I have seen so many of you on Facebook, Instagram and Reddit asking things like:
"What's the best way to take notes in law school?"
"How should I take notes in law school?"
"Should I use paper and pen, an iPad, or my laptop to take notes?"
"Do I need to take notes while I read and during class?"
"What's the best way to organize my notes in law school?"
"What apps on my iPad or computer should I use for notes?"
"What if my professors don't allow computers in class?"
"How do I keep my notes organized?"
"Can I read without taking notes?" (NO! At least, not at first.)
"How do I prepare for class?"
"Is reading for class that important?" (YES!)
I might have an answer to those questions.
However, I can only tell you what I used and how I took notes. I'm never going to tell you that how I did it is THE way to do whatever it is (take notes, get As, land internships, pass the bar, etc.).
Just because it worked for me, doesn't mean it will work for you. Law school for most people is a combination of two things: (1) choose your own adventure and (2) trial and error.
It took me fumbling through my school's summer start program (and suffering through Legislation) + wading through the first half of 1L before I figured out what worked for me.
Reading is SO important for every single class. As you get further into law school, you will need to take less notes because you will be able to pick up on the things that really matter. Your reading speed and comprehension will also improve. As a 1L, it may very well take you 3 hours to read and take notes on 40 pages, but by 3L, it will take an hour (if that).
And, of course, if you're in class, there's a chance you can (and will!) get cold-called. You must have good notes to refer to or risk being embarrassed by some 60-year-old white dude on a power trip. 🙃
So here's my step-by-step guide to how I took notes for every class throughout law school:
Reading Notes
Read the material: I would read, highlight, and write notes on sticky notes. I would highlight important things, like the holding of cases, parties, and pertinent facts. I would jot down thoughts, conclusions, holdings, rules on sticky notes and stick them in my book. I would also tab the case and holding so I could easily find it during class if I got cold called.
Take the notes: I used Evernote, an app, to take typed notes about my reading. I started out taking handwritten notes, but there's just not enough time for that. You also need be able to read your notes in class and my handwriting is TRASH. Below is a screenshot of Evernote on my laptop. I would create a folder for each semester, then an notebook for each class. I would then break my notes down by weeks. I normally had 2 classes of each subject per week, so there would be two class periods worth of notes in one note (if that makes sense). On the left, you will see each semester's folder and the notebooks for each class. The big block on the right is where you take notes.
Class Notes
Print your reading notes: I would print off the reading notes I took and highlight any important things (rules, case names, etc.). I would print these single-sided so I could take class notes on the back. Most of the time, I was able to print my notes at school. (My law school had printers we could use that were paid for with the fees we paid every year). I did, however, have a printer at home that I used just in case.
Take your printed reading notes to class: Most of my professors throughout law school did not allow computers in class. I would take my printed reading notes, highlighters and colored pens to class. Any time my professor pointed out something, I made sure I had it in my reading notes and if I didn't, I would write it on the back of the page or in the margin. I got an iPad at the beginning of 3L and would take that to class and write my handwritten notes on the iPad, but more on that below.
Organizing My Notes
After class, I would then three-hole-punch my printed notes and place them in a binder. Like my notes in Evernote, I would use divider tabs and divide them up weekly. I had a binder for each class. This made is so easy when I was outlining for finals because I had everything, reading and class notes, in one place.
Taking Notes On My iPad
I got an iPad at the start of 3L year. Evernote has an iPad app, so I could have my typed reading notes without having to print. I used the app Noteshelf to take notes. Like in Evernote, I made a notebook for each class. Hindsight being 20/20, I think I preferred my original method. It was more organized and I didn't have to scroll through handwritten notes on an iPad when outlining.
Planning For Reading and Taking Notes
Two words: plan ahead. You will have a lot of reading. As a 1L, it will take you a long time to read and digest all the necessary material for each class. My reading schedule went something like this (most of the time):
Monday: read for Wednesday's class(es)
Tuesday: read for Thursday's class(es)
Wednesday: read for Friday's class(es). If I didn't have class on Friday, I would read for the following Monday.
Thursday: read for next Monday's class(es), if I hadn't done it on Wednesday.
Friday: read for next Tuesday's class(es).
Saturday: off day
Sunday: review for Monday and Tuesday classes
Obviously, I didn't execute this schedule perfectly every week, but I tried damn hard. This also lowered my stress level and allowed me plenty of time to prepare for my classes.
Like I said at the beginning, just because this is how I did it, doesn't mean this is how you should or have to do it. The main reason I took notes like this is because most of my professors did not allow computers in class. During my first year, only my Civ Pro professor allowed computers. But even in that class, I still stuck with my handwriting method because that was working for me.
If you want to see all the supplies I couldn't live without during law school, check out Part 1 and Part 2 of my school supplies series!
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-MB-
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