Great Law Books

Law School

2.51 First-Year Tortures & Legal Reasoning:

2.511 Legal Philosophy (worth reading if you're not yet in law school):

The Common Law, by Oliver Wendell Holmes. If you wanna' learn something about law, go to one of the Masters.

Nature of the Judicial Process, by Benjamin N. Cardozo. Another Master.

The Concept of Law, by H. L. A. Hart.

Introduction to the Philosophy of Law, by Roscoe Pound.

A Theory of Justice, by John Rawls.

The Structure of Liberty: Justice and the Rule of Law, by Randy E. Barnett

2.512 Getting Started:

Streamlined Briefing Technique, by Clyde Emery. Excellent, and very cheap. From the ABA's Law Student Division. (1.800.285.2221)

Learning Legal Reasoning: Briefing, Analysis, and Theory, by John Delaney. A must-have. Also, it should be available directly from Delaney Publications (not us), at 201.836.2543.

First Year Law School Survival Kit, by Jeff Adachi. If unavailable, It's $39.95 through Legal Books Distributing (1-213-526-7110). (No connection with us, and we don't make anything from the referral.)

2.513 Research:

How to Use the Internet for Legal Research, by Josh Blackman.

Legal Research Guide: Patterns & Practice, by Bonita K. Roberts & Linda L. Schlueter. Published by Michie.

Legal Research: How to Find and Understand the Law, by Stephen Elias & Susan Levinkind. One of Nolo Press' books, written for non-lawyers...and a very good overview of legal research. Includes exercises to test your research proficiency.

2.52 First Year Courses:

2.521 Civil Procedure:

Civil Procedure, by Joseph W. Glannon. Excellent.

2.522 Constitutional Law:

A Student's Guide to Basic Constitutional Analysis, by Russell W. Galloway and Rose Elizabeth Bird.

Corwin and Peltason's Understanding the Constitution, by Jack Walter Peltason.

We the People: Foundations, by Bruce Ackerman.

2.523 Contracts:

Contracts: Examples and Explanations, by Brian A. Blum. This is an excellent book for both law students and lawyers. Read it early and often. [TJM]

2.524 Criminal Law:

Criminal Procedure: Examples and Explanations, by Robert M. Bloom and Mark S. Brodin.

Criminal Law: A Problem-Solving Approach, by John Delaney. Shows up as out-of-stock, but it should be available at your local law school bookstore.

2.525 Property Law:

Introduction to the Law of Real Property, by Cornelius Moynihan. A classic...and a necessary foundation for mastering other areas of the law.

Noblest Triumph: Property and Prosperity Through the Ages, by Tom Bethell. The this and the next give a good understanding of why property law is so important. (An importance that is often overlooked by commentators, today.)

Property and Freedom, by Richard Pipes.

2.526 Torts:

The Law of Torts, by Joseph W. Glannon. Appears to be a Special Order book, although your law bookstore should have it.

Persons and Masks of the Law, by John T. Noonan. Although out-of-print, this book gives you a "behind-the-scenes" look at cases. Anyone who has studied Palsgraf v. Long Island RR Company will be amazed at the information provided by Noonan on all of the characters in that trial, including the lawyer for Mrs. Palsgraf, the Palsgrafs, Benjamin Cardozo, the media, etc. This made the law alive, instead of a one-dimensional case sitting on a page.

2.53 Second & Third-Year Stuff:

Scholarly Writing for Law Students: Seminar Papers, Law Review Notes, and Law Review Competition Papers, by Elizabeth Fajans and Mary R. Falk.

2.526 Evidence (look also at the Practitioner's page for Trial Lawyers):

Evidence: Examples & Explanations, Arthur Best. Shows up as Hard-to-Find. Check a law bookstore.

A Student's Guide to Hearsay, by Clifford S. Fishman. Same thing: Hard-to-Find, but worth it (especially for future litigators). Published by Matthew Bender.

2.54 The Important Stuff -- Exams:

Here's a link to a service that has been highly recommended by the author of Planet Law School: Wentworth Miller's Legal Essay Exam Writing System. (No, we don't receive any money for this plug.)
Eight Secrets Top Exam Performance in Law School, by Charles H. Whitebread. I haven't seen this book, but I've seen Whitebread in person, and he's very, very funny; it should be good. (And, yes, "Whitebread" is his real name.) [TJM]
How to Do Your Best on Law School Exams, by John Delaney. If this shows up a Special Order. Call Delaney Publications (not us), at 201.836.2543, or check at your local law school bookstore.

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