fine.

I was unaware there was such a thing as black letter law.  Brief if you need too, don't if you don't.  Decide for yourself once you are there.